The Inside Outside Book of Libraries (by Julie Cummins)

This is a journey through libraries big and small that serve different commununities in different ways. Illustrations and simple text describe the libraries themselves and their holdings, as well as their cultural significance and/or importance.

From the splendor of Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., to the simplicity of the single- roomed traveling bookmobile, libraries provide valuable access to books, tools, and information to people all over the world. Most of us know about the neighborhood library and the world wide Web, but how many of us know that ships and prisons have libraries, that special libraries exist for people with special needs? For explorers? For people who need tools?

The Inside Outside Book of Libraries provides a valuable glimpse into the immense variety of libraries, and makes the important point that "the value of a library is measured not by the floor space or number of books but by the usefulness to the community it serves." This book is part of illustrator Roxie Munro's Inside-Outside series, which also includes books on New York City, Washington, D.C., Texas, and Paris. All are marked by intricate architectural detail that makes the illustrations worth studying carefully. The accompanying text, clearly written by Julie Cummins, examines an inventive array of libraries that will broaden any reader's appreciation of resources available to us all.

Author: Julie Cummins
Illustrator: Roxie Munro
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books
Publication date: January 1, 2008
Number of pages: 48
Paperback price: $7.99
Read Aloud: 4
Read Alone: 8