Happy Librarian's Day- Every Day of the Year!

Who knew? Today is NATIONAL LIBRARIANS' DAY!  A week ago, during National Library Week, we honored library workers. TODAY, we raise a glass, tip a hat, give a nod, or otherwise acknowledge that LIBRARIANS have a professional role we truly cannot/should not live without. If you are one of those folks who has not been to a library in ... who knows how long... don't think this doesn't matter to you. The public services expected of and exceeded by our librarians (in public libraries, in school libraries, in corporate and university and research and so many other unseen spots) keep the world running. Professional librarians are educated beyond imagination, at great expense, and with far less security, appreciation, and compensation than they deserve. Check out the professional expectations HERE. 

Now that I've cleared that up, here is a quick compilation of a few picture books celebrating libraries and librarians. For this quick look I offered an excerpt from my Goodreads reviews and others.  Click to read more. And if you decide to take a look for yourself, thank  a librarian!

THE LIBRARY BUS, written by Bahram Rahman and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard     Review HERE

This is an up-close and inspiring story of one Afghanistan family's effort to expand literacy, especially for girls. The language and images are lovely and uplifting, while exploring aspects of hardship and struggles. 

The Book Rescuer: How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to Come. Written by Sue Macy and illustrated by Stacy Innerst       Review HERE.

This 2020 Sydney Taylor award picture book contains the impressive and heartfelt account of a boy-grown-to-man who attempted to do one small things that became his life's mission. The central hero, Aaron Lansky, heard a story from his immigrant Jewish Grandma, who had been sent to the USA from Europe as child due the growing threats of a coming Holocaust.

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré. Written by 

Anika Aldamuy Denise and illustrated by 

 

Paola Escobar.            Review others' HERE.

Comments from reviewer Aliza Werner:

"Lush illustrations bring the warmth of Puerto Rico to the pages of this story of Pura Belpré, the first NYPL librarian from PR. The author and illustrator are both Latina #OwnVoices. One feature I loved most was all of the Spanish words sprinkled throughout the text. Using context clues, readers can figure out what those words translate to in English."

And author Magriet Ruurs, a global story-gatherer and storyteller, shares this from her travels:

My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World

by Margriet Ruurs  

This is one of many picture books that spotlight the eager reception of library services in places around the world that do not have access to library public library services, yet find a way to make books available.

So, this is simply a short tribute to the remarkable demands that librarians round the world meet and exceed on a daily basis, but do so with grace and smiles and expertise that often remains unseen.

THANK A LIBRARIAN!