May 1, 2021
Grades K-3 Inspired by the story of how his grandfather got his town to build a library, Lendler cleverly tells his own version with this fresh variation on "Stone Soup." One day, a tornado blows through Nia's town and carries off its library. Other townsfolk think the space will be great for a new skyscraper or a parking lot, but Nia knows there needs to be a new library. She devises a plan and sits under her favorite tree to write all her favorite stories down--a process charmingly depicted in a series of panels showing Nia writing in a variety of positions, sometimes with the help of her dog. But eventually she writes enough to fill her "library" (red wagon) and passes the stories out to the townspeople, who begin writing their own stories. But where can they store these books? Well, the store owner makes some shelves, the builder constructs a building, and soon everyone is involved in creating and enjoying the new library, especially tenacious Nia. A heartening tale of community and perseverance.
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May 10, 2021
A brown-skinned, noodle-limbed child named Nia unites Littletown by reminding it of libraries’ importance in this “Stone Soup”–inspired tale. When the Littletown Library, already old and abandoned, is carried away by a tornado, the town’s residents wonder what to do with the empty lot. Nia, apparently the library’s sole visitor, crafts a selection of tales from memory, calling the collection the New Free Library and offering it to residents. When her fellow citizens complain about errors, clever Nia merely hands them a pencil and paper to fix things. Lendler relays the tale in rhythmic, dialogue-heavy prose, offering allusions to classics (“What exactly is a rumpus?”). Pett illustrates in warm washes of color, with comic-style panels featuring a cast of figures of varying ages and skin tones. An entertaining narrative extolling the community-building virtues of libraries. Back matter includes an author’s note. Ages 5–8.
June 15, 2021
Waiflike Nia convinces Littletown to rebuild its library after a tornado carries it away. The opening double-page spread mimics an album of photographs, starting with the earthbound library in a horse-and-buggy era and ending years later, with the building spun aloft in a tornado's funnel. Simple text asserts that the library had been there so long that "people stopped paying attention" and no one noticed when the librarian retired. Townspeople do notice the space left by the tornado; preliminary suggestions for projects are a skyscraper and a parking lot. Nia's suggestion is met with negative reactions from people who think that libraries are never used and are a waste of money. There is one stumbling moment when readers learn that decidedly young Nia had been checking out books weekly. How long ago had that librarian retired? Nevertheless, text, art, and layout combine to create a tale that is distinctive, whimsical, funny, and a pointed reminder about public libraries' value. Nia gathers some items in her red wagon: a desk, a chair, pencil and papers, and "a plate of orange slices for energy." She uses clever humility to lure townspeople into her scheme that readers familiar with the tale of "Stone Soup" may recognize. Tongue-in-cheek humor includes witty metafictional references. Warmly informal line-and-color art imbues the diverse inhabitants of Littletown with a sweet humanity--even in moments of disagreement. Nia has beige skin and wears her hair in a brown pageboy. A keeper. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)
COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2021
Before a tornado carried it away, the Littletown Library "...was there so long...that people stopped paying attention." With the library razed, community members propose filling the space with a skyscraper or a parking lot. Only young Nia suggests rebuilding the library. The adults counter with objections of cost, lack of use, and lack of need, so Nia decides to show them the value of a library. She begins writing and circulating her own books with vaguely familiar titles (e.g., "Where the Mild Things Roam") and tricks everyone else into doing the same. Bright cartoon art shows the piles of books growing along with the community's investment in the collection. Eventually, they build walls to protect it, and before long, the community has resurrected the library after all, one that they enjoy and use. Loosely tied to the "Stone Soup" tale where individuals give what they have to create something better for everyone, this book offers plenty of comical moments to enjoy in the exaggerated pictures, including a final spread showing another tornado, this time carrying off the school. That a library is a vibrant, welcoming space that truly belongs to its community is a valuable and meaningful message.
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)