Roar for Reading
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
From New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry and New York Times bestselling illustrator Andrew Joyner comes a moving picture book about a brave little lion who decides to speak out for stories by standing up to book banning.
Libraries and lions have a history so long no one’s quite sure how it began—maybe because books were once rare and needed fierce protectors? Still, it’s been a very long time since lions had to roar in the name of books. But when young Julius finds out that books are being banned at his local library, he becomes so filled with emotion that he ROARS!
Not all lions are librarians, but all librarians are lions in this inspiring tale of protecting the stories that connect us and defending books that hold ideas that can change the world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Using "roar" as both anthem and acronym ("Recognize. Organize. Act. Respect."), Ferry gives librarianship a creaturely prehistory in this picture book with an anti-censorship message. Starting with a "long and curious" history of lions and libraries, an opening myth recounts a time when books were rare and in need of protection from those who could roar. So "lions became the guardians of libraries everywhere. They soon became known as librarians." Fast-forward to contemporary scenes of a bustling library filled with gleeful animal patrons—until the head librarian receives instructions to remove books from the shelves ("controversial," the mayor says when confronted; "banning," the lioness counters). Cub Julius watches the sequence unfold with a "funny feeling" before letting loose an outraged roar that spurs community action. Drawn in thin black lines, Joyner's digital artwork saves its detailing for character expressions, which range from anger to joy as their movement finds its voice. Includes an author's note and "How Can You Roar?" Ages 4–8.
