Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't)

Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) by Barbara Bottner
Illustrated by Michael Emberley
2010

     Miss Brooks is a librarian who simply loves books. She dresses up for reading circle like the characters in the books so she can get kids as excited about reading as she is. But Missy, a first grader, wants nothing to do with it. She finds the whole thing completely "vexing." It's May and Miss Brooks tells Missy and her classmates that they most find a favorite story, wear a custom, and share it with the rest of the class. Missy has no idea what she's going to do because she finds something wrong with every book Miss Brooks and the other kids read. "They are too kissy," "too pink," and "too silly," she tells her mother. "You're as stubborn as a wart," said her mom. That was the bit of inspiration Missy needed: warts. She finds Shrek! by William Steig and falls in love with with. She dresses up like an ogre and realizes that even a contrarian like her can find something "funny and fantastic and appalling in the library."
     Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) is a wonderful book. Missy is a great character and Emberley's illustrations of the girl are fantastic. Missy's old soul-grunge look is hilarious and her facial expressions are priceless. I really love this book and I'm definitely adding it to my favorites shelf.


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