LIBRARY GIRL
by Polly Horvath
Although my daughter Charlotte has become a voracious reader in her own right, I am holding on tight to our read-aloud bedtime routine that we established when she was a baby. Our book choices vary widely from classics like Mr. Popper’s Penguins and The Little Princess to newer books that we get to experience for the first time together. Polly Horvath’s Library Girl jumped off the shelf at our local bookstore, and Charlotte and I agree that it is one of our favorite stories we’ve ever read together.
This middle-grade novel tells the story of Essie, an 11-year-old girl who lives in a library. In fact, she was abandoned in the children’s section as a baby and has been raised secretly ever since by four loving, if eccentric, librarians. Because they have no legal rights or documentation for Essie, her mothers keep her in the library at all times to avoid the potential charge of kidnapping. But now that Essie is 11, they agree she needs to learn about the world and allow her short trips into the real world. There she experiences a strawberry phosphate and the confusing world of retail.
On one such outing, she meets an irritating young boy named G.E. who mysteriously looks exactly like a boy version of Essie. As they gradually become friends, Essie’s suspicion grows that their histories may somehow be linked. The mystery of Essie’s origins and the suspense over keeping her existence a secret make this charming coming-of-age story fly by, with lots of “ok, one more chapter” nights. I really enjoyed the quirkiness and intelligence of not only Essie and four mothers, but also the writing itself. I highly recommend Library Girl to any young reader in your life. And if you can convince them to let you read it aloud, don’t miss it! (Lily)
GUEST REVIEW
by Charlotte Harper Bodley (age 7)
I recommend this book for ages seven and up because I feel any younger than that and the message of the book wouldn't be understood. I really love how the book doesn't turn out how its cover appears. And whether you're a child reading this alone or an adult reading to your child, I think you will really like Library Girl.
