Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck, copyright 2006
"She drove me back home through the gloaming. Halfway to the Hazelrigg Settlement she set her brakes and stared into the ditch. 'It looks as if somebody has abandoned a large accordion.' I leaned out and saw. 'Them's Mrs. B.D. Klinefelder's corsets.' Irene blinked. 'How do you know?' 'Everybody knows. Her wash was on the line when the tornado touched down. It's all over town. A tornado's a funny thing. We found one of her big garters wrapped around the knob of our privy door.'"
From the tornado in Chapter 1 to the finish line in Chapter 15, the talented Richard Peck delivers his trademark humor and heart in Here Lies the Librarian. Set in the Midwest in 1914, the story is set on the outskirts of a small town on the path to progress by way of paved roads and automobiles, told through the eyes of fourteen year old PeeWee. When a quartet of wealthy, big city, newly-trained librarians rolls into town, life for PeeWee will never be the same, especially when Irene Ridpath sets her mind on reforming her young library patron. With memorable characters, vivid scenes, and laugh-out-loud storytelling, Here Lies the Librarian is classic Peck, and one of best books I've read this year. A must-read for anyone who enjoys light-hearted historical fiction, automobiles, or has a soft spot for librarians.
From the tornado in Chapter 1 to the finish line in Chapter 15, the talented Richard Peck delivers his trademark humor and heart in Here Lies the Librarian. Set in the Midwest in 1914, the story is set on the outskirts of a small town on the path to progress by way of paved roads and automobiles, told through the eyes of fourteen year old PeeWee. When a quartet of wealthy, big city, newly-trained librarians rolls into town, life for PeeWee will never be the same, especially when Irene Ridpath sets her mind on reforming her young library patron. With memorable characters, vivid scenes, and laugh-out-loud storytelling, Here Lies the Librarian is classic Peck, and one of best books I've read this year. A must-read for anyone who enjoys light-hearted historical fiction, automobiles, or has a soft spot for librarians.
Richard Peck rocks! Have you heard him speak? Such the consummate gentleman professional. Inn my next life, I want to be a high school or junior high student in one of his literature or writing classes. I suspect I could have saved myself a lot of early wanderings if I'd had him for a teacher. Somehow this title has escaped me. I try to read all his stuff. It's going right on my list! Thanks, Keri.
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I have not heard him speak, unfortunately. I have a file of some Peck-isms that Jay Asher shared after hearing him speak, and love the wisdom packed into short statements. My favorite is something like "Writers write by the light of every book they've ever read." Brilliant and so true!
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