Action-packed new title, The Awesomely Adventurous Librarians, has been described as a love letter to librarians. We're so pleased to share some insights into the experiences behind the book from author, Donna David, who sums up so beautifully the many, varied and valid routes into reading for children and young people, from being told stories, to having an author visit your school, to riding the rocking horse in the public library!
Libraries and librarians are brilliant. I’ve always thought so. You find them in town centres, villages, big cities and schools and, in every case, they are doing something quietly radical; they are making knowledge, education, information and opportunities available to everyone.
The Awesomely Adventurous Librarians is my letter of deep gratitude to every librarian. The thanks comes from me, of course, but it also comes from every child who walks through the library doors. The children who are a bit bored, the ones whose parents don't have the money to go to a soft play or a bowling alley, the ones who are cold, or curious, or lost, or exactly where they are supposed to be. Because I've been every single one of those children.
My earliest memories are of my mum or grandad telling me stories but I didn't grow up in a house full of books; I'd just have a small pile of three or four. But this pile would be constantly changing and constantly evolving. This pile was carefully curated by me and a team of superheroes who were ALWAYS there. They'd suggest books, encourage me to try new genres, they'd let me 'read up' or 'read down', they'd let me reject certain stories or declare others my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE. I am, of course, talking about librarians.
My local library was in Dawley, Telford and, if memory serves me correctly, I don’t think it was even a bricks and mortar building. It was a temporary hut. We’d walk the mile journey every couple of weeks and my sisters and I would spend a joyful half an hour browsing the shelves.
I also have fond memories of Telford Town Centre Library. Weekends and school holidays would often include a trip to the library. One of my sisters would be flicking through the picture books, especially fascinated by any books about cats! My other sister would, more often than not, be wildly riding the much-loved rocking horse.
And me? I’d be hiding in a corner somewhere, a pile of books at my feet. I’d be reading blurbs trying desperately to narrow my choice down to a number that we could carry home. I’d read across the genres and age groups. At this point, I’d never left the UK, but I was reading about cultures and communities all around the world. I was travelling, going on adventures, making amazing scientific discoveries and I was experiencing life to the full, all through the power of books.
When my children were younger, I loved the opportunities that libraries offered us. There was baby massage, bounce and rhyme sessions, board game clubs, Lego days and poetry readings. When I was desperately trying to make it as a Children’s author, it was Basingstoke Library that held the reference books telling me which agents were taking on authors and which publishers would look at unsolicited manuscripts.
And now that I am a published children’s author, I get to spend many hours in school libraries and, for me, they are always the heart of the school. I love the beanbags in school libraries or the little nooks built into bookshelves where children can curl up and find a moment of peace. I love the student librarians who take pride in recommending books to their peers. I love the reading trees where every leaf is a book recommendation or the sensory corners where lights and vibrations make story time accessible for every student in the school.
So, to libraries and librarians, I want to say a huge thank you. Thank you for letting me read for hours under your roof, thank you for letting me explore the world from the safety of a bean bag on a library floor, thank you for feeding my imagination and broadening my horizons.
You are all awesome and I am forever in your debt. This book is for you.
The Awesomely Adventurous Librarians by Donna David, illustrated by Victoria Stebleva is published by Oxford Children’s and is out now!