The Not So Quiet Library

April 25, 2016
OHora (My Cousin Momo) brings his playful wit and retro-kitchen-appliance palette to the story of Theodore and Oskar, whose weekly library visit takes a green and scaly turn. They’re brothers: Oskar’s human, and Theodore is a bear in plaid pants and a baseball cap. On library day, they stop by the doughnut store (“Dad always said that a day of quiet exploration required a proper breakfast”), grab some books, and settle in to read. Suddenly, a giant green foot smashes the beanbag Oskar was sitting on, and the two find themselves facing a hungry five-headed monster that thinks the library is a restaurant. After Theodore and Oskar endure some snarky threats from the monster heads—Chuck, Seymour, Winston, Pat, and Bob—the librarian, Ms. Watson, saves the day: “Story time, everyone! Please sit crisscross applesauce!” OHora brings action and danger to what might have been another book extolling books (“Books sound so much better than they taste!” enthuses Bob), not to mention some great made-up book titles like Ole Bluer and Miniature Squirrel Paintings of the 14th Century. Ages 3–5. Agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary.

Starred review from May 1, 2016
Saturday is library day, and Dad is bungee-cording a warehouse worth of books to the roof of his already jam-packed car. The first stop, however, is the bakery, as "a day of quiet exploration requires a proper breakfast."A dark-haired, pink-skinned boy named Theodore and his "brother," Oskar the bear, head to the library's children's room while Dad escorts himself upstairs to the "nap department." All is as it should be until a five-headed monster named Seymour, Chuck, Winston, Pat, and Bob arrives, armed with mustard, whipped cream, sprinkles, and hot sauce. It chows down on fiction and nonfiction alike, but despite the condiments, the books still taste yucky to this five-headed picky eater. When the monster slavers in the direction of the kids, Oskar saves the day (and Theodore) with a secret cache of doughnuts he's stashed under his hat. Tamed by the doughnuts and capable, dark-skinned, storytelling librarian Ms. Watson, this scaly vortex of chaos apologizes for its bad behavior with a hilarious allusion to low blood sugar. The monster acknowledges that books sound better than they taste and repurposes its raison d'etre to library maintenance--pink rubber gloves and all. This droll, tongue-in-cheek romp is a snortfest, from cranky librarian Mr. Tasker to blinged-out head Winston. OHora's signature flat acrylic illustrations strike gold once again.Lively, detailed, endearing, and bold, the images and text create an unforgettable reading experience for book digesters everywhere. (Picture book. 3-6)

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Starred review from June 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-Oskar, a boy, and Theodore, a bear, are companionable reading buddies. They love waking up early Saturday mornings to visit the library-after a "proper breakfast" of delectable doughnuts. They are just settling into a typically quiet library day when the "Boom! Crash! Growl!" of a loud, angry, and disruptive monster disturbs their solitude. It appears that the five-headed creature hates books, even ones covered in whipped cream, mustard, hot sauce, or sprinkles. When Oskar tactfully explains that books are for reading rather than eating, Theodore saves them from being the monster's next snack by feeding it doughnuts instead...which is predictably followed by an equally enjoyable storytime session. OHora's bold, colorful, quirky cartoon illustrations are eye-catching, and the multiheaded green monster far outshines both boy and bear as frightfully delightful favorite characters. The part where the green ghouls dip their books into assorted condiments and dessert toppings will surely elicit more than a few laughs. Along with these silly moments, children should appreciate the final message: "Luckily, monsters like story time as much as they like donuts." VERDICT A delectable read-aloud well worth sharing, especially for a beginning library storytime session.-Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2016
Preschool-G Oskar (a boy) and Theodore (a bear) have an awesome Saturday routine. First their dad drives them to the bakery for donuts, and then they all go to . . . the library! While Dad heads upstairs to the boring adult section, Oskar and Theodore floof onto beanbag chairs and start reading from an enticing pile of books. They've barely turned a page, however, when they're interrupted by a big-footed, many-headed, book-eating monster. Boy and bear do their best to escape, hide, and bluff their way to safety, but to no avail. Even diplomacy and a donut bribe backfire, and just as it looks like Oskar and Theodore might end up as the monster's lunch ( Grab the sprinkles, Winston! ), the librarian comes to the rescue. OHora's signature retro-style illustrations, as seen in his My Cousin Momo (2015) and Ame Dyckman's Wolfie the Bunny (2015), boast bold colors and hilarious details that match his zany story. Concluding with a satisfying lesson and a car full of books, this over-the-top library fantasy should fit the storytime bill nicely.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)