116. Everything In Its Place: A Story of Books and Belonging

Everything In Its Place: A Story of Books and Belonging. Pauline David-Sax. Illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow. 2022. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The bell rings and I push open the library door.
The book-return bin is full.
Got your work cut out for you, Nicky, Ms. Gillam says.
I gather the books in my arms
and give them a hug.
Welcome home, I whisper.
I head down the rows of numbered shelves
to put them back where they belong.

Everything In Its Place is a picture book celebrating books and reading--obviously. But it also celebrates those subtle-brave moments where decisions are made. A shy, book-loving introvert is "forced" out of her comfort zone--the school library--when the librarian goes to a librarian conference for an entire week. That week she'll be "forced" to brave recess with her classmates. It isn't comfortable. But does it have to be as terrifying as it feels? Probably not. But sometimes how something feels to you is so very very very different from how something feels to others. Nicky--book of poems in hand--braves recess and in the process a tentative new friendship begins. (The potential friend likes poetry too.)

I am not 100% sure this one is supposed to be a poetry (a picture book that is a poem). But it feels like a poem so often. (Not always). 

I do love, love, love, love the end papers. The illustrations point to this being historical. How libraries and school libraries were in the past. (I can testify to that.) 

I did feel safest in my school library. It was a place I loved, loved, loved.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers