Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

Jeanette Winter, whose non-fiction picture-books about extraordinary people from around the world include such titles as The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq and Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, turns to the tale of book-lover and volunteer librarian Luis Soriano in Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia. A true reader and book collector (and a primary school teacher), Luis longed to share the blessing of his personal library with the people of the isolated villages in his region of Colombia: people who didn't have access to books. And so he purchased two burros, Alfa and Beto, loaded up his volumes, and set out to bring the printed word to his fellow citizens.

This tale of a mobile library and librarian in show more Colombia reminded me of other, similar stories, from Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky, which relates the history of the pioneer mobile library services offered in the Appalachian region during the Great Depression, to My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World, which profiles traveling libraries in thirteen countries. I enjoyed Winter's simple narrative, and her colorful acrylic and ink illustrations, but I did find myself wishing for a little more. I wanted to know more about Luis, and the communities he served: other than the brief episode with the bandit, what other challenges did Luis face? The afterword mentions donations having greatly swelled Luis's library - how does he transport the additional books, or does he have to pick and choose?

Leaving that aside, this was still an engaging story, simply told and suitable for younger readers - a story that might, potentially, make them appreciate some of the blessings (like books!) that they themselves enjoy. show less

Personal response: This is an inspiring story about how one person can make a difference and share his passion with others. The illustrations add so much color and charm to the book. This would make a wonderful read aloud.

Curricular connections: A great story to share when introducing students to the library. Would be great with elementary students learning about how to take action (PYP), and how small actions can make a big difference to others.

Okay librarians, if you are looking for a little reminder of why you choose this job, look no further. Very nice story, charming illustrations and a tribute to the importance of getting books into the hands of children.

Biblioburro is the story of Luis Soriana, a former school teacher turned mobile librarian. What makes Soriana's story unique though is that he is not driving a bus or van full of books around an urban or suburban landscape. Soriana goes from rural village to rural village with two burros carrying crates of books. This picture book celebrates his love of reading and how he shares it with the children of Colombia. Thus, the book's underlying messages are about the power of story telling, the benefits of sharing, and the creativity that can solve any problem. The bright and colorful illustrations, made through a combination of acrylic paint and pen and ink, make for a delightful addition to an already wonderful story. Children, especially show more those that are avid readers themselves, will enjoy this book wholeheartedly. show less

I loved this picture book that tells the story of Luis, a Colombian man, who takes books to remote villages via his two burros. The illustrations are delightful and have a tropical flavor.

A bibliophile in a remote Colombian village gets two burros and sets out to share his books with people in even more remote villages. The illustrations are pretty but not distinguished.

Biblioburro is an inspiring true story about a man named Luis Soriana. Luis has so many books and decides that he wants to share his books with those who do not have access to them. With the help of his burros (or donkeys), he travels around and shares his loves of books with the people in various villages across Columbia. There is an excerpt in the book that he is still doing it this day and has over 4,000 books he shares with the people in his country. It's a great story to share where one person really can make a difference in their community or in the case of Luis, his entire country!