School Library Journal Review
| Gr 3-5-Eddie is a beetle who lives with his family in a crack in the wall of the fourth grade classroom at Ferny Creek Elementary School. When his book-loving Aunt Min fails to return from her most recent trip to the school library, Eddie sets out to search for her, only to find her injured, hungry, and marooned atop the librarian's desk. Hiding out in the paper tray, the bugs overhear a disturbing phone conversation between the substitute librarian and the school superintendent: their plan is to close the library and turn it into a testing center. As they watch Miss Visch start packing away the books, Eddie hatches a plan involving blueberry juice, licorice, and yellow sticky notes. Using his legs to write messages, he leaves the notes stuck to books on the shelves, raising suspicion that the benign ghost of a former library volunteer is interceding to save the library. The obvious message is pleasantly tempered by subtle humor, many references to beloved children's books, and themes that celebrate bravery, perseverance, and storytelling. There's lots of action as Eddie faces dangers navigating the world of "squishers" who may trample him at any moment. The writing is breezy and accessible, and children will enjoy the bug's-eye view. A bibliography of referenced titles is included. VERDICT Despite the length, this is a good choice for younger readers and would work well as a classroom read-aloud.-Marie Orlando, formerly at Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
| *Starred Review* Taking a cue from Charlotte the spider, a bookish bug finds a way to save a school library from being turned into a testing center. When his beloved Aunt Min disappears on one of her frequent visits to Ferny Creek Elementary's library, dreamy young Eddie nervously leaves the safety of his family's nest to investigate. Finding her alive but too injured to escape, he stays with her to talk about great books like Stuart Little and to listen with delight as classes come throughout the days for storytime. But then the terrific librarian leaves to have triplets and is replaced by Estelle Grisch (rhymes with squish), a crabbed nonprofessional who schemes with her brother, the superintendent, to convert the room. When a comprehensive weeding project begins with the removal of graphic novels, Eddie appeals with a series of Post-it notes: Please . . . save . . . the library. Superstitious as well as narrow-minded, Ms. Grisch is terrified by the supposed ghost. Though she villainizes Ms. Grisch a little too enthusiastically, Bailey fills the narrative with references to classic works of the past and present (and adds a Bugliography at the end), and has picked a theme (and outcome) that will be dear to the hearts of young readers as well as educators and librarians. In occasional drawings, Jamieson portrays Eddie and his clan as beetlelike insects of no particular species.--Peters, John Copyright 2010 Booklist |
