Pride of the Library: The Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen

Do you gratefully inhale the heady smell of books when you enter a library? Do you have fond memories of your favorite children's librarian reading Andy and the Lion to your story circle during Book Week? If you do, you'll probably love Michelle Knudsen's Library Lion!

When a lion mysteriously turns up in the local library, there's a bit of consternation on the part of stuffy Circulation Assistant, Mr. McBee, who obviously thinks of himself as The Enforcer. Head Librarian Miss Merriwether, herself no slouch at shushing, has to point out that the lion is quiet and very attentive at story time and that she is loath to evict him as long as he follows the rules. Although the lion does exercise his right to roar his displeasure at the too-early termination of story time, he is so contrite that Merriwether gives him a second chance.

The lion soon makes himself indispensable, dusting shelves with his tail tuft, licking the envelopes for overdue notices, and allowing children to climb upon his back to reach high shelves. He maintains his vow of silence perfectly until poor Miss Merriwether falls and breaks her arm. Then the lion, apparently unable to dial 911, roars loudly for help. Crestfallen to have violated the rule, the lion disappears from the library.

Soon the children, Miss Merriwether, and even that stickler-for-silence Mr. McBee find that the library is not the same without its mascot, and the lion is welcomed back with open arms. The Library Lion has found his home.

Kevin Hawkes' nostalgic pencil and acrylic illustrations are soft and sweet, just a bit reminiscent of James Daugherty's, with a lion so strong but eager to please that you long to slide into the book and nestle against him in that warm story circle.