Nia and the New Free Library

Description

When the town's old library is destroyed by a tornado, the people are left wondering: What should be done with the space where the library used to be? The builder wants a new skyscraper. The grocer wants a new parking lot. Nia wants a NEW library . . . but how can one person build a whole library? Readers of all ages will love this clever twist on the classic folktale Stone Soup - about the joy of books, the power of community, and the way even the biggest things can start with *almost* nothing at all.

Ian Lendler is the author of several books for children, including An Undone Fairy Tale, Saturday, and Little Sid. His work has also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Mental Floss, Slate, and CNN.com. His most recent work has been in Hollywood, where he wrote the screenplay for a feature-length animated movie, The Snitts, for Cartoon Network. He lives near San Francisco, California. Mark Pett has practiced his craft in Philadelphia, Prague, Cambridge, New York City, and the Mississippi Delta. In addition to illustrating several books, Mark is the author and illustrator of Lizard From The Park, The Boy and the Airplane, and The Girl and the Bicycle, as well as the coauthor and illustrator of The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"An entertaining narrative extolling the community-building virtues of libraries."--Publishers Weekly Nia and the New Free Library "Inspired by how his grandfather got his town to build a library, Lendler cleverly tells his own version of this story through a fresh variation on 'Stone Soup.'. . . A heartening tale of community and perseverance."-Booklist "Ian Lendler (The Fabled Life of Aesop) deftly concocts a tale of kid-friendly activism, demonstrating how one small person might achieve outsize results by giving the whole diverse community a stake in the dream. . . . The sketchy line work and pastel washes of Mark Pett (This Is My Book!) bring to mind the picture book art of David Small. . . . This inspired reimagining of the classic 'Stone Soup' story shows how a positive project can bring people together. Nia and the New Free Library demonstrates how spreading the love of reading might well elevate an entire community. . . [A] charming, kid-friendly take on grassroots activism."-Shelf Awareness