Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book [Hardcover]

Alexander Stadler (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

One very special morning Beverly Billingsly becomes a proud new card-carrying member of the Piedmont Public Library. But what happens when she forgets to return her book by its due date? Will Beverly ever be able to borrow another book?
Beverly and her favorite librarian, Mrs. Del Rubio, prove just how friendly a place the library can be. In his picture book debut, Alexander Stadler introduces an endearing character sure to delight readers of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Beverly Billingsly is terrified. She can't eat--not even chocolate cake. She can't sleep. What could be so horrific for the youngster? Her library book Dinosaurs of the Cretaceous Period--checked out using her very-first-ever library card--is overdue! Her friends aren't much help: Sheila tells Beverly she will probably owe about a thousand dollars in fines, and Carlton proclaims, "My mother's friend's cousin's brother was late with a library book, and he went to jail." Even in her dreams, a green triceratops warns, "Return me, Beverleeeeeee!" Needless to say, Beverly is quite relieved when the hip new librarian Mrs. Del Rubio dismisses her two-day-late book with a smile and gentle note of caution.

William Steig (Sylvester and the Magic Pebble) meets Lucy Cousins (of Maisy fame) in Alexander Stadler's completely charming picture-book tribute to libraries and the joy of reading. Early readers will relate to Beverly's voracious enjoyment of her chosen book as well as her overblown, stomach ache-inducing fears about the consequences of it being overdue. (Her gushed confession to her concerned mother goes as follows: "I have to return the book, and the dinosaur is mad at me, and Mrs. Del Rubio is going to take all my money, and I don't want to go to jail!")

The simple illustrations are expressive and winning--with fabulous characterizations of the not-so-helpful Carlton, hilarious depictions of imagined jail scenarios, and small-but-wonderful details like the book's due date, April 7, printed in red all over Beverly's pajamas during the "nightmare sequence." A fine addition to any young booklover's shelf. (Ages 3 to 7) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

In this sympathetic tale of a budding bibliophile, a light-gray animal with bearish ears and a tentative manner receives her first library card and uses it to borrow a volume on dinosaurs. She smiles politely as the green, birdlike librarian tells her the due date. "On Wednesday, after school, she studied the iguanodon. On Thursday and Friday, she read about the ankylosaurus. She spent several days building a prehistoric jungle habitat," then realizes the book is overdue. Fearful of a fine (or jail, according to a coyote-like schoolmate), she avoids the library until her mother discovers the problem and helps her return the overdue book. The beaky librarian lets it slide. In his picture-book debut, Stadler shows that a minor issue can loom large for a child (the heroine, sporting pajamas with the due date stamped all over them, has a nightmare starring a green triceratops with a hairdo much like the librarian's demanding the book). His quavery ink line drawings and filmy gouache palette suggest the work of William Steig, while his na‹ve images of anthropomorphic creatures call to mind Lauren Child's illustrations. A reassuring tale for those experiencing their first bittersweet taste of independence. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (April 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152025103
• ISBN-13: 978-0152025106
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,454,236 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Young Bibliophiles Everywhere..., May 8, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book (Hardcover)

Beverly Billingsly loved books, and she loved the library. On this special day, she finally got her very own library card. She searched the shelves until she found just the book she wanted, a big shiny dinosaur book full of pictures and information. "She couldn't put it down. On Wednesday, after school, she studied the iguanodon. On Thursday and Friday, she read about the ankylosaurus..." Beverly read everywhere, at the table while eating, in bed before sleeping, and even in the bathtub. "On Monday morning, Beverly woke up early to finish the final chapter, "Eating Habits of the Triceratops." As she turned the last page, she saw, stamped inside the back cover: RETURN BY APRIL 7." It was April 8th..... Alexander Stadler has written a delightful and humorous, true to life story with a reassuring, satisfying ending that is sure to put a smile on every little library-lovers face. His gentle and entertaining text really captures the essence of a preschooler as Beverly works herself up into a panic over the consequences of an overdue book, and his charming, bold and bright artwork adds to the fun. Perfect for preschoolers, Beverly Billingsly Borrows A Book is Mr Stadler's debut picture book, and hopefully the start of a new and marvelous series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect introduction to libraries, June 26, 2009

By 

Madigan McGillicuddy "Librarian" (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book (Paperback)

Young Beverly, a grey bearish kind of animal, is simply beside herself with pleasure at finally acquiring a library card of her very own. With the assistance of the bird-like librarian Mrs. Del Rubio, she checks out a book on dinosaurs. Beverly loves her selection, reading continuously throughout the week. When the due-date on her book passes, Beverly begins to panic. Her friends at school unhelpfully advise her that fines will almost certainly be assessed, "Oh, like a thousand dollars, I think" and one schoolmate even tells her that jailtime is a possibility.

After waking from a nightmare where she's threatened by a dinosaur (sporting red hair and cat eye glasses very similar to Mrs. Del Rubio's) growling, "Return meeeee! I am overduuuuuuuuuue!" Beverly's mom reassures her that "Nobody ever went to jail for an overdue library book."

Happily, Mrs. Del Rubio is able to sort everything out, and Beverly meets Oliver, another dinosaur enthusiast at the library where they are able to start an after school Piedmont Dinosaur Club.

I love this book on so many different levels. First of all, it describes how libraries work and what to expect in very simple, relatable terms:
One must have a library card to check out books.
Getting a library card requires filling out a form.
It does not take very long to acquire a library card.
Books that are borrowed should be returned by the due date.
Late books will have fines.
Getting a fine on your library card is not an insurmountable problem.
Libraries can be used as a social space to meet with friends.

It explains all of that, but it is also really very humorous! The book is ideal for reading aloud. The gouache and ink illustrations take up most of the page and the heavily bolded outlines of the pictures make it easy for children to see, even from a distance. There's ample opportunity for using different voices for the various characters. The comic timing of the book is genius. Additionally, if one is running short on time, or faced with an antsy audience of preschoolers, the book can be ended a bit early, on the page where Beverly returns her book. If reading it with older groups of children, you can read all the way to the end where Beverly co-founds the Dinosaur Club.

Beverly's childlike blend of earnestness, enthusiasm and worry reminded me of the Frances books by Russell Hoban. Librarians everywhere should have this in their arsenal of sure-fire, crowd-pleasing picture books.

5.0 out of 5 stars fun to read, June 24, 2010

By 

cambridge reader "cambridgearea" (cambridge, ma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book (Paperback)

Great book! Lots of humor. I loved reading and my 4-yr-old daughter loved hearing it. Also, I love how the girl and boy at the end form the dinosaur club (shows girls and boys sharing same interests), and love the unconventional-ness of a girl being interested in dinosaurs. Promotes the use of public libraries and proper care of books. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the books in this series and the rest of the books by this author!