Following the lead of The Matilda Project The Alibi Library has decided to produce a short series highlighting the work of some of the best fictional libraries:

Bo was reading her favorite book, when without warning …

the lights went out!

Bo felt a cold chill.

Whispers sniffled and snuffled in the dark. Shadows shivered closer.

A clammy hand grabbed Bo’s book . . .

“GOT IT!” squealed a voice!

A book for younger readers, The Ghost Library is about enjoying books and stories, and about making up your own stories:

Bo is a little girl who loves to read stories before bedtime. One evening, as she is reading an especially funny tale about a witch with stinky feet, all the lights go out. Before she can recover, a clammy hand grabs one end of her book. Unable to let go of her book she closes her eyes and holds on tight to the other end.  Bo and her story book are whisked away to a strange place where she has never been before. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself standing in the Ghost Library.

The Library:

This is a room full of empty shelves!!!  A gigantic, spooky room, but nonetheless filled with empty shelves.

The clients:

The Ghost Library is where the ghosts go to listen to stories borrowed from unsuspecting children. The ghosts who regularly visit this place are constantly looking for more good stories—but their shelves are always empty. Bo…Bo teaches them that stories exist everywhere, not just in books. Her head is full of ideas. She dreams up the perfect way to help the ghosts fill their library with wonderful stories.

This clever story involves effort on the part of young readers as there are two sections where the story is told in pictures so you have to make it up while you read it. There is also one gigantic flap to show the tall tower where the library is (I would love to have that many book shelves!) and it’s like getting three stories in one with the stories within the story – these are drawn in different styles too so the book maintains interest on all sorts of levels.

Coming up;  The Plume Library, Charlie Higson, Carole Boston Weatherford