“Where are the good chapter books?”

As a reference librarian, I am guaranteed to get some people asking me the most interesting, weird, cute, and ridiculous questions known to mankind.  Questions (by adults usually) like, “Can you help me find a book?  I can’t remember the title or author, but I know the cover was blue and it was about a dog… maybe.”  Usually, it ends up that the book is actually about a cat and the cover is red or something like that, but I love being challenged to find something as ridiculous as a blue book… do you know how may blue books are in the library?

I maintain that kids are much easier to work with in the reference department than adults.  Kids will usually tell me exactly what they need/want, while adults ask for something and 20 minutes later I finally understand what they are actually looking for.  For example, a 5-year-old asked me the other day for a dragon book (now mind you when he asked he included flapping his “wings” and growling at me like a dragon).  Then he proceeded to ask for a baby dragon book and you know what?  We actually have a book called Baby Dragon by Amy Ehrlich.  After flipping through each page of the book and looking at the illustrations he decided that the book was exactly what he wanted.

I had another kid just last week come into the library and ask me, “Where are the good chapter books?”  I had to chuckle to myself because he was completely serious as if we put the good chapter books in a separate place.  When I asked him a couple of questions I found out he like sports I directed him to the Jake Maddox series and he found a couple that he was so excited to take home.

Often times, kids and more so adults are nervous to ask for help… that’s my job to help you find something.  Don’t be nervous to ask for some help, reference librarians are full of knowledge and can help you find something more quickly or find something you didn’t even know you really needed.