Editorial Review
A noteworthy review of Library Skills from Booklist on October 1, 2012
Who hasn’t dropped a book in the bathtub? But perhaps it’s best not to reassure little ones about that. Here, a rabbit boy, Stew, and his chicken friend, Opal, visit the library, where first-timer Opal gets a lesson on how to care for books: stack them neatly, hold them close so they don’t fall, never turn down pages, and most of all, don’t get them wet! Still, accidents can happen as the duo learn when Opal’s pup makes a dash across the pages, ripping them. Mom cheerfully tells the kids that Opal will have to pay a fine, but fines help buy new library books. The graphics are bold cartoons that attract attention, and the commonsense advice is good. But why, oh why, does the librarian have to say ‘shhh’ on the second page?
—Ilene Cooper