The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall

THE LIBRARY OF UNRULY TREASURES by Jeanne Birdsall (The Penderwicks) transported me back to the summer when I was around 10 years old. This is a book geared to 4th through 6th graders and I loved it. So did the professional reviewers at Booklist, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal (“an essential purchase”), all of whom gave it a starred review. The novel tells the story of Gwen MacKinnon; she’s only eleven years old and is sent to live with a distant uncle. Thankfully, he’s a kind man who indulges her fascination with the Lahdukan, tiny, winged creatures who have their own language and live in the local library. Of course, readers need to turn up the imagination factor and accept the rather fanciful adventures – perfect for middle-grade readers. This book is described as a whimsical, heartwarming story with memorable characters and a blend of real and magical worlds. It contains beautiful drawings by Matt Phelan. I especially loved thinking about many of the titles on this list of Penderwicks readalikes. A truly feel good, although totally implausible, story. Birdsall’s devotion to her characters and the story is evident – she says that she wrote this book over eight years. Let’s hope she gives us another funny, brave hero soon!