Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This unabashed love letter to independent bookstores traces the crucial role they play. "Dear Bookstore, I remember the first time I ever visited you," Arrow's narrator intones as Godbout captures in velvety spreads a young child spotting a book in a shop window, then entering to welcome and belonging. Though the child's wishes differ with each visit ("I wanted a mystery...// or an adventure!"), the bookstore grants them all. Godbout's spreads visualize the "magic" that flows through books, illuminating them with a glow. When the pale-skinned narrator, older now, hears that bookstores are closing, they're relieved to find that their beloved shop is still there, in this work about bookstores as places that can be counted on. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note concludes. Ages 3--7. (Mar.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A child finds a second home in a small bookstore. "We're glad you're here!" The young narrator feels welcome right away; everything--an adorable pup, the books all around, even the soft, comfy chair--seems to be extending an enthusiastic greeting. A friend shares the child's belief that the store is full of magic. On each return visit, the bookseller welcomes the protagonist and asks what books the little one is seeking. Whether the child craves mysteries, adventure, or stories that "twinkle," the perfect book is always right there. Brief, highly expressive text and fantastical illustrations adeptly capture the child's love for the bookshop. Many scenes are bathed in a dreamy, nostalgia-hued mist. As children and adults peruse the books, their dreams take flight in the form of bright yellow birds, flowers, animals, and strange creatures that float against a purple backdrop. As time passes, the narrator becomes a writer, who hosts a book signing at the store; the bookseller, now gray-haired, carries a stack of books, and the protagonist's friend has become a painter. Though the narrator realizes that bookstores are facing challenges ("People weren't reading books anymore--they mostly just read screens," a neighbor notes), the beloved shop is still here, filled with readers and their dreams. The narrator is light-skinned, while the friend and the bookseller are Black, and their community is diverse. A heartfelt tribute to the power of books and bookstores. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
