Sturdy for Common Things

Review: Miss Moore Thought Otherwise

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children

by Jan Pinbourogh, illustrated by Debby Atwell

Find it at: Your library | Amazon | Indiebound

Published: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (March 5, 2013)

Recommended reading age: 6 & up

In a nutshell: The plan was to write about this book on Annie Carroll Moore’s birthday yesterday (July 12, 1871), but I’m going to pull a Dunn family tradition of celebrating a birthday the entire week. (We never mean for it to happen that way. It just does.) I couldn’t help myself but reveal many of the beautiful illustrations and tell you a little about Anne Carroll Moore’s story though this gem of a picture book.

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise is a colorful, new nonfiction picture book that celebrates the life of Anne Carroll Moore, one of the most celebrated pioneers of children’s librarianship. Anne Carroll Moore, also known as Annie, was an independent thinker and lover of people from very early on in her life. As a girl, her father read a great deal to her even though it was not thought important for children to read. This was shared notion across the country as libraries did not allow children within the establishment.

In the early part of Miss Moore’s life, she wanted to be a lawyer. But the death of both her parents and her sister-in-law delayed that dream. She stayed with her brother and helped care for his children until he found a wife. When that time came, it was around the same time there was a bigger need for librarians. Annie set off for New York City to study at the Pratt Institute Library  in Brooklyn.

Upon completing her course work libraries were just beginning to allow children in the library – but with restrictions. Children were not allowed to check out books, and they were not allowed to do much of anything upon entering a library. Well, Miss Moore thought otherwise! She took down the silence signs and urged librarians to take time telling children stories and talking with them about books. She also thought children should be able to check out books, so she instituted a pledge that each child would take when checking out a book.

Miss Moore worked at the Pratt library until taking a position at the New York Public Library at the now famous landmark location on 5th ave and 42nd street.  This new library would have a special area entirely devoted to children, so when the library was under construction before it opened in 1911, Miss Moore had special tables and chairs made, chose warm and inviting colors to decorate the room, as well as look for display items such as shells and butterflies. Most importantly, she looked for the best children’s books to put on shelves and in all languages.

My favorite part of this story is the recounting of Miss Moore’s famous doll, Nicholas Knickerbocker, a wooden doll that immigrant children could talk to. Nicholas was a good listener for those ESL students who were shy or embarrassed when learning to speak English.

As a person who has decided to devote herself to being a children’s librarian, this was a story of inspiration and also served as a reminder of the innovative thinking that came from a few spectacular women during the beginning of children’s libraries. These champions of children in the library stepped outside the library’s walls and engaged their communities, promoted the best of children’s literature, created innovative programming, and always put the needs of a child first. Children’s librarians today do just as their predecessors, and are faced with some of the same struggles that those pioneers had to overcome at the turn of the century. Being an proponent for change is one battle that stands out. You have to be an advocate and a person who thinks outside of the box. You have to redefine today for tomorrow’s future, just like Anne Carroll Moore.

Don’t take my word for it: Review from The Nonfiction Detectives.

Extras: If you are interested in this book and the life of Anne Carroll Moore, please check out the Miss Moore Thought Otherwise website which includes a virtual exhibit of Miss Moore’s doll, Nicholas’s Treasures.

There is also a wonderful article written about Anne Carroll Moore featured in The New Yorker.

Source of book reviewed: My local library!