Garland, M. (2009). Miss Smith and The Haunted Library. New York: Penguin Group.
ISBN: 978-0-525-42139-9
Story Summary:
Zack’s teacher, Miss Smith, takes the class on visit to the library. The fall morning which had seemed “dreary” takes an exciting turn when the students meet the spooky librarian, Virginia Creeper. The librarian reads from Miss Smith’s “Incredible Story Book”. The characters from the story literally leap out of the book as she reads and soon the library is filled with scary creatures and all the children cringe in fear, yet Virginia Creeper relentlessly reads on unperturbed. The librarian then stops reading. She sets out apple cider and cookies and everyone, the children and the story book characters, all have a cookie and cider party together. Then suddenly Virginia Creeper remembers it is time for the senior citizens book club. She must clean up quickly.The senior citizens, who were walking up the path to the library, would be frightened to death by the spooky characters from the story. Miss Smith offers to stall them at the door while Zack finishes reading the story thereby returning the characters to where they came from.
My Impression:
The author’s choice of words brings the story alive and the reader can almost feel, see and hear events as they unfold in the story. The “creaky” door, the children “tiptoeing” into the library and the weird dressing and sounding librarian, all set the stage for a wild and unforgettable spooky story time at the library. The pictures tell their own spooky story. The library building is dark, gothic looking, and ominous. Miss Smith, Zack’s favorite teacher, stands out in weird shoes and red spiked hair. The trees sway in the wind toward the library, as if they too anticipate the adrenaline rush about to be unleashed by the inhabitants therein. The children’s shining faces at the prospect of going to the library to read from “The Incredible Book” show their enthusiasm. Their expressions change progressively as the story unfolds. They go from excitement at going to the library, wide eyed shock upon meeting Virginia Creeper, excited anticipation as she opens “The Incredible Book”, mild horror to pure horror as the Headless Horseman, Frankenstein, Count Dracula and other creatures leap out of the stories. The pictures complement the story beautifully and make it come alive as the as the story progresses to conclusion. This book was fun to read and would be a good read for ages 4 to 9.It can be read independently by the older children or during story time for the younger children in this age group.
Reviews:
School Library Journal
(July 01, 2009; 0-525-42139-4)
Gr 1-5-One fall day, Miss Smith takes her class to the public library to meet the librarian, Virginia Creeper. The scene is set as they enter the building, which looks a bit like a haunted house. The librarian reads spooky stories from Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook, which brings the characters to life. Soon the children are surrounded by frightening figures such as Frankenstein, Count Dracula, Captain Hook, and the Jabberwocky. They enjoy themselves so much that the youngsters forget what time it is and then must rush to finish each story so the characters can go back into the book. In all the chaos, it seems one story was overlooked. So far, Zack is the only student to notice a creature lurking nearby. Falling leaves and pictures of ghosts, pumpkins, and witches complete the autumnal scene. Halloween can be inferred, but it is not mentioned by name. Each page is full of clever details, and the characters have unique characteristics, from the librarian's bright purple hair and dress, to Miss Smith's stand-up red hair, to the book characters playing out their roles. The students in particular are expressive. One page shows them with their mouths open while the Headless Horseman looms above. The story captures the joy of reading and is sure to be a hit.-Lori A. Guenthner, Baltimore County Public Library, Randallstown, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Reviews:
When Miss Smith takes her class to a spooky old library, the kids are dubious; they get downright anxious when librarian Ms Creeper reads a few characters out of Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook: the Hound of the Baskervilles, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dracula, etc. Fright turns to fun when Ms Creeper passes out cookies and cider. Garland's third Miss Smith outing is more fizzle than anything else, however. The target audience's familiarity with any of the bad guys not in a Disney movie is tenuous at best, their lack of context rendering much of the tale meaningless. It's rare for books about the magic of reading to be themselves magical, and this, alas, is no exception. (Picture book. 5-8)
Suggestions for use in a Library setting
This book can be used for story time for ages 4 to 5, used in a display during Halloween season or checked out by independent readers.
Book Image from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Miss-Smith-and-the-Haunted-Library/Michael-Garland/e/9780525421399/?itm=1&USRI=miss+smith+and+the+haunted+library#TABS