Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Summary:  Lydia’s story is told in the form of a letter that begins “Dear Librarian”.  At the age of 5, she and her parents and six siblings left Colorado to move to Iowa.  Her dad was in search of a new job, and the family needed a new home.  For six months, they lived in different family members’ homes, which were too small, crowded, or full of beautiful objects not to be touched by the seven children.  During this time, Lydia discovered the public library, which became a haven, and the librarian, who always greeted her with a hug and made her feel welcome.  After six months, the family got their own home, but Lydia never forgot how the library made her feel, and she grew up to become a librarian herself.  Includes a letter from Lydia to the reader that recounts how she reunited with her librarian friend in 2018 on the NPR show This American Life, and photos of Lydia at age 5 and in 2018 with “her” librarian, Deb Stephenson.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A heartwarming and inspiring true story that would make a great first-day-of-school read for school librarians.

Cons:  I would have liked to see more back matter on the issue of homelessness.