Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Can I Bring Woolly to the Library, Ms. Reeder?
Illustrator: Judy Love
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Charlesbridge Publishing, 2012 ISBN: 978-1580892827
One day a little boy brings his pet woolly mammoth to the library and he begs the librarian to let Woolly in. If she does, Woolly can learn how to write his name properly so that he can print his name on the library card application. Then Woolly will be allowed to check out “a mammoth-sized stack of books to read.”
Of course, the boy would make sure that Woolly understands that there are rules in the library, rules that he has to follow. For one thing, Woolly will not be allowed to bellow, which happy mammoths are prone to do. In addition, Woolly will have to wear large fuzzy slippers so that he does not stomp too loudly. There will be certain things that it would be better if Woolly did not do at all, like trying to shelve books or check books out, but he would be very popular at story time in the Reading Corner. Why, there will be more than enough Woolly to go around so that all the little kids have something to cuddle.
In this deliciously funny and clever picture book, the author helps us to see what it would be like if we were inclined to take our pet woolly mammoth to the library. As we read, we find out that all kinds of interesting things happen in a library. Then, as if the story isn’t funny enough as it is, the author presents us with an ending that brings up a whole new range of amusing possibilities.
