Librarian on the Roof!

Librarian on the Roof! by M.G. King. Published by Albert Whitman & Company. Published on September 1, 2010.

Following the true story of a librarian who was willing to do almost anything to raise money for the children's section at her library, this book is a sweet retelling of RoseAleta Laurell's rooftop adventure. As the book describes, Laurell was upset to find out that children at the new place where she was hired thought that the library was just for adults. So she decided to raise the money to build a new children's section that would draw them in. But it was going to be expensive, and the library didn't have the money for it. Thus begins her adventure. In order to raise the money, Laurell got onto the library's roof and refused to budge until they had enough. She lived and worked up there for a week, even surviving a storm, and in the end she raised $39,000.

I think the strongest part of this book is the personality that it gives to Laurell, immediately depicting her as a bright, cheerful, and stubborn person who refuses to give up until her goals have been met. King made her easily likeable, and it's the reader's connection with her that carries you through the story. The use of shaping the words to fit their meaning was also a strong point, my favorite being the swirl of the words she was shouting into her megaphone while on the roof. But those inclusions aside, I wasn't a big fan of the illustrations. I didn't think they really fit the story at certain parts, although I'm sure children would enjoy them.

The most important message in the book is definitely the emphasis on community and coming together to make something great happen. Laurell drew numerous reporters and businesses through her week-long rooftop stay, and while their donations definitely helped, the true heroes of the day were the people of the town. They banded together after being inspired by Laurell and helped raised the money needed to build the new children's section. This is an important lesson for children reading the book because it shows them that sticking together and helping one another can lead to some amazing things happening.

There are many ways to use this book in a classroom, but I would personally choose it to read as a librarian to a class. The connection between the library and the book make it a perfect choice. This would also show the children how important libraries are, and how sometimes you must be brave in order to meet your goals.

As for similar books, I'd go with My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World by Margriet Ruurs. This book describes the many different ways that children from all over the world get their books, whether it's something familiar like a library or something totally different like a camel. It's a fun look into how things are different and therefore interesting in other places of the world. Another option is Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown. It's inspired by Luis Soriano, a librarian in Colombia who delivers books to children in rural areas by carrying them to them on a donkey.