Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen

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Library Lion By Michelle Knudsen, Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. It turns out, though, that the lion seems very well suited for the library. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library - at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion helps in the only way he knows how. Could there ever be a good reason to break the rules? Even in the library?
The reason why I love this book is because for many of the ELL students that I have worked with, Libraries are a brand new concept. there is a You Tube comment by Kevin Hawkes the illustrator just to contrast the differences between his experience as a child who finds the Library a constant in his life. Many of my ELL students have never been to a library until they come to our school. This book is such a wonderful way to discuss about much more than just behavior in the library. I love this book for ELL because it's a great platform to talk about rules and consequences when they aren't followed. Weather you can read this to Intermediate level students, or you can just do a picture walk and mimic and mimic good behavior in the classroom with Beginner or Newcomer students. I also love the way the author uses words like "scowled", "stern" and "twitched". These words are so clearly illustrated not only in the pictures, but in the context. It also lends itself to talk about things like voluntarism, as well as the job of a librarian. The concept I particularly love is the circulation desk. The way it is portrayed and explained is just wonderful. It never fails to amaze me how after reading this story, many students start saying "circulation desk", instead of "check out place"