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Jessica Spanyol
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Carlo and the Really Nice Librarian Hardcover – Picture Book, July 15, 2004

by Jessica Spanyol (Author, Illustrator)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 19 ratings
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In a simple storybook adventure, curious Carlo discovers the joys of the library with the help of a gentle (if toothy) librarian.

Carlo the giraffe is making his first visit to the new library. "Wow!" he says when he sees all the books, the colorful posters, and especially the chairs with wheels. But Carlo is a little afraid of the librarian, Mrs. Chinca, with her sharp teeth and claws, until he learns how much she loves books. With bright illustrations and a cheery text, Jessica Spanyol offers preschoolers a spirited introduction to the library — and a really nice librarian.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    2 - 5 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Dimensions
    8.75 x 0.25 x 10.5 inches
  5. Publisher
    Candlewick
  6. Publication date
    July 15, 2004
  7. ISBN-10
    0763625264
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0763625269
  9. See all details
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Teachers' picks | Explore children's books by grade

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1–The charming little giraffe who starred in Carlo Likes Reading (Candlewick, 2001) and his cat visit the new library where he is intrigued by the colorful posters and the chairs on wheels. When Mrs. Chinca, the alligator librarian, appears, Carlo is at first frightened of her, but she quickly reassures him by reading to him, enlisting his help in shelving books, and issuing him a library card. When he gets home, the giraffe notices that a bite-sized piece is missing from a page of one of the books he checked out. He tells his mother, "Mrs. Chinca really does love her books." Spanyol's rousing rhythms and fun imagery ("Carlo laughed so much he got his tail in a tangle") are amplified by the bright watercolor, acrylic, and collage artwork. Amusing visual details, including sight gags of the cat's antics, provide enough interest for multiple reads.–Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-K. Carlo the giraffe, the star of three previous adventures, returns with his cat, Crackers, to show kids that the library is a friendly place--even if the librarian is a crocodile. When Carlo and Crackers visit their new library, they are impressed with the books and the colorful posters, and they have a great time zooming around on the cool chairs with wheels. But when the librarian pops up to offer help, Carlo and Crackers are quite surprised, and a little frightened. Carlo soon realizes, however, that Mrs. Chinca is not only very friendly but also extremely knowledgeable about books. Spanyol's illustrations, a combination of watercolor, acrylic, ink, and collage, have a sweet, childlike quality, and their bright colors and simple shapes will appeal to young children. Use this with preschoolers to break the ice during a first storytime, or with kindergartners before they visit the school library. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick (July 15, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0763625264
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763625269
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 2 - 5 years
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.75 x 0.25 x 10.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 19 ratings

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Jessica Spanyol

Jessica Spanyol

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
19 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amanda Manganello
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2015
Verified Purchase
Great book, recommend it to anyone! We were looking for a children's story with the name Carlo. It's an Italian classic!
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polish blonde
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2018
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Cute book
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Lassie VeUss
4.0 out of 5 stars A Librarian's Perspective
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2005
If children are unfortunate enough to view the library as a vastly strict and confining space, hopefully this book aids in reintroducing the library. As Spanyol writes towards the beginning of the book, "The library was amazing." In the age of television and video games, it's never too early to encourage reading and emphasize the fun and humor often found in books. The library is not a daunting place, and hopefully children begin to enjoy spending time there early on.

There seems to be a librarian stereotype. Some think of librarians as the old, mean, glasses-wearing, uptight, shhhhhhh-ing type of character portrayed in books and on TV. As a young librarian, this is a stimga I strive to overcome. Mrs. Chinca is an alligator librarian. Despite her "sharp teeth and claws," she is surprisingly friendly and helpful...even fun! Carlo is amazed at how much she knows about books and how capable she is to suggest books on any topic. If anything, children shouldn't be afraid of the lady behind the desk!!

The book is fun, colorfully illustrated and ends with a cute surprise. My only hang up is this: Carlo's Dad leaves Carlo and Crackers alone in the library. Parents please remember that it is never permissible to leave young children anywhere in public unattended--the library included!
2 people found this helpful
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MelisaB13
2.0 out of 5 stars Prefect intro to the library!
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
This is the perfect book for a child's first visit to the library. It's out of print so I had to buy it used but I'm not complaining. All the words are there and many kindergartners will hear and enjoy this store. It's getting 2 reviews because one page is ripped and badly taped. The seller said it was in very good shape but this makes it middling at best. Disappointed.
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karla
3.0 out of 5 stars cute story with child-friendly illustrations
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2012
This is a cute story with very child-friendly illustrations, but it just wasn't cleverly written. It doesn't engage the reader as I expected.
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Top reviews from other countries

G L Timms
5.0 out of 5 stars My 3 yr old loves it!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
Great little story and came in great condition...perfect for toddlers first reads. Full of lovely pictures and just the right amount of words to tell a story but turn the pages often enough so they don't get bored. Will be looking for similar stories in this range
One person found this helpful
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Mim
5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 6, 2013
Verified Purchase
this book has me in stitches every time for some reason. Such charming illustrations and a really nice story. This was a bargain as only cost me £2.81 but was in almost perfect condition and came with dvd. would highly recommend.
One person found this helpful
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Miss Lynne Rutherford
2.0 out of 5 stars While the book is fantastic for my son and in good condition it was ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
While the book is fantastic for my son and in good condition it was advertised as a book and DVD and unfortunately there was no DVD with it. While the price probably reflects that it is advertised with a DVD.
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Mrs. A. Matthews
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good fun read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2013
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My six year old son loved this book. As with all the dvd/books its great to read along and watch the dvd.
One person found this helpful
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