Here Lies the Librarian- Richard Peck

Peck appears to be one of those authors who is able to re-invent himself and stay relevant. Just lately, I have been weeding my library shelves of the ‘Soup’ novels. They seem to have seen their day in terms of readership, similar to Gordon Korman’s ‘Bruno and Boots’ series. Peck has continued to pick up awards including the Newbery for A Year Down Under. Back to the book at hand- Here Lies the Librarian- what librarian could resist picking up a novel with htis title? And indeed, it does have some fine moments (a little sarcasm there) for librarians. The town library had closed after the discovery of the librarian, found dead under the card catalogue. Considering that she had banned Peewee (Eleanor) from the library FOR LIFE at the tender age of ten and was the kind of librarian who preferred to have her books sit neatly on the shelves, her demise was not to be overly grieved. Her tombstone reads:

SHH

HERE LIES THE LIBRARIAN

AFTER YEARS OF SERVICE

TRIED AND TRUE

HEAVEN STAMPED HER—

OVERDUE!!

Into the lives of Peewee and her older brother Jake stormed the most incredible bevy of rich, high society gals, who wonder of wonders, were studying in the area of library science at the university. When they all offered to take on the job of librarian and share the quite pitiful stipend, and with offers from their daddies to refurbish and stock the library, how could they be resisted. Jake, too, finds one of them in particular, quite irresistible. Grace takes a keen interest in motherless Peewee and discreetly and kindly leads her into becoming aware of her feminine side, but in no way diminishing her sense of independence. I really enjoyed this story. I think it may be a fine transition for our students who might tend to pick up the easy read into the reading of a novel with true literary merit.