Title: The Man Who Loved Libraries
Author: Andrew Larsen
Major Themes: Andrew Carnegie, Libraries
Synopsis: Born a poor boy in Scotland, how did Andrew Carnegie become an American millionaire who funded so many libraries around the world?
One of my frustrations with our tiny local library system is that we can’t get very many good picture books. For that reason I’m always thrilled when I can find a good picture book online to review; I always read them to my little boys. It would be better if we could have the physical book to read, but this is better than nothing! One of my recent finds was The Man Who Loved Libraries, the story of Andrew Carnegie.
Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland. His father was a weaver, but it was getting to be impossible to make a living weaving at home, as people wanted to buy cloth from the big weaving mills. What should the family do? Move to America, of course! They found a home and work in Pittsburgh. They were still poor—but now there were opportunities to advance.
Within a relatively short time, Andrew became a rich man—and what did he do with his riches? He didn’t hoard it for himself; he used a lot of it to build libraries around the world, even in New Zealand, so other people would have the chance to learn and improve their lives. I had heard of the Carnegie Libraries, as well as the Carnegie Institute in New York City, so it was very interesting to read the background.
I liked the pictures in this book. They are simple, somewhat stylized but fairly realistic, paintings. They really add to the story. This is a great picture book to share with children who enjoy true stories, and a good way to introduce the concept of public libraries and their purpose and origin.
I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley and chose to write a review.
No warnings!
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 3 – 4, 5 – 8
Reading Independently—Ages 7 – 9
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Book Depository: Paperback | Hardcover
Leave a Reply