All the Books

PreS-Gr 3–The cover illustration from this husband-and-wife team glows with the warm green light of banker lamps, illuminating the rodents who appear engrossed in moving and consuming treasured piles of classic-looking tomes. Opening end papers charmingly depict scenes of tension between dyads of animals that may or may not be siblings. Indeed, the problem of the protagonist, proud book-owner and anthropomorphized chipmunk Piper Waterstone, is that she does not yet understand the concept of sharing books and has never visited a library. Illustrations—pencil, watercolor, and digital elements—suggest warm, fuzzy problem-solving is up ahead. But despite their tackling relatable themes, the creative team behind this book has not conveyed the meaning or mechanics of sharing beyond the narrowest contexts. The book uses the notion of magic to explain how sharing works, without clarifying the broader societal benefits of sharing resources, including books. In an earnest effort to introduce youngest readers to the joys and importance of public libraries, and reinforce the inclusive mission and potential of public circulating collections, the book upholds the importance of individual ownership, neglecting the true strengths of sharing.