PPBF: Miss Moore Thought Otherwise

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise
How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries For Children

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise

Written and illustrated by Jan Pinborough
Illustrated by Debby Atwell

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt , 2013
Ages 6-9, 40 pp, 1060L

Themes:
Libraries, Biography


Opening:
Once in a big house in Limerick, Maine, there lived a little girl named Annie Carroll Moore. She had large gray eyes, seven older brothers, and ideas of her own.



Synopsis:

Anne Carroll Moore loved books, but women were not supposed to read much or visit libraries when she was a young girl. As Anne grew, she looked for opportunities to follow her heart's desires. When a job opened up for Anne to become a librarian, she pursued her education and delved into her work. Soon Anne was championing others who were restricted from libraries, namely children. She promoted children's books and literacy. Anne was instrumental in establishing the pattern for the modern style of children's library, beginning with the New York Public Library's famous children's reading room. Her ideas to create a place for kids to fall in love with books spread across the country. This book highlights some of Anne's particular accomplishments and children's libraries in general.


What I Love:
The book is as colorful and inviting as a children's library should be. It explores, not just a woman who challenged her perceived role in life, but society's perception of a library's role. The  story uses Anne's particular accomplishments to touch on a larger history and the theme of literacy. Bright, folk-art style illustrations echo the energy of the main character and encourage the reader to explore the pages of this book and all the others at their local branch.


Bonus: 

 1. It goes without saying to visit a local children's library.
When my children were little, we visited a library once a week. I made a point to visit different branches and even got them library cards from the neighboring county. Every library was different. Some were loud and some were quiet, some had constant activity, some had secret places to explore. Some of the librarians were wonderfully kind and others...need to read this book about Anne Carroll Moore. But the one thing we gained from each one was an opportunity to find new books. Books my kids might have scorned in one branch, they gravitated to in the next. And we always took out many more than we could read in a week. It bothers me when I hear parents limiting their toddlers to just one. The benefits of books in the house, the benefits to the library (you know they get more funding when they check out more books, right? And if a book is taken off the shelf it has a slimmer chance of being culled from the library's collection), far outweigh my other parenting instincts. This is a place I want my kids to go hog wild!

2. In addition, what does your local children's reading room need? Better toys? New crayons? That signed illustrator's poster you are never going to hang? Donated books for their permanent collection or for sale? Involve kids in finding the answers to these questions and organizing a volunteer group. Start a book club for various ages and partner with the library to create elementary, youth, or teen panels who help plan events, review books, or clean up around the library.

Easy bookish decorations from My Chocolate Moments.

3. There are THOUSANDS of bookish ideas on Pinterest for hosting an amazing book party. Build a fort with lots of throw pillows. Collect stacks of books. Choose one or two to read aloud. Dish up themed snacks. Craft some bookmarks. Maybe even watch a bookish movie. I've collected some of my favorite recipes for every age group on the Bookish Food board and some great party ideas on the It's My Party board.

4. The Horn Book published an interesting article on Librarian Anne Carroll Moore back in 1997.

5. What could be more fitting than a visit to the NY Public Library Children's Reading Room? Plan your trip today. Explore the history of the library before you go.

6. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

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Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, October 27, 2017 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.