Horn Book (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1994)

When a tyrannical, fire-breathing dragon named Miss Lotta Scales becomes the new school librarian, story hour ceases, and the children are forbidden to touch the books. Eventually, a small child saves the day. The farcical text and colorful, clean-edged artwork are loaded with tedious dragon humor.

Kirkus Reviews

Miss Lotta Scales, the new librarian at Sunrise Elementary, is a real dragon, literally and figuratively. She won't lend out books, won't even let the children touch them for that matter. The very thought of their sticky fingers desecrating her books makes her flare. She even has the gall to incinerate books that defame dragons. Not surprisingly, the kids come to hate library day. Then Molly Brickmeyer rolls into the library in search of her glasses. Nearsighted to a fault, Molly bumps into a bookshelf, a book pops into her lap, and she commences to read aloud. Rumors of a storytime—a practice forbidden by Miss Scales—spread through the school like prairie fire. Even Miss Scales is mesmerized by Molly's reading, transformed even, into sweet Miss Lotty, librarian and storyteller. Deedy (Agatha's Feather Bed, 1991) has a chance to handle some issues both large and small, from censorship to book burning to terminal crotchetiness. Unfortunately, they are left here to dangle without being faced four-square. Entertaining nevertheless, with snappy confections from newcomer White. (Fiction/Picture book. 4-8)"

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

When an elementary school advertises for a """"thick-skinned professional"""" who is """"on fire with enthusiasm,"""" it gets just that-and then some. A bespectacled, dress-wearing dragon, Miss Lotta Scales replaces all the books with spanking clean ones, and refuses to let the students (""""with their gooey fingers and snotty noses"""") touch them. The kids' grades are """"going up in smoke,"""" but neither the principal nor the teachers can convince the headstrong dragon to let the pupils near the stacks until one myopic girl accidentally wanders into the library and begins to read a story (``Snuff the Magic Dragon'') aloud. The tale manages to soften the librarian's scaly skin-figuratively and literally. Deedy (Agatha's Feather Bed) is an accomplished storyteller, and kids will likely enjoy her frequent puns and wordplay. White heads off imminent cutesiness with droll, stylized illustrations, filled with vibrant color and lots of comical details. Ages 6-10. (Oct.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Sunrise Elementary School's new librarian is Miss Lotta Scales, a fire-breathing dragon who fiercely guards her new books. When a nearsighted child enters the unused facility and begins reading aloud, other children wander in, and Miss Scales realizes that kids don't necessarily damage books. She then becomes Miss Lotty, and the kids warm up'' to her. The text is filled with dragon-related puns, as are the colorful, slightly off-center illustrations of children in armor and forbidding yellowdragon line'' tape draped across the stacks of books. Youngsters will enjoy the funny touches and librarians may feel the good-humored tap of a reminder that books are for kids. The final statement, that ``...every librarian needs to be a little bit of a dragon-or else, who would guard the books?'' is not well worded, but it's not worth getting hot under the collar about.-Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY