A Mysterious Night At The Library By. Kim P. Chesney (Review by Kristin Kurek)

A Mysterious Night at the Library is a beautiful children’s book written by Kim P. Chesney and illustrated by Anna Griffin. This story follows twins, Kat and Ollie, who venture to the library on an evening near Halloween lit by a full moon and shooting stars. While at the library on that magical night, they find Baby Bear who has fallen out of his book “Baby Bear Lost in the Forest.” He is sad that he cannot read. The children decide to bring him home and teach Baby Bear how to read. In the process, Kat, Ollie, and Baby Bear each realize that reading can open up universes for learning and exploring. Primarily, the illustrations of this book are lovely. The entire book is stylized to reflect childhood in days gone by with vintage fashion, classic cars, and old-fashioned architecture. I could not look away from the precious expressions captured on Baby Bear’s face. I flipped through the book to experience the illustrations time and time again. The book is a whimsical journey into the imagination children when they discover the transformational power of reading. Kat and Ollie come to understand that people learn to read in differing ways and modify their lessons to meet Baby Bear’s learning style. Each character explores their own interests through reading. What a valuable lessons for the young and young at heart!