"As Piper grew, so did her collection of books.
But bringing all her books with her
everywhere she went was becoming
more and more difficult."
We tell a story in our family that comes from the time when my son Bret lived in Halifax. Bret was a reader, and loved all kinds of books. Like Piper in this story, he was voracious about his reading. He called home one day, with a bit of a chuckle in his voice. Teasing me about my need to 'have' all the books, he explained that he had just discovered the concept of a library. He clarified that you could go there to 'borrow' (not buy) any book you wanted to read. Hahahahaha! When I first read this book, it took me straight back to that memory.
Piper Waterstone, a young chipmunk, absolutely cannot let any of her treasured books out of her sight. She loves them far too much to do such a thing! Those books offer travel, comfort, and all else that she needs. To that end, she takes them everywhere she goes. If a friend asks to borrow one, Piper is quick to make an excuse that she needs it at the moment. When told they will get it from the library, Piper does not understand. Why go to the library?
Although she has never been there, she is sure it was not the place for her. Her collection continues to grow, making it increasingly more difficult to transport the books wherever she goes. On the day that her bike rolls too quickly down a hill and spills the books onto the ground around her, the final straw is a rainstorm. Every book is soaking wet.
A kind mole stops to help, and brings Piper and her books into the protection of a nearby building.
"The building was warm and dry and
smelled cozy, like wood with a hint of
vanilla. When her eyes adjusted to the
light, she gasped."
You may have guessed that the amiable mole offering Piper safety from the elements is the librarian. He provides an enlightening tour, much to Piper's astonishment and invites her to sign up for a library card. Now, she will have access to ALL the books!
"They're everybody's. We all share them.
Having this card means the library and
all the magic contained in these books
are now yours."
John Rocco used pencil, watercolor, and digital color to bring this story to life with the detailed coziness to be found in a library ... a place anyone can visit to borrow the books they need to foster their love of reading. The telling endpapers clearly show the growth and change that comes with learning for Piper; at the opening, she is constantly in conflict over keeping her books to herself, while the closing images show the joys that come with sharing.
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