I Waited for The Midnight Library

Kohara, Kazuno. The Midnight Library. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2014. Print.

While attending ALA Midwinter last year, I came across a poster in the exhibit hall. The title and colors caught my eye.  

I walked up to the publishing staff at the booth and asked about the book featured on the poster. (I picked up one of the free posters available and hung it in the library when I returned home. Every day in my library, I walked past the poster and remembered how much I wanted this book). I wondered if they had a galley I could take a look at, but was told there wasn't one available. That didn't stop me from wanting to know more about the book and keeping it on my TBR list (the one I memorize).

I marked down the release date in my phone calendar, but didn't get it until a week after it was released. Late for me! There are always so many books I want to buy. Always. 

So--  when I finally had The Midnight Library in my hands, it was very much a treat. 

I immediately noticed that the book is square-shaped and medium-sized. Not tiny at all. Little ones can hug it tight, and hold on to it well! 

Next, I took a long look at the cover. I think the colors struck me first: gold framed in blue and black, and a tiny bit of white. In trying to think about the artist's choice of colors, I thought that perhaps Kazuno Kohara was using the yellow to convey star light, and the blue/black combo to represent dusk. (If you look at the sky at that time, that's what it looks like.) Also, if you look at the letter i in the title, you'll notice that each of them is dotted with a star! 

I opened the book to closely look at the front endpapers. There's blue and black, and the owl helpers are waiting inside the dark library, probably prior to opening. When you take a look at the back endpapers, you'll see the owls there, too. But this time the lanterns are lit up. Little fun details! 

Now, after leafing throughout the rest of the book to think more about the color, I noticed that the librarian and all of the animals in the book are always in gold, while the books and almost every other object is in blue. 

There is also lots of movement on the pages. This is what a real library is like! There is always something happening in a library! Kohara echoes the movement and the variety in a library by using double page spreads, panels, and centered illustrations. We can see patrons entering the library, using adjacent stairs, or happily entering through the front doors as they chat with friends. 

Also, patrons in this library are little animals! How cute is that? Very cute!! The "little librarian" is a little girl, and she's the only human in the entire book. These animals read and they read just about anywhere: on the floor, or under the trees. (Yes, there are trees in this library.) 

I also loved that the "little librarian" has little owl helpers.  The owls are perfect for this nighttime library as they are, of course, nocturnal! 

This "little librarian" also works really hard! She is always shelving, helping patrons, welcoming them, handing out library cards, and even manning a storytelling corner. At the end, she even solves a bit of a crisis! Librarians are very good at that! 

 After waiting over six months for this title, I have found a new favorite in this sweet book. 

So, if you are a librarian, you will love The Midnight Library. And if you love libraries, you will also love this book. 

I can't wait to share it with readers in the fall! 

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