A Lemur In The Library: Part Three

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part Three
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

The librarian picked up the vase of orchids at exactly the same time the lemur realized the ficus was not the delicious snack he expected.
It discarded the branch it was holding and sprung down from the synthetic tree in one fluid motion.
Despite the lemur’s nimbleness, the force rocked the six-foot plant and it toppled over, narrowly missing the window.
The crash startled the librarian, causing the vase to slip from her hands and shatter on the marblesque floor.
The unfazed primate turned its gleaming amber eyes toward the librarian and the page.
“It’s coming closer!” said the page, scooping up the nearest item, the Blu-ray version of Tropic Thunder, and pitching it at the lemur before fleeing to the safety of the office.
The librarian joined the page and shut the door behind them.
Meanwhile, the lemur ignored the unenticing feature film that had, seconds earlier, flown past its head and made a dash for the orchids that were heaped on the floor.
It carefully picked through the broken glass and helped itself to every last blossom.
“We should do something,” said the librarian. “There may still be patrons in the library.”
“Isn’t there a story hour going on in the children’s room?” said the page.
“Oh no!”
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Click here for Part One

Click here for Part Two

Picture Books At The Library 148

I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all. But I can share them! Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

Wendell imagines what it would be like to have a walrus as a pet.

When a little boy gets a dinosaur costume for his birthday, it opens up a prehistoric world of imagination.

A little elephant gets separated from his mother during a storm and must try to outrun a tiger. Beautiful art!

Two siblings build jetpacks and fly off for an adventure that includes visiting Nana and outer space.

A family sees many amazing sights at the park, from bugs and frogs to skaters and fishermen.

After the loss of her grandmother, Mina finds solace in stories told by family and friends.

God made light to cut through the darkness and bring vision and hope to all. That same light grows inside every child. Sweet!

As a girl sits alone in her new house, she can hear kids playing outside, but she’s not brave enough to join them. Super imaginative!

A story about a big bunny gets out of control.

Two kids have fun with their grandfather as he tries to remember the old rhyme about sugar and spice and everything nice. Fun!

A young girl experiences her first funeral and all of the rituals that go along with it.

A little girl learns that it’s okay to make mistakes. Cute and colorful!

A Lemur In The Library: Part Two

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part Two
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

“This is animal control,” said the voice on the other end of the line.
“We have a lemur in the library!” said the librarian. “It’s disturbing our patrons and destroying property. Can you send someone right away?”
“A lemur? I’m not sure we have the right equipment for that, but we’ll swing by.”
“Thanks, and please hurry!”
Meanwhile, the lemur spied a potted plant. Abandoning the half-eaten paperback, it jumped down from the table and sashayed across the floor on all fours, its tail held high behind it.
It stopped at the Noteworthy Nonfiction display to sniff the cover of Real Food/Fake Food by Larry Olmsted. Then it poked at a copy of Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin before resuming its course.
The librarian returned from the office just in time to see the lemur scurry up the ficus tree.
It managed to free a branch from the trunk and began chewing on a leaf.
“It doesn’t know it’s artificial,” said the page who’d been observing the animal.
“Let’s move the flowers off the reference desk,” said the librarian, “before—”
“It’s too late,” interrupted the page. “It’s looking this way!”
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Click here for Part One

Picture Books At The Library 147

A boy misses his bus and watches other very unusual buses go by until he decides to ride one. Fun!

Scoop the Ice Cream Truck is getting old and fancy new ice cream trucks are moving into the neighborhood. Love the art!

Nothing will stop Henry from flying, except maybe gravity.

A dog is called Lazybones because he doesn’t like to go for walks.

To Phoebe, it seems like everything fun is happening tomorrow, and she doesn’t like to wait.

Sixteen poems celebrate the ages and stages of being a robin. Cute!

A playful cat follows a courageous fish to the moon and then to the ocean. (wordless)

A Lemur In The Library: Part One

A small tale for your enjoyment!

A LEMUR IN THE LIBRARY
Part One
by Lauri Fortino

Lemur

“Where did it come from?” asked the librarian.
“Madagascar, I think,” answered the page.
“I meant, how did it get here?”
The page shrugged.
The lemur climbed up the fiction stacks, pulling books off the shelf as it went.
It tore off the corner of James Patterson’s Zoo with its sharp, pointed teeth, but finding it too tough, dropped it to the floor with a thud.
It leaped from the top of the stack to the next one.
It paused just a moment to fluff its long, ringed tail with its tiny front claws before reaching down to grab a tasty looking romance novel, Debbie Macomber’s Here Comes Trouble.
It devoured half of the paperback before it jumped onto a table occupied by three hapless patrons.
One screamed and another knocked over a chair in his haste to make for the door.
The lemur hopped across the table on its hind legs, flicked its tail, and chattered loudly.
“What’s that smell?” asked the page.
“I’d better call animal control,” said the librarian, as she turned and rushed back to the office.
TO BE CONTINUED

*This story originally appeared in the newsletter of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville.

Picture Books At The Library 146

Russell and his dad build a tree fort in their new backyard.

While shopping with her two dads, Harriet, who is wearing her penguin costume, gets carried away by a waddle of penguins.

When a girl spills grape juice all over her new dress, a classmate wants to make her feel better by being kind. Sweet!

Ruby and Violet Mutch have always collected things in pairs, but when their house will no longer hold everything, Ruby decides to move out.

Blue Monster loves new things, but things don’t stay new forever, and soon Blue Monster wants something newer. Will he ever be satisfied?

A girl becomes pen pals with a Komodo dragon who tells her all about himself and dangers to his species.

Sakura moves to America with her parents and misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees back in Japan.

When Grandma says she’s seen a tiger in the garden, Nora doesn’t believe her–everyone knows tigers live in jungles, not gardens.

A boy and his cat have a magical adventure on the night of the blue moon. Love all the blue!

In a city filled with people and wonders, Adelaide feels lonely. Gorgeous art!

While reading a book, a child is carried beyond the repetitive sameness of an urban skyscape into an untamed natural landscape. Wonderfully whimsical!

Random Pic Of Cuteness: Writing Prompt #3

Just for fun, I’m sharing–at random–cute photos to inspire your picture book writing. Perhaps a picture will spark an idea for a character, setting, or even an entire story. Have fun!

lamb

*All photos are available in the public domain or were taken by me, and are free to use and share.

Picture Books At The Library 145

Since the author is asleep, the illustrator decides to take over writing the story, but she may need some help.

Neighbors and community workers alike work together when Big Tree, their favorite local landmark, is downed during a lightning storm.

When something sad happens to Taylor, all the animals think they know how to help.

Bob doesn’t like the chaos of New York City, so he decides to build a tree house in the cool, green calm of Central Park.

After visiting the aquarium, Oliver decides to be an otter and tries to copy otter behavior at meals, while playing, and at bath time.

A young girl joyfully creates art from everyday objects.

Murray Bear is afraid to visit the waterfall, so with the help of his big sister, he makes a worry box and puts his worries inside.

A little girl imagines all the things she can be and defies the negative voice inside that says she can’t succeed.

Follow a boy through a day filled with the noisy joy of imaginative play. Fun!

A girl is determined to express herself–no matter what. Lovely lyrical ode to creativity!

Raccoon doesn’t want to be alone on a stormy night, but his neighbors each tell him they have no room to spare. Nice art!

My View Book Review: Microbes by Amy Gallagher

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Title: Microbes

Author/Illustrator: Amy Gallagher

Publisher/Year: ThunderStone Books/2017

Back Cover Blurb: Microbes are incredibly tiny organisms; they are so small that millions of them can fit on the head of a pin! These cells, though invisible to the naked eye, are vital to the human race and ecosystem.

Microbes is a nonfiction picture book that introduces kids to six types of microbes: bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, archaea, and protozoa. Each microbe is discussed in its own chapter. Information and facts are presented in a simple, straight-forward manner. Colorful microbial characters accompany the text and liven up the pages. A Terminology section in the back offers expanded definitions of scientific terms featured in the book.

Microbes is, effectively, a mini Microbiology lesson for older kids–ages 8-12–and even curious adults who’d like to learn more about the microscopic creatures that share our world. The book certainly takes a heavy subject and makes is accessible to kids and to those of us who may be completely clueless, like me.

Did you know that microbes exist everywhere, even in our own bodies?

Did you know that bacteria can survive in a variety of habitats, even the arctic?

Did you know that some algae can be found on the hair of sloths and polar bears?

Did you know that protozoa hunt and gather other microbes as food?

Those are just a few of the interesting facts I learned.

I have to admit, microbes are a fascinating topic. If you have a child at home who loves science, this book is for them. Or maybe this book is for you, if you want to find out why algae is green, why yeast makes dough rise, or why white blood cells are important. If none of that interests you, then pick the book up for the illustrations. Who knew microbes could look so cute?