The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy, Michael P. White (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

When Sunrise Elementary advertised for a thick-skinned librarian with a burning love of books, Miss Lotta Scales knew she was perfect for the job.

Who could guard books better than a REAL dragon?

"She kept a fiery eye out to make sure no one removed any books from the shelves...
The very thought of sticky little fingers
touching
and
clutching,
pawing
and
clawing,
smearing
and
tearing
her precious books just made her hot under the collar."

The teachers, singed and scorched, formed a delegation. But not even sweet Miss Lemon could convince Miss Lotta Scales that "the library belonged to the children."

Fortunately, nearsighted Molly Brickmeyer stumbles into a copy of Snuff the Magic Dragon and reads the tale out loud. Her storytelling beckons the children back to the library and brings them face to face with the Library Dragon.

Can an open book temper the flames of the school's hot-headed librarian?

Publishers Weekly

When an elementary school advertises for a "thick-skinned professional" who is "on fire with enthusiasm," it gets just that-and then some. A bespectacled, dress-wearing dragon, Miss Lotta Scales replaces all the books with spanking clean ones, and refuses to let the students ("with their gooey fingers and snotty noses") touch them. The kids' grades are "going up in smoke," but neither the principal nor the teachers can convince the headstrong dragon to let the pupils near the stacks until one myopic girl accidentally wanders into the library and begins to read a story (``Snuff the Magic Dragon'') aloud. The tale manages to soften the librarian's scaly skin-figuratively and literally. Deedy (Agatha's Feather Bed) is an accomplished storyteller, and kids will likely enjoy her frequent puns and wordplay. White heads off imminent cutesiness with droll, stylized illustrations, filled with vibrant color and lots of comical details. Ages 6-10. (Oct.)

Children's Literature

Carmen Deedy, the NPR commentator, is one of the few celebrities who can write a successful children's book She shows off her storytelling genius again in this book. The Sunrise Elementary School hires a new librarian, Miss Lotta Scales, a serious book guard. "The very thought of sticky little fingers touching, and clutching, pawing and clawing, smearing and tearing her precious books just made her hot under the collar." The entire book is a romp that will make bibliophiles chuckle. Deedy is a gifted family storyteller who can write to please adults and children. She creates a splendid strong female protagonist in near-sighted heroine Molly Brickmeyer, who slays the dragon with storytelling. Deedy made a great discovery when she ran across Michael P. White at an arts festival. Deedy's word play kindles White's sense of the absurd. White creates excitement with visual frolicking and background surprises, like Miss Lotta's bottles of Blisterine Sizzling Mouth Rinse and Mount Vesuvius Heartburn Medication.

Children's Literature

The Sunrise elementary school children's librarian is a real dragon. Miss Lotta Scales believes she is perfect for the job of protecting the books in the library. After all, what could be worse than having "sticky little fingers touching and clutching, pawing and clawing, smearing and tearing her precious books." Why, the very thought made her hot under the collar. The principal and teachers all try to convince Miss Scales that the library belongs to the children, but they fail. Finally, Molly Brickmeyer succeeds and becomes the "Dragon Slayer Extraordinaire." The librarian was transformed, but not completely... The text is accompanied by wonderful drawings containing puns and humor for extra added fun.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Sunrise Elementary School's new librarian is Miss Lotta Scales, a fire-breathing dragon who fiercely guards her new books. When a nearsighted child enters the unused facility and begins reading aloud, other children wander in, and Miss Scales realizes that kids don't necessarily damage books. She then becomes Miss Lotty, and the kids ``warm up'' to her. The text is filled with dragon-related puns, as are the colorful, slightly off-center illustrations of children in armor and forbidding yellow ``dragon line'' tape draped across the stacks of books. Youngsters will enjoy the funny touches and librarians may feel the good-humored tap of a reminder that books are for kids. The final statement, that ``...every librarian needs to be a little bit of a dragon-or else, who would guard the books?'' is not well worded, but it's not worth getting hot under the collar about.-Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY

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