Books about Books and Libraries

Picture Books

Bertram, Debbie. The Best Place to Read. (Ej Be)
A young child with a new book hunts inside and outside the house before finding the right chair for reading.

Bruss, Deborah. Book! Book! Book! (Ej Br)
When the children go back to school, the animals on the farm are bored, so they go into the library in town trying to find something to do.

Cohen, Miriam. When Will I Read? (Ej Co)
Impatient to begin reading, a first-grader doesn't realize that there is more to reading than books.

Horn, Emily. Excuse Me-- Are You a Witch? (Ej Ho)
A lonely black cat named Herbert begins and ends his search for some witches to keep him company in the library.

Jeffers, Oliver. The Incredible Book Eating Boy. (Ej Jef)
Henry loves to eat books, until he begins to feel quite ill and decides that maybe he could do something else with the books he has been devouring.

Joosse, Barbara M. Hot City. (Ej Jo)
Mimi and her little brother Joe escape from home and the city's summer heat to read and dream about princesses and dinosaurs in the cool, quiet library.

Knudsen, Michelle. Library Lion. (Ej Kn)
A lion starts visiting the local library but runs into trouble as he tries to both obey the rules and help his librarian friend.

Lakin, Patricia. Clarence the Copy Cat. (Ej La)
Clarence, a cat who does not want to hurt mice or any other creatures, does not feel welcome anywhere until he discovers the Barnstable Library.

McKissack, Pat. Goin' Someplace Special. (Ej Ma)
In segregated 1950s Nashville, a young African American girl braves a series of indignities and obstacles to get to one of the few integrated places in town: the public library.

Meddaugh, Susan. Hog-Eye. (Ej Me)
A young pig uses her ability to read to outwit a wolf that intends to eat her.

Parr, Todd. Reading Makes You Feel Good. (Ej Pa)
Describes the characteristics and various advantages of reading, like learning to make pizza and traveling to faraway places.

Pinkney, Sandra L. Read and Rise. (Ej Pi)
Photographs and poetic text celebrate reading as a means of encouraging African American children to pursue their dreams.

Polacco, Patricia. Thank You, Mr. Falker. (Ej Po)
At first, Trisha loves school, but her difficulty learning to read makes her feel dumb, teacher helps her understand and overcome her problem.

Schachner, Judith Byron. Yo, Vikings! (Ej Sc)
Emma has an imagination that won't quit and, with the help of her school librarian, she's off and running on a voyage of discovery.

Sierra, Judy. Wild About Books. (Ej Si)
A librarian named Mavis McGrew introduces the animals in the zoo to the joy of reading when she drives her bookmobile to the zoo by mistake.

Spanyol, Jessica. Carlo and the Really Nice Librarian.(Ej Sp)
When Carlo the giraffe and Crackers the cat visit the new library, they meet Mrs. Chinca, a very friendly and helpful librarian.

Stadler, Alexander. Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book. (Ej St)
Beverly is thrilled to finally check out a book with her own library card, but when she accidentally keeps the book too long she worries that she'll have to pay a huge fine or go to jail.

Vaughan, Marcia K. Up the Learning Tree. (Ej Va)
A young slave boy risks his life to learn how to read and, with the unsuspecting help of a teacher from the North, begins to realize his dream.

Williams, Suzanne. Library Lil. (Ej Wi)
A formidable librarian makes readers not only out of the once resistant residents of her small town, but out of a tough-talking, television-watching motorcycle gang as well.

Woodruff, Elvira. Can You Guess Where We're Going? (Ej Wo)
Jack tries to guess what fun place he is going to visit as his grandfather gives him hints about all the exciting things they will find there.

Yolen, Jane. Baby Bear's Books. (Ej Yo)
Throughout the day, Baby Bear finds a book to fit every special moment.

Early Reader

Elliot, Dan. Grover Learns to Read. (J-ER El)
Because he wants his mother to continue reading to him at bedtime Grover is reluctant to tell her that he knows how to read.

Hood, Susan. Look! I Can Read! (J-ER Ho)
A young girl demonstrates to her mother and father how well she has learned to read.

Meister, Cari. Tiny Goes to the Library. (J-ER Me)
Tiny the dog is a big help at the library when his owner takes out too many books to carry home.

Parish, Herman. Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm. (J-ER Pa)
The literal-minded housekeeper causes chaos at her local library when she stops by to help the librarian.

Paterson, Katherine. Marvin One Too Many. (J-ER Pa)
When Marvin refuses to go back to his new school because he is the only one in his class who cannot read, his father decides to help him learn by reading with him.

Pearson, Mary. I Can Do It All. (J-ER Pe)
When a boy goes to the library, he realizes he can pretend to be and to do anything by reading books.

Seuss, Dr. I Can Read With My Eyes Shut. (J-ER Se)
The Cat in the Hat takes Young Cat in tow to show him the fun he can get out of reading.

Compiled by K. Sutorius for MCPL Children's Services (2/05).