Kit can’t STAND reading,
She’d MUCH rather be outside, playing games and getting muddy, than stuck inside with a book. But when she’s dragged along to the library one day by her two best friends, she makes an incredible discovery – and soon it’s up to Kit and her friends to save the library … and the world.
I had a great time at the launch of this book in June but it somehow got lost in my TBR pile until now. The Dragon in the Library is just as good as it sounds and I devoured it in one sitting. It has memorable, diverse characters, a strong voice and a message about the power of reading and libraries.
The writing in this book is brilliant! It's funny, fast-paced and quirky, with a plot that kept my interest and took me by surprise. It's perfect for the target audience of 5 to 8 year olds but an engaging read for all.
Davide Ortu's illustrations are gorgeous too. The characters are distinctive and expressive and the illustrations bring the vividly described settings to life.
I also loved the characters. Kit is a brilliant protagonist who has agency, makes mistakes and grows through the book. She makes a great team with her friends, who are also well-developed and interesting in their own right. My favourite character is Faith. It's so refreshing to have a fleshed-out, likeable adult character in a book for this age range. She's smart, cool and has a definite Giles-from-Buffy vibe.
It's great that this book leaves readers with such positive messages too: libraries and reading are vital and it's up to individuals to make a difference.
I can't wait for the next instalment in this series and will read anything Louie writes.
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