Book
The librarian of Basra : a true story from Iraq / written & illustrated by Jeanette Winter.
Record details
- ISBN: 0152054456 (hc)
- Physical Description: 1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 28 cm.
- Edition: 1st ed.
- Publisher: Orlando, Fla. : Harcourt, Inc., c2005.
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Baker, Alia Muhammad. Librarians > Iraq > Basrah > Biography. Libraries > Destruction and pillage > Iraq > Baṣrah. Iraq War, 2003-2011 |
Available copies
- 2 of 2 copies available at Kenton County.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 2 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covington Branch | J 956.70443 Wint (Text) | 33126012325001 | Display | Available | - |
| Erlanger Branch | J 956.70443 Wint (Text) | 33126011797846 | JNonfiction | Available | - |
- School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2005 January
Gr 2-4-When war seemed imminent, Alia Muhammad Baker, chief librarian of Basra's Central Library, was determined to protect the library's holdings. In spite of the government's refusal to help, she moved the books into a nearby restaurant only nine days before the library burned to the ground. When the fighting moved on, this courageous woman transferred the 30,000 volumes to her and her friends' homes to await peace and the rebuilding of a new library. In telling this story, first reported in the New York Times on July 27, 2003, by Shaila K. Dewan, Winter artfully achieves a fine balance between honestly describing the casualties of war and not making the story too frightening for young children. The text is spare and matter-of-fact. It is in the illustrations, executed in acrylic and ink in her signature style, that Winter suggests the impending horror. The artist uses color to evoke mood, moving from a yellow sky to orange, to deep maroon during the bombing, and then blues and pinks with doves flying aloft as the librarian hopes for a brighter future. Palm trees, architecture, dress, and Arabic writing on the flag convey a sense of place and culture. Although the invading country is never mentioned, this is an important story that puts a human face on the victims of war and demonstrates that a love of books and learning is a value that unites people everywhere.-Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.