Day 34: Library Lion

As another tribute to National Library Week, I thought it only appropriate to feature our favorite book about libraries, Library Lion.  We discovered this wonderful story at our library, of course, and my son and I both love reading it.  It has everything that, to me, makes a book perfect:  beautiful illustrations that tell the story in and of themselves, endearing characters, a good moral, and a warm, happy ending.  There is a sort of timeless feel to this story, as well.  I don't know if it is the subtle, soft illustrations, or the fact that the lion sniffs at a card catalog, but whatever it is, I love it.  "One day, a lion came to the library.  He walked right past the circulation desk and up into the stacks...  No one was sure what to do.  There weren't any rules about lions in the library," but he was allowed to stay so long as he followed the rules.  No running, and most importantly, no roaring.  At first, the lion came just for story hour, but soon, he became librarian Miss Meriweather's helper, dusting shelves with his tail and licking envelopes for the overdue notices.  It is not long before everyone in the library comes to love the gentle lion; everyone, that is, except the grouchy library assistant, Mr. McBee.  "Lions, he thought, could not understand rules.  The did not belong in the library."  In a charmingly poignant series of events, we all come to learn an important lesson, even Mr. McBee.  "Sometimes, there are reasons for breaking the rules.  Even in the library."  I love the way we get to know Knudsen's characters so quickly and well, and Kevin Hawkes' illustrations do a marvelous job of depicting their moods and emotions.  Library Lion is a touching story that is simply a joy to read, and a wonderful ode to the magic of libraries everywhere.