The Library Fish

Readerly adventures await an aquatic bibliophile in Capucilli’s imaginative celebration of libraries. From the moment Library Fish shows up on the checkout counter with the tag “loves stories,” she becomes a beloved member of the institution’s inclusive community, even accompanying the librarian, portrayed with brown skin, on bookmobile days. When a snowstorm unexpectedly keeps the library closed, the intrepid goldfish goes in search of her own stories, leaping from her bowl in an astronaut-like bubble helmet (“filled with all of the possibility of a great story”), submerging herself in storytime favorites, and then sharing them aloud with her fellow library-dweller, the bookmobile parked just outside the window. Jose’s textured digital renderings cleverly incorporate collage, with bits of text peeking out beneath fantastical sequences of Library Fish’s magical escapades. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)