Our Library
MY THOUGHTS
Our Library, by Raviraj Shetty and illustrated by Deepa Balsavar, moved me to tears. I have long been invested in and passionate about getting kids to read. I have also used multiple platforms as my personal soapbox to talk about the silent and sizeable role libraries play in helping kids read. One of my fondest memories as a child was cycling with my friends to our neighbourhood library and getting two glorious books that we could have for a whole fortnight. With no one to tell us what to choose, the whole library was our oyster, and our next favourite book was waiting to be discovered.
Our Library is a beautiful book that shows us what a library means to children who visit frequently. The simple bond, the unrushed joy, and the immense pride a place can play in a child’s life. The joy of rushing to the shelves that hold your favourite book and then grabbing a book and sitting in your favourite corner. A library doesn’t have girl books and boy books, it doesn’t judge you on the way you choose a book, and it definitely doesn’t tell you to get up and leave after a while. A place where storytelling and laughter coexist, and dreams and ambitions are born. In this book, we see members of a Book Club for Disabled Youth, but we also see a place that accepts everyone without judgment.
Doesn’t that make libraries truly magical places?
Author Shetty writes about the many ways children with disabilities find joy in a little library. Illustrator Balsavar fills the pages with colour and quirk and paints a picture of pure happiness. There are colourful quilts and happy faces in front of tall stacks of books. Look out for familiar book covers and Nani’s Walk to the Park in a special appearance.
Our Library is a book I highly recommend for all ages, because it helps open a child’s eyes to the magic of a place filled with books. The possibilities are endless, and the conversations that will come out of reading this book will be precious. Add this book to your child’s collection, not just because it is beautiful and inclusive, but also because some of the library magic may just rub off on your home, too!
Shop for the book here. (Use coupon code PBMOR10)
If you think your child would enjoy this book, you can buy it here →
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