Genre: Picture Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Recommend to Others?: Maybe
ABOUT: What’s the best way to cure a gloomy day? A trip to the library! Based on the hit song by Tom Chapin and Michael Mark, here is an affectionate, exuberant, uproarious celebration of books, reading, and—SHHH!—libraries!
The rain is pouring, Dad is snoring, and the same old stuff is on TV—boring.
What is there to do today?
Go to the library, of course!
Who will we meet there? Let’s find out!
REVIEW:The Library Book is an illustrated story version of the “Library Song” written by the authors. I like that the front of the book has sheet music and lyrics of the song.
The reader follows the main character on a rather magical trip to the library to check out a book. I liked how a bunch of characters from classic children’s stories came to life wanting to be checked out. I also liked the emphasis on how much fun going to the library is. The illustrations were nice as well.
I did have a hard to getting a feel for the rhythm, which made for somewhat slow, shaky reading.
Overall, this was an okay read. I wanted more from the story. But The Library Book is visually appealing.
When was the last time you went to the library? Do you currently have any library books checked out?
Happy Sunday!
Early last week I finally got to check out books from my new library home! I talked about this weeks ago as something I’ve been meaning to do for forever. It’s been over a year, which is just plain wrong, so I’m glad to have at last rectified this travesty.
I had a good time looking for books the old-fashioned way. This new library is way bigger than my old one. I’m still learning how to navigate it and locate different sections. I traveled up and down isles alternating between crouching and standing as I searched for books (and paused to admire ones I recognized).
I left the library with a few choice children’s books that I’ve been wanting to read for a while now that were high on my tbr list.
I’m happy to be reading physical copies of picture books again. It’s the best way to read and enjoy them. And I’m glad the library had the two middle grade books available. I had a list with me and was basically going to check out whatever I could find.
It was a pleasant trip and I can’t wait to go back for more books!
Do you read picture books? or What was the last book(s) you checked out from the library?
Today I’m sharing my most recent library haul.
But first I’d like to share last week’s that I didn’t have time to post about on my blog (I did on IG). Last week I checked out from the library:
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin (review) Drawn Together by Minh Lê, Illustrated by Dan Santat (review) Unplugged by Gordon Korman (review coming soon) When You Trap A Tiger by Tae Keller Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George (review coming soon)
This was my first haul since my local library recently fully opened back up, so I got to go inside the library. I’ve since read all of these books except for the Keller book, which I decided to read another time.
Onward to the next mini haul! This week I checked out from the library 3 picture books:
My Monster and Me by Nadiya Hussain, Illustrated by Ella Bailey Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho, Illustrated by Dung Ho Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Jonathan Stutzman, Illustrated by Heather Fox
I love reading picture books because they’re always fun to read. I admire the way authors and illustrators are able to capture full, engrossing stories with beautiful artwork within 32 pages.
Today’s post…is exactly what you think. 😊 I had a couple books on hold that needed to be picked up and – since my library will be temporarily switching back to curbside pickup/virtual soon – I ended up taking out more volumes of Yona of the Dawn. I’ve just been enjoying the series so much these past few days that I couldn’t resist. And I’m almost done the books from the last haul, so this is me being bookish-ly proactive. 😂
In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…
When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.
This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home. Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny…
Yona of the Dawnby Mizuho Kusanagi
Volumes 11-13 Manga, YA Fantasy Romance
Image via Goodreads
Image via Goodreads
Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, Soo-won. But everything changes on her 16th birthday when she witnesses her father’s murder!
Yona reels from the shock of witnessing a loved one’s murder and having to fight for her life. With Hak’s help, she flees the palace and struggles to survive while evading her enemy’s forces. But where will this displaced princess go when all the paths before her are uncertain?
The first rule of book club: You don’t talk about book club.
Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.
Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.
Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it’ll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.
Have a great Thursday and Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it! 🙂
In an effort to de-stress and spread bookish happiness, I wanted to share my most recent library haul.
Over the weekend I had gone to the library to take back and check out more books. I came away with some great anticipated reads that I’ve had my eyes on all year.
From left to right:
Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron
Recommended For You by Laura Silverman
Defy by Sara B. Larson
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
I will be starting these books right after my current read, so sometime over the weekend but hopefully sooner! That new book smell is calling me to read them now. 😂
What were the last books you checked out from the library?
Yesterday, I went to my wonderful library. It’s always nice to end the week with a trip to the library 😊📚💞 I wanted to share with you all the epic books I checked out:
About A Vampire by Lynsay Sands Black Butler (Vol. 29) by Yana Toboso Skyhunter by Marie Lu Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
I returned my last haul on Monday and picked up some gems I didn’t think I’d get to read so soon! Maybe later this week I’ll get to start them or earlier as I’m almost done Boyfriend Material (see many feels!). The beautiful books I checked out are:
Rick by Alex Gino
Haikyu!!by Haruichi Furudate (vol. 1-3)
Kiss Him, Not Meby Junko (vol. 1-2)
I’ve been looking forward to reading RICK all year, so of course I bumped it up the tbr list. I adored George and I anticipate another excellent read by Gino.
I absolutely positively love HAIKYU!! It’s one of my all-time favorite anime shows. Haikyu!! is so funny and heart-warming and action-packed with tons of lovable characters. The story follows a high school volleyball team, Karasuno, and their journey to the top. I could endlessly rewatch the anime over and over again! I’m beyond thrilled to have this small glimpse into the manga.
KISS HIM, NOT ME is an adorkable rom-com anime. My local library only has a few random volumes and I was going to wait until I could buy the manga. But I figured it’d be ok to read the first two.
Last week my local library was able to partially reopen (which I only learned about a few days ago, haha!). Card holders can now return/drop off books in this bin they have. The library can also do curbside pick ups.
I immediately put on hold all the volumes I had left to read of Kamisama Kiss (Vol. 19-25), which I was nearly done before lock down. I won’t be going to the library often like before but this is still good news.
I honestly thought it would be many more months until the library go open. Covid cases and deaths continue to rise all over the country, as I stated in my June wrap-up. It’s devastating. In my opinion, another lock down is imminent. So I’m going to check out and read as much manga as I can (I have plenty of physical books and ebooks at home still) while this window of normalcy is still open.
🔴Stay safe. Wear a mask. Social distance. Wash your hands.🔴
My local library has been closed since mid-March and will remain closed until further notice. It may be a while more before the library can reopen because it’s a part of phase 2 reopening.
For now, you can only access online library resources and borrow ebooks.
When the library does reopen I have a TBR already in place of books I NEED to read:
Attack on Titan (Volumes 1-29)
D. Gray-Man (Volumes 1-25)
A Silent Voice (Volumes 1-7)
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman
Crown of Feathers by Pau Nicki Preto
Slay by Brittney Morris
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
Defy by Sara B. Larson
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Flame In The Mist by Renée Ahdieh
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble
There are other library books I want to read but the one’s listed are priority library reads. They are all physical copies that I’d rather wait to read than buy (which is a struggle in and of itself!).
I’m most excited to binge read all the manga, particularly Attack on Titan, and I can’t wait to finally read Sorcery of Thorns, Kings of the Wyld, and The Bromance Book Club.
Happy Thursday, 
The Bookshelf Corner 