Friday, August 2, 2013

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise by Jan Pinborough and illustrated by Debby Atwell (Review & Giveaway)

Just suppose you had no money for books. Just suppose you had little ones at home and you wanted to broaden their outlook on life and introduce them to the joys of the written word in stories or poetry or travel the world on the pages of a book. You could go to the library if you were an adult and if there was a library in your town. But really, there was not much there to appeal to the child. Your child could NOT even enter the doors. Children were NOT welcome in libraries and children definitely could NOT check out a book. What children's books there were in the libraries were only available to adults.
But Miss Moore Thought Otherwise .......

ISBN: 9780547471051
In the late 1800's this was the story of libraries and this was the plight of children who wanted to read books. But Miss Moore thought otherwise and began a movement to bring the children into the libraries. To allow children to have library cards to check out books. And to have their very own children's book rooms and story time.

Even as a child Miss Moore was different from the other girls in that she liked rambunctious play and more active activities.  And she liked books. Upon reaching adulthood, she began her movement to bring books to children via the public library.

Today's children have much to be thankful for in having such ease of access to public libraries and books designed especially for them and their specific age group. This is all because Miss Moore Thought Otherwise.

The illustrations in this delightful, informative book were created by Maine artist Debby Atwell.  She uses paints to boldly draw the scenes picturing Miss Moore, the children, and the libraries in a primitive style that is charming, bright, and delightful and will certainly appeal to children.

GIVEAWAY:  Ms. Jan Pinborough has agreed to provide one of Chat With Vera's readers a copy of Miss Moore Thought Otherwise, and you can try to win it for yourself or someone you wish to have it by simply using the Rafflecopter form below. Begins August 2  & ENDS August 21 @ 12:01 a.m EDT. Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary review copy by the author, Jan Pinborough, in exchange for my honest review. The winner's copy in the giveaway is also provided by Ms. Pinborough and will be shipped directly to the winner by the author. The book is published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

20 comments:

  1. I am a librarian and love how the library brings free access to books and reading to all. Reading is very important and a love of mine. I try to get fun books to get my grand kids involved in the love of it, too.

    savewish@yahoo.com

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  2. I remember my childhood library as a dark, forboding building where you HAD to be quiet. And all the children's books were about 1000 years old & not appealing to the eye. Things have definitely changed. Most libraries I'm in any more are geared towards children with eye-pleasing presentations & plenty of new books to check out.

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  3. She influenced library children's services not only in the United States but in Japan, Russia, Sweden, India and many other countries.

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  4. I didn't realize that children weren't allowed in libraries! We are very lucky that Miss Moore thought otherwise! Thanks for posting on the Kid Lit Blog Hop.

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  5. What a great story! I loved my library as a child; my summer memories directly relate to the quiet, dusty children's section. I can't imagine libraries without children!
    -Bookworm Tales visiting via the Kid Lit Blog Hop

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  6. What a moving story! I can't imagine a world where libraries aren't accessible to children. When I was a little girl my mother worked at our local library, and I spent almost every day there in the summer. Thanks for sharing this great book with the Kid Lit Blog Hop!

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  7. I have mobility problems & love the fact that I can reserve books online, & just pick-them-up, instead of having to stand & browse through the library shelves.

    I think children would miss great opportunities to learn if they weren't allowed in libraries, & possibly have their desires to become authors &/or read - crushed.

    bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com



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  8. I live in SE Asia, and we have no public libraries at all. It is so sad! When we visit grandparents in the US, the library is by far, the #1 place my children want to go. They would go to every single story-time if we could!

    Thanks for sharing this review. I found you at the Kid Lit Blog Hop. I also host a weekly link-up on Thursdays for all things book related at my site, mommynificent.com. I'd love for you to join us anytime! Here's this week's link if you're interested: http://mommynificent.com/2013/08/08/booknificent-thursday-link-up-party-5/
    Have a magnificent week!
    Tina

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    1. We are so very blessed in America to have easy access to books in our libraries and in our schools. It is hard to comprehend that there are still places in the World that do not have public libraries. I checked out your website & I put my kids books in your linky.

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    2. So glad you joined the linky party! Hope to see you back often!

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  9. Out of my 3 children, the oldest and youngest are avid readers as am I! I think that if our library closed, my kids wouldn't be too happy. My daughter loves to read the young adult series at our library.

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  10. What an awesome story. I can't wait to read it in full. I did not know that American children couldn't check out library books??? That's the first I heard of that!!!

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  11. awesome book, I will read this one of this day.
    new GCF Follower here
    please visit my <a href="http://michbookblurb.blogspot.com/2013/08/fallen-too-far.html>Booknificent Thursday</a>

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  12. We reviewed this book as well and we all really enjoyed it. My kids were especially mortified that girls were not allowed to go to University (more so than being denied entry to the library). Thanks for sharing in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. :)

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  13. Growing up military and not having a lot of money when we were children I remember going to the base library when we lived in Hawaii (before it became a state) tells you how long ago that was and they had all kids of books that opened my eyes to reading and other places in the world. They would have crafts and story hour and guest speakers was a lot of fun and of course back then early 60"s was free. My parents appreciated that and I still love to read

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    1. I love to take my kids to the library to pick out bedtime stories. They love to look through all of the treasures and pick a couple to take home. My favorite memory is when I took my daughter on a day they had a great dane that the kids could read to. She almost got over her fear of dogs that day and even pet the dog even though it was about as big as she was :) If our library was closed, I would feel like our community was robbed of a valuable service.

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  14. Oh Busy Mama & everyone else..... PLEASE leave your comments in the box that is directly below the "Add comment". That way we can be sure it is in the correct spot to be counted as an entry.

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  15. I absolutely love libraries. The cool, dry quiet. The book smell. It has always been one of my most favorite places on earth to get lost in. When I was about 12, I would spend entire days at the library- reading books and magazines, looking at microfiche (yep, I am old) and trying to decide which treasures to borrow. One of the things I love about the small town and small library where I live now, is that they really make an effort to get new books regularly and that half of the books in the library are children's books. In fact, the whole children's section is lovely with hand-painted murals, lots of comfy rugs and furniture and even stuffed toys. I would be so depressed if I didn't have access to a library.

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  16. I love libraries, in the 5th and 6th grade I helped in the library, shelving, checking out books and issuing cards. I loved it so much, I felt like I was helping all the younger kids by showing them where to look for books they were interested in. At church I help with our library, ordering and shelving and following up on the current books available. To me having a library is a special privilege that we have available for us. That was all I had when I did reports and research papers and wanted to read. I still us our libraries and I take my Granddaughter just like I took her Mother. She loves books and it's a special time for us to go and check out books on subjects that she chooses. When she is finished reading she calls me and says Mamaw it's time to go to the library. It really makes me feel special, that I can go with her, just watching her as she picks out books, she says they have a book about everything and i agree.



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  17. I am just amazed at the work Mrs. Moore did to have the library available to all children. It just touches my heart when I think about going to the library when I was young and checking out books. It was and still is a special place. I didn't know that children were not able to go to the library, gosh did they have children's books. I think it's fabulous that she created the childrens' room, and even thought to have books in many different languages. That was when we had so many people from other countries coming into America. I know they were happy to see books that they could read before they learned english.

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