Library Lion

Thanks to Brittany Redman.

Knudsen, M., & Hawkes, K. (2006). Library lion. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press.

 In the book Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen, a lion strolls into the library to the surprise of Mr. McBee, a worker at the circulation desk.  Mr. McBee rushes to share this astounding information with Miss Merriweather, the head librarian.  To his surprise, Miss Merriweather, who is extremely particular about the library rules, does not seem alarmed and simply asks, “Is he breaking any rules?”  When told no, she states, “Then leave him be.”  As it turns out, the lion is actually quite well-suited for the library.  His padded feet are quiet on the floor, his tail is the perfect dusting tool, and he is a comfy backrest for children during his beloved story hour.  Miss Merriweather and the children at the library begin to grow very fond of the lion.  One day, however, an accident occurs and the lion is forced to break the library rules in an attempt to help Miss Merriweather.  Now the question arises as to whether the lion should be allowed to stay.

The illustrations in the Library Lion contribute to the story with their realistic, subtle style.  The pictures clearly showcase the character’s emotions and the movement which takes place in the library throughout the story.  The medium the illustrations were created in is colored pencil and acrylics. The story is told in a progressive, chronological plot.  It introduces a conflict, has a turning point, and ends with a resolution. 

As far as using this book within the classroom, it would be a perfect way to introduce younger students to library etiquette.  Students could develop a list of library expectations.  They could also discuss why there is a need for rules in the school.  Another neat activity would be for students to write a prequel to the story telling how the lion arrived at the library in the first place. Standards that would apply to these skills include: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

For older students, this book could lead into discussions about whether there are appropriate times to break the rules or the law.  That would be my big question for this story: Is there ever a good reason to break the rules? Have you ever broken the rules for a good reason?  Students could look into famous people who did have strong reasons for standing up against the law including famous women like Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman.  The class could also get into discussions about how laws or rules are created as well as how often they are updated.