Nia and the New Free Library

Warmly informal line-and-color art imbues the diverse inhabitants of Littletown with a sweet humanity—even in moments of disagreement. Nia has beige skin and wears her hair in a brown pageboy. A keeper. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8).

A brown-skinned, noodle-limbed child named Nia unites Littletown by reminding it of libraries' importance in this "Stone Soup"-inspired tale. When the Littletown Library, already old and abandoned, is carried away by a tornado, the town's residents wonder what to do with the empty lot. Nia, apparently the library's sole visitor, crafts a selection of tales from memory, calling the collection the New Free Library and offering it to residents. When her fellow citizens complain about errors, clever Nia merely hands them a pencil and paper to fix things. Lendler relays the tale in rhythmic, dialogue-heavy prose, offering allusions to classics ("What exactly is a rumpus?"). Pett illustrates in warm washes of color, with comic-style panels featuring a cast of figures of varying ages and skin tones. An entertaining narrative extolling the community-building virtues of libraries. Back matter includes an author's note. Ages 5-8. (June)