When the Library Lights Go Out

This is a super cute book about what the animals at the library do after hours. They come alive and take expeditions all over the library. One night one of their friends gets lost so they other two animals go searching for her. This was the type of book that I loved as a child because of the personification of the stuffed animals.

After the library closes for the night, two puppets go on an adventure to find their missing friend.

The plot is extremely creative, revolving around the puppets seeing the surroundings of the library through their imagination. The illustrations do an amazing job of giving emotion to what would otherwise be inanimate puppets.

Too long and convoluted for the audience. Too saccharine. And boring for me. Not even sure what the library setting had to do with anything, except to get librarians to buy the book. And since when do plushies eat food? (And for that matter, why is the trash not emptied?)

This was a good book to read to students because it allows them to use their imaginations about what happens in the library after the lights go off. It would be best for younger children, probably Kindergarten or first grade.

When the library closes Rabbit wakes up Lion to go search for Crab. They search for him through the ocean (the blue carpet circle) and through the forest (the green carpet) looking high and low for crab. Worrying that Crab has been taken by giants they continue to search until they rest on a big rock which turns out to be Crab's shell! So they enjoy a nice picnic meal under the stars (construction paper stars hung by the librarian).

A cute book and definitely something to read to younger children to entice their imaginations or to get them interested in going to the library.

Better for younger children. Book discusses what happens when the lights go out in the library; the animals talk and play

Genre: Fantasy; This is a good example of fantasy because the hand puppets from the library talk to each other and go on an adventure to find their lost friend. They make origami from the map that they ripped, eat a picnic fit for a giant, and read stories.

Setting: Integral; because without the library the puppets would not had a place to have their adventure. They would not have found the "park" with the "bench" and the "water."

Media: Oil on paper