The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library

Of all the Early Reviewer books I have received this one could be the most entertaining. But then, Tundra Books never disappoint. Eddie is a tiny green bug who lives with his parents, various other relatives, and 53 siblings in a crack in the wall behind a classroom chalkboard. When his adventurous book-lover Aunt Min doesn't come back from a visit to the library, Eddie volunteers to set out on a search for her. After a long risky journey to the library he found Aunt Min injured, hungry and thirsty. While he tended to her, the friendly librarian went on maternity leave, only to have a nasty replacement take over and plan to close the library. This spurred the tiny hero to take action. (What this librarian would like to know is why we show more are always represented as very, very good or very, very evil?)

This is an absolutely charming story that most children who have advanced to chapter books will love. There are many indirect references to favourite books that create a sort of guessing game to determine which book is referenced. A "bugliography" at the end will provide answers. Eddie's many escapades would also make it an excellent choice for a book to read aloud by instalments. I will never look at a little bug again without thinking of Eddie and his Aunt Min. show less

How can you NOT love a book reading and writing little bug out to save the school library? Exactly. Eddie is a bug living the life, or rather trying to rescue Aunt Min, stop his bitty buggy brother from being squished, and experience the wonders of the library before its too late. The new librarian, if one could even call her that, is nothing short of an enemy of the written word. Good thing there's a ghost of a chance of putting her in her place before it's too late. I mean, who else would the mysterious stickies have been left/written by? Certainly not anyone so small and easy to overlook as a bright green little bug with a penchant for the classics....certainly not indeed.

A great reminder that "a person's a person, no matter how show more small"...well said, Stuart Little...and very applicable here as we see the might and power of one teeny tiny voice against the forces that be. show less

The Tiny Hero contains well-done black and white illustrations for each chapter. There are 324 pages but the type is large and well spaced. This book is immediately engaging. Even though it is written for children ages seven to twelve, I was completely hooked.

The reader can't help but love the little hero, Eddie, a tiny bug who braves the huge halls of the school, dodging a spider, a mouse, and lots of squishers (humans who stomp on bugs), in order to find his missing aunt.

Aunt Min is special. She has taught Eddie to read and told him many stories she overheard in the school library. These are books every child should experience from the works of Dr. Seuss to E.B. White. Avid readers will nod their heads with understanding whenever show more these books are mentioned. You may want to find those you haven't read.

The novel supports reading and libraries at a time when many are shrinking or disappearing. Little Eddie reminds us of all the reasons we love a children's library and why it cannot be replaced by a computer terminal.

The first quest for Eddie is to save his aunt and then protect his foolish little cousin who has followed him. The second one is to save the library from a substitute librarian (sister of a powerful administrator) who wants to board up its beautiful windows, remove all the books, and turn it into something less expensive. It seems an impossible task for a little bug to stop the demise of the beloved library when even the principal has trouble asserting himself but Eddie is committed and clever.

This endearing, suspenseful, and thoughtful book will connect with children and parents alike. There are acts of courage and sacrifice, a great deal of humor, subtle ethical topics, and tributes to our most cherished children's books. I love how we see the world through the eyes of a small, defenseless creature who only wants to survive with his family. (A good discussion could follow about how some humans are "squishers" of small insects and how this contrasts with the compassion other people show to the small and defenseless.)

This book doesn't touch on the topic of bullying but I believe if children are taught to show kindness to the smallest and most helpless, they are less likely to bully others or to be speciest. Little Eddie and his family are adorable ambassadors for compassion.

I won a copy from LibraryThing. show less

I received a free copy of The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library from the publisher in exchange for an honest review -- thank you!

Remember being a kid and totally caught up in the magic of The Borrowers, or The Mouse and the Motorcycle, or Charlotte's Web? Books about tiny characters, braving the scariness of the world, and making a difference or having incredible adventures? This is what The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library reminds me of.

When Eddie sets out to find his missing Aunt Min, he winds up living in (and completely adoring) an elementary school library. Survival itself is a challenge -- avoiding spiders and mice, finding food, almost getting vacuumed up, and trying not to get squished. But a bigger threat comes in the form of a show more woman who wants to shut down the school library as a cost-saving measure.

Linda Bailey has written a love letter to school libraries and children's literature. With plenty of allusions to beloved kidlit titles, this is a funny and clever look at the power of words and the importance of access to books.

And I might be biased, because I do work at a library, but I cried a little bit. show less

This is a sweet book about a bug trying to save his aunt lost in a school library. In the process, the bug learns that the library is at risk due to meddling adults more concerned about math scores than reading. Can this little bug, small and insignificant, save the day?

Personally, the bug rescue story didn't grab me, but the charming ode to the love of reading and the value of libraries did. There were many references to classic childrens literature, and I'm sure any young book lover would enjoy hunting them down like Easter eggs. I also loved how the little bug was inspired into action by characteers from his favorite tomes. Horton Hears a Who helps him overcome his timidity, and Charlotte's Web gives him practical ideas to make his show more voice heard.

Perhaps this book could be a gentle gateway to start kids thinking about how they, even as kids, can be involved in community affairs that are important to them. show less

A totally engaging and thoughtful novel by another family favourite Linda Bailey with illustrations by Victoria Jamieson.

In The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library we meet Eddie a heroic young bug with a bright green exoskeleton. Eddie loves to read thanks to his amazing Aunt Min who has shared her love of books and libraries with the young bug. When Min doesn’t return from the library one day, Eddie makes it his mission to leave Classroom 19 and rescue her. Encountering many dangers along the way including Squishers, spiders, a mouse and a horrid substitute librarian, Eddie not only saves Aunt Min but also the Ferny Creek Library.

Linda Bailey has woven an adventurous tale sure to hook readers with it’s suspense, heroism, and bravery. show more We love everything by Linda Bailey, she has such a beautiful way with words and has created many quotable moments in Tiny Hero. Throughout the novel she reminds us of many books we have grown up loving and also ensuring many new and exciting books are featured. Eddie encounters Stuart Little, Anne of Green Gables, The Day The Crayons Quit and so many more. She has included a full rundown of all the stories featured at the back of the novel. Victoria Jamieson’s illustrations make the characters come to life with their big smiling eyes and hilarious expressions. She captures the awful Ms Grisch to a tee. A fantastic book that will speak to the hearts of educators and librarians, parents and children. One certain to become a classic in the vein of Charlotte’s Web. With a beautiful message about persistence, change-making, and trying your best, The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library is a must read. “Books...They light the way.” - Aunt Min show less

I loved this book inside and out. The cover is so cute, and the little book-loving bug is adorable. I love reading, so I can understand Eddie's passion to travel to the Library and read more books. It is heart-warming to see how Eddie remembers Stuart Little in hard times and tries to be brave like him.

Let me tell you, after reading this, I think twice about "eliminating" the bugs in my house. What if one of them is a bookaholic like me? It could be very possible, you know. I believe whole-heartedly in miraculous magical things, so a book-loving bug is totally imaginable.

I thought this would be a children's book, but it turned out to be a children's novel, which makes a world of difference. Yes, it is still meant for children, but it's show more a bit more advanced, which means that it reaches my level of reading, without being boring at all.

I received this book from LibraryThing and I love my copy. Thank you! show less