An affectionate storybook tribute to that truly wonderful place: the library.
Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. Michelle Knudsen's disarming story, illustrated by the matchless Kevin Hawkes in an expressive timeless style, will win over even the most ardent of rule keepers.
I'm the New York Times best-selling author of more than 50 books for young readers for all ages, including the award-winning picture book Library Lion, which was selected by Time magazine as one of the 100 Best Children's Books of All Time. My other books include the picture book Marilyn's Monster (NPR's Best Books of 2015) and the novels The Dragon of Trelian (VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers) and Evil Librarian (YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults; Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winner). My newest book is LUIGI, THE SPIDER WHO WANTED TO BE A KITTEN (a new picture book with the wonderful Kevin Hawkes, published 3/5/2024). Next up will be INTO THE WILD MAGIC, a new middle grade fantasy novel coming August 2025.
I also work as a freelance editor and teach in Lesley University's MFA program in writing for young people.
This is a children's book that I read to my twin boys. My boys school is doing a read a thon, so I have been reading all my favorite children's books to them. This book takes place in a library. A lion loves books so much that he visits the library everyday. I love the pictures in this book. The book also shows kids to love the library. Great children's book and it is one of my favorite.
I have been looking for some books with a library setting and this is one of the first ones I found. I love this story. One day a lion walks into the library. There are no rules against lions so everyone is nervous, but they let him stay. He becomes a huge help to the staff and he dusts books and does other chores. He becomes important to the library.
One day the head librarian takes a tumble and needs help so the lion has to break the no yelling rule to get help. He knows he broke the rules, so he leaves the library and doesn’t come back. He is greatly missed. What do you think happened next?
This was a sweet story with warm artwork and a great setting, the library. I love this story as it simply makes me happy. It’s always good to appreciate the library.
The nephew thought this was awesome and said he would go to the library every day if a lion was there. He gave it 5 stars. The niece gave this 3 stars saying it was a good story.
A lovely story about a lion that loves to visit a library. Thank you to goodreads friend 4eyedreader for giving me a link to a site that has this book read aloud, it looks like a brilliant resource and well worth a visit.
A lion comes to the library and loves to stay for story time. He learns not to break the rules and how to help out. This is a very nice story and one book loving and animal loving children will identify with. I like that although this is a simple story without much text it's a bit of a longer picture book. Having read this today I remembered reading this with my children and took this out of the library several times.
تقریبا سه سال پیش بود که در عید دیدنیمان در یک شهر شمالی، دختر مهربان میزبان چند کتاب برایمان آورد و گفت که اینها را کانون پرورش فکری شهرشان به او داده و او هم دیگر آنها را نمیخواهد. این کتاب هم در میان آنها بود. ابتدا همه کلیشههای ذهنیام دست به دست هم دادند: یک کتاب بزرگ با نوشتههای بزرگ، سبک نقاشی قدیمی، نویسنده و مترجم و ناشر ناشناس، چاپ اول سال ۸۶، اهدایی کانون آن هم در یک شهرستان... همه و همه یعنی کتاب بیخودی را از روی تعارف گرفتهایم که امروز یا فردا ردش میکنیم برود. راستش یکی دو بار که برای بهار خواندیمش هم همین حس را داشتم، تا اینکه کمکم نظرم به کتاب برگشت. هربار که میخواندمش به ظرافت داستان بیشتر پی میبردم و الان یکی از کتابهای محبوب من و بهار است
داستان با ورود شیری به کتابخانه شهر شروع میشود. شیر از جلوی پیشخوان کتابدار، آقای مکبی، رد میشود و در عین نگاه حیرتزده همه به بخش داستانخوانی میرود. آقای مکبی دواندوان خودش را به دفتر رییس کتابخانه، خانم مِریوِدِر، میرساند تا این اتفاق بزرگ را گزارش کند. خانم مریوردر که از قیافهاش معلوم است از آن مقرراتیهاست پیش از هر چیز به آقای مکبی تذکر میدهد که دویدن در کتابخانه ممنوع است. بعد وقتی میشنود که یک شیر در کتابخانه است فقط میپرسد که «آیا دارد قانونشکنی میکند؟» پاسخ آقای مکبی با کمی مکث «نه» است و همین باعث میشود خانم مریودر با ماندن شیر در کتابخانه مخالفتی نداشته باشد داستانخوانی شروع میشود. شیر در کنار بچهها جذب داستان میشود. ولی با تمام شدن داستان با غرشی بلند اعتراض میکند و داستان بعدی را میخواهد. خانم مریودر با عصیانیت و گامهایی بلند خودش را به بخش داستانخوانی میرساند و شیر را تهدید میکند که «اگر نمیتوانی ساکت بمانی باید اینجا را ترک کنی. این یک قانون است». شیر باز میغرد اما غمگین. دختربچهای از سمت شیر وساطت میکند که اگر شیر قول بدهد که ساکت باشد میتواند فردا هم سر ساعت قصه برگردد؟ پاسخ مثبت خانم مریودر همه بچهها را خوشحال میکند فردا شیر زودتر از ساعت قصه میآید و تا پیش از شروع قصه در کارهای کتابخانه کمک میکند. شیر خیلی زود به عضوی دوستداشتنی از کتابخانه تبدیل میشود. عضوی دوستداشتنی برای همه، مخصوصا خانم مریودر. عضوی دوستداشتنی برای همه، بجز آقای مکبی روزی از روزها که شیر و خانم مریودر مشغول کارهای کتابخانهاند خانم مریودر از روی چارپایه میافتد و از شیر که تنها فرد حاضر در آن بخش بود میخواهد برای کمک آقای مکبی را صدا کند. شیر به سراغ آقای مکبی میرود اما نگاه و زوزه و اشارههای او فایدهای ندارد، آقای مکبی بدون هیچ توجهی از شیر میخواهد که برود پی کارش. پس شیر تنها راهی که به ذهنش میرسد را امتحان میکند: با بلندترین صدایش میغرد! همین باعث میشود که آقای مکبی دوان دوان به سراغ خانم مریودر برود تا بگوید که کار شیر تمام است زیرا دوباره قانونشکنی کردهاست. شیر اما خودش میداند چه کرده و از همان در به آرامی و برای همیشه بیرون میرود در دفترِ رییس کتابخانه، وقتی آقای مکبی بالاخره خانم مریودر را پیدا میکند، خانم رییس با چهرهای اخمو به او میگوید: «گاهی اوقات دلیل مهمی برای زیر پا گذاشتن قوانین وجود دارد ...» و بعد از آقای مکبی میخواهد که دکتر خبر کند از روز بعد همه چیز به روال عادی برمیگردد، بجز اینکه دیگر خبری از شیر نیست. همه از نبود شیر ناراحتند، مخصوصا خانم مریودر. همه از نبود شیر ناراحتند، بجز آقای مکبی این ناراحتی آقای مکبی را به فکر فرو میبرد. او با خودش فکر میکند که شاید بتوان کاری کرد. پس یک روز عصر، پس از تمام شدن ساعت کاری، همه جای شهر را دنبال شیر میگردد: تو محلهها، زیر ماشینها، پشت بوتهها ... و سرانجام شیر را پشت در شیشهای کتابخانه پیدا میکند که با ناراحتی به داخل زل زدهاست. آقای مکبی به شیر خبر خوشحال کنندهای میدهد: «فکر کردم شاید دوست داشته باشی بدانی که کتابخانه یک قانون جدید دارد. غرش کردن مجاز نیست مگر اینکه دلیل مهمی داشته باشی؛ مثلا بخواهی به یک دوست آسیبدیده کمک کنی»ر صبح روز بعد وقتی آقای مکبی به خانم مریودر خبر میدهد که یک شیر در کتابخانه است برای اولین بار این فرصت را پیدا میکند که به رییس مقرراتی خود که دواندوان به سمت بخش داستانخوانی میرود تذکر بدهد که اینجا دویدن ممنوع است! ... «حالا دیگر آقای مکبی هم میدانست که شیرها هم میتوانند قانون را بفهمند» / یا آن طور که به نظرم بهتر است: «حالا دیگر آقای مکبی هم میدانست که شیرها هم میتوانند جایی در قانون داشته باشند» ر
داستان به نظر خوراک حلقههای کندوکاو و داستانخوانی به سبک فبک است. مفهوم اصلی همانطور که میبینید درمورد «قانون» است. من شخصا کتاب کودکی ندیدهام که مفهوم قانون و حدود آن را به این خوبی به داستان کشیده باشد. مشخصا به دو پرسشی که در سیر داستان برای ما شکل گرفت اشاره میکنم یک اینکه: اگر نامی از «شیر» در مقررات کتابخانه نیامده تکلیف او چیست؟ آیا باید بگوییم چون قانون اجازه ورود او را نداده حضورش غیرقانونی است یا برعکس، چون قانون حضورش را منع نکرده حضورش قانونی است؟ دو اینکه: کِی میتوان مقررات را نادیده گرفت؟ چرا خانم مریودر با غرش شیر مشکلی نداشت اما یا دویدن آقای مکبی مخالف بود؟ حتی وقتی آقای مکبی دوید تا دکتر خبر کند!ر
One day a lion visits the library. He soon discovers he likes story hour in the children's room. Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, tells the lion he may return for story hour if he obeys the rules. Soon the lion is there everyday to hear the story but also to help at the library. One day an accident happens and the lion breaks the rules. Are there times when rules are meant to be broken?
An enchanting book filled with colorful illustrations. It introduces children to the joys of the library and when it's okay to break the rules. I loved the characters Miss Merriweather and the lion the best.
Should a children’s book aim to teach important lessons to kids or just exist to entertain? This is a false choice and Library Lion shows just how possible it is to do both. I loved this book about a lion who falls in love with story time at the library, breaks the rules – by roaring in protest when story time is over – and is allowed to stay only on the condition that he obeys all of the rules from then on. Eventually there is a choice to be made between following the rules and roaring to fetch help for someone who is hurt, and the lion chooses to roar and face his punishment. This book is quite plain about the key lesson it is trying to teach – that even good rules may need to be broken for the right reason – but, although the story was clearly written with that lesson in mind, it never strikes a false note in playing to its theme. Children often relish stories with obvious morals – some of Aesop’s fables have stood the test of time and are still relished today, and the lesson of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is grasped again and again with glee as the story is enjoyed by generation after generation of preschoolers. But some stories with morals can be didactic or simply solemn, weighed down by the burden of an Important Lesson. This story, though, is anything but heavy and is completely natural and uncontrived. The illustrations make a fine first impression, drawn with such charm that they are certain to sway anyone even the slightest bit susceptible to such things: the lion manages to be both strong and cute (maybe even adorable, especially when he dusts the encyclopedias with his tail!) and the expressions of the people in the story are filled with life. The story is just as charming and lively, while also having more than a little drama. But almost every twist and turn has a kind of moral fiber in it that is enjoyable and fulfilling because it comes naturally out of the story and the characters. I had fun mulling over some of the less obvious moral lessons tucked away in this little story. One is the basic moral choice behind civil disobedience: when the lion breaks the rules, he’s willing to take the penalty, in this case, never returning to the library. Another is the principle of judging people by their actions, rather than by who they are or where they are from. Mr. McBee clearly thinks that lions – just because they are lions – don’t deserve even the chance to be in the library; Miss Merriweather (a woman of some perspicacity) allows the lion to stay as long as he obeys the rules. There’s also, in the book’s final pages, a poignant lesson in empathy and treating others as you’d like to be treated. The lion is gone from the library and it seems likely that Mr. McBee is at least unconcerned by the lion’s absence –it never sat well with him to have a lion in the library in the first place. But one evening he stops by Miss Merriweather’s office on his way out: “Can I do anything for you before I go, Miss Merriweather?” he asked her. “No, thank you,” said Miss Merriweather. She was looking out the window. Her voice was very quiet. Even for the library. (Never mind how delicious I find that fragment “Even for the library.”) Mr. McBee understands Miss Merriweather’s pain and knows what will make her happy so, instead of going home, he goes in search of the lion. It’s a moment of sweet redemption for the previously unlikeable Mr. McBee and in the end there are no “bad guys” in this story. That’s another lesson and, although it may not always come true, I find nothing wrong with the idea that anyone – or everyone – may be redeemed in the end. I don’t want to give the wrong impression of this book – I love it because it is adorable, exciting and emotionally fulfilling. I love it in my gut, because it is fun and because I just plain enjoyed it (and because the pictures are so charming), not for its moral clarity. But the fact is that, just as in life, the lessons in this story are impossible to separate from the story itself.
One day, a lion walks into the library (the New York Public Library, mind you, where I actually bought this book). And, because there are no rules against a lion being in the library, he is allowed to stay. After all, he doesn't make any noise: his paws are quiet on the library floor and he doesn't roar. And the children adore him, especially at story hour, when they lean against his soft, warm fur.
Then one day, something happens in the library that causes the lion to react as lions do, and roar. The librarian, a stickler for rules, banishes lion from the place he has come to love. But, you see, the place he loves has also come to love him, and he is sadly missed.
A beautiful story about rules and when they can be broken. This will always have a special place in my heart because of when and where we bought it (and the fact that my son, who now loves this book, was conceived during that very trip to New York! TMI but now you know...).
A must-have for the Little Library. Your tiny humans will LOVE it!
Ez a könyv gyönyörű! Teljesen odavagyok a történetért és az illusztrációért is. Egyszerűen csodaszép! Szívet melengető, kedves, vicces. Nagyon jólesett :)
(A hatévesnek is nagyon tetszett, a kétévest még nem kötötte le.)
Update: a Kicsi - aki már ötéves - hozta oda, hogy olvassuk el, mert ez a kedvenc könyve. Egyetértek, az enyémek közt is ott van.
Ész nélkül szabálykövetés ellen, és mert gyönyörű. "Néha jó okunk van megszegni egy-egy szabályt."
What a sweet and touching story! The book is about a lion who decides to visit the library and stays. He helps out amongst the library staff and the children love him! And when someone falls and gets hurt, the lion must decide how to save them - even if it means breaking the rules. The book is filled with beautiful pictures and a heartfelt writing style. The main characters are each unique and distinct. And there is a great message about rules being rules, but that even rules can be broken if there's a really good need for it.
I loved every second of this book: cats, libraries, beautiful illustrations, and rule-following. What a wonderful mix of teaching and entertainment! – Michelle V.
I enjoyed the terrific illustrations by Kevin Hawkes; they really make the book special. I love libraries, lions, and encouraging kids to think for themselves, in addition to learning to follow the rules. This book has all that.
This is one of our top five kids books ever. My kids are for the most part past the read to me stage but we love this book about a lion in the library so much that it ends up in our house every two to three months or so.
A lion in the library? Well...give him a chance. As long as he's not breaking any rules (like roaring in the library), he can stay. But what happens when there's a problem, and a friend needs help? Is it okay to roar then?
Hawkes' illustrations have an old-fashioned, soft, kind of washed-out look to them, echoing the idea that the library is a place for muted voices (again--no roaring). Even very young children can read the lion's expressive face and understand how it's feeling at various points in the story.
I also love that Miss Merriweather is progressive enough to consider the idea of allowing a lion in the library (that tuft on the end of its tail makes a terrific feather-duster, after all) yet conservative enough that, even in pain, she issues the reminder, "No running!" :)
This is a good book to use at the beginning of the school year to introduce library rules. Before reading it, though, ask the question, "Is it ever okay to break the rules?" You'll get all kinds of different answers, and the discussion can naturally turn to library rules.
I saw a recommendation for this book on Goodreads. I checked it from the library. What a lovely children's book! The story is so funny and unique. The illustrations by Kevin Hawkes are just enchanting. I've always loved to visit libraries from the time I discovered their existence. This story of a lion who loves to visit the library is endearing and also has a moral. Sometimes it's necessary to break the rules if you have a very good reason. I think children should be introduced to this book in their toddler years to let them know what a library is and how to behave while they visit. Great for reading aloud!
There aren't enough wonderful adjectives in my vocabulary for me to be able to adequately express just how very wonderful the lion is. This story has it all: excitement, satisfaction, comedy, drama, melodrama, jealousy, suspicion, angst, sorrow, and joy. There's a lion ... In the library!
A delightful children's book, with quality illustrations. And a moral message too. A strict librarian runs a tight ship, and nobody is quite sure what to make of a lion, who likes to be there. Turns out that he is a nice addition to the library, especially when things go wrong and he has to break the rules.