Library Girl
By: Polly Horvath
Genre: Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 
Published: September 10, 2024
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books
Dates Read: November 20, 2024 - November 22, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Essie has secretly grown up in the public library, raised by the four librarians who found her among the children’s stacks as a newborn. With four mothers, who take turns staying with Essie, and miles of books to read, Essie has always been happy. But now that she’s older, Essie longs for a little more freedom, and maybe a friend her own age… When her moms let her leave the library by herself, Essie’s world opens wider.

On her second trip to the mall, Essie meets G.E., a boy who looks so much like her, they may be twins! The story starts to unfold in Essie’s mind – she was raised by four moms in the library, maybe her twin, G.E., was raised by four dads in the department store. Maybe now that they’ve found each other, they can be one big family! But, as Essie gets to know G.E. better, she learns that the real world doesn’t play out like in her stories.

This was an adorable Middle Grade novel about a little girl who was raised in a library – as someone who grew up wishing she could just live in her hometown library, this book called to me. Of course, now as a librarian, my thoughts have changed on this, but I still found this to be cute.

Some parts of the storyline were quite unrealistic, but the story never claimed to be based on real life or anything. I think I found the hardest part being how Essie ended up in the library in the first place. But, I also look at this from a young child reading and can see with their imagination, this being very possible/explainable.

Overall, this is cute and an enjoyable read to any booklover who wishes they could have lived in a library (or bookstore cafe). 

*Thank you Margaret Ferguson Books and Edelweiss+ for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review