Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Starred Review Children who think a visit to the British Library and its vast holdings might be on the dull side will quickly learn otherwise from this enchanting (and cleverly conceived) book. The authors know how to focus in on the items that will pique kids' interest, starting with St. Cuthbert's sixth-century Bible e image of Cuthbert's skeleton, with the gospel alongside him in the coffin, makes for an eye-opening start. Throughout, the thoughtful design combines humor and information, which comes in both introductory text and clever sidebars that focus in on an element of the holding. For instance, a two-page spread of da Vinci's notebooks tells a bit about Leonardo and shows a close-up of his flying machine, while, illustrated with the authors' own drawings, a sidebar explains more about the notebooks. Which brings us to the terrific illustrations that Manning and Granström provide. Using the book's oversize format to best advantage, they combine collage, pencil drawing, watercolors, and digital artwork to provide some images that are in-your-face, and others that need to be seen close to be appreciated. Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Sherlock Holmes all make appearances, and though no people of color get a spread, there are people of other races in supporting roles. Book lovers as well as budding artists will find this quite the buffet to dip into.

Kirkus Reviews

As the subtitle indicates, young bookworms are invited to "Explore the Amazing Collection of the British Library.""Explore" is the key word here, as the table of contents lists 21 potential discoveries among the library's holdings. In its tour, the text capitalizes on the human-interest aspects of the collection, such as the facts that Shakespeare's First Folio is kept in a bombproof, underground room and that the oldest surviving book produced in Europe, St. Cuthbert's Gospel, was found in a coffin. Other monuments to the (mostly) English masterworks surveyed include Darwin's On the Origin of the Species, Handel's handwritten sheet music, and the original manuscript of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Questions to readers provide segues from one entry to the next; "Are you hungry after all that drama?" leads them from Shakespeare to the section on cookbooks. The watercolor-and-digital illustrations lend a fanciful, hodgepodge effect to the collection of literary tidbits. Varying typefaces play to the topics, as with the use of a Gothic type for The Canterbury Tales and a delicate scriptlike type for Jane Austen. The book effectively demonstrates the role of the British Library as custodian to a broad swath of British literary history. The question here is, who is the audience on this side of the Atlantic, particularly at a time when concerted efforts are being made to create a more diverse and inclusive canon? The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries, by Julie Cummins and illustrated by Roxie Munro (1996), is a little old but still provides a better introduction to the concept of libraries. Beautiful and reverent but perhaps not particularly relevant. (thumbnail bios, glossary) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

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

Manning and Granström (William Shakespeare: Scenes from the Life of the World-s Greatest Writer) continue their exploration of English heritage with this lively -guided tour- of the British Library, which is akin to the U.S. Library of Congress. -Welcome to the greatest library in the world!- begins the conversational, docentlike narrative, as though readers have stepped inside -the largest public building constructed in the U.K. in the twentieth century.- The virtual tour begins with ancient texts (hand-lettered religious gospels from 700 C.E.), then spotlights works from the likes of the Brontë sisters, da Vinci, and Darwin; an early copy of the Magna Carta, sheet music handwritten by Handel, and daily newspapers also make the cut. Cleverly assembled collages lighten the tone, as archival images form backdrops or combine with stylized paper cutouts of the authors (a handwritten manuscript is the pattern on Jane Austen-s dress). Pencil vignettes offer additional information about the objects. More than a cursory sampling of the library-s more than 150 million literary artifacts, this playful sojourn among the stacks introduces some of the most renowned works to influence Western civilization. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)

School Library Journal (Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Gr 2-5Tackling everything from Darwin to Dickens, Shakespeare to the Brontë sisters, this volume about famous books and the amazing library they live in is a treat for the eyes and the mind. The British Library houses an impressive and enviable collection of materials old and new. Manning and Granström spotlight several of them here, all of which are penned by white authors. This title covers the books' historical significance, offers information about their authors, and, occasionally, discusses how the works were produced, some being handwritten copies. One-of-a-kind examples include the enormous Klencke Atlas, which takes six people to lift, and Lady Jane Grey's prayer book, coming in at a mere three inches by three inches, making it one of the smaller items in the library. The playful mixed-media collages mirror the lighthearted tone of the text, combining for a joyful, thoroughly accessible read. Bits of the original books incorporated into the collages are side by side with paper dolllike people, doodles by the artists, and captions. This attractive, enlightening introduction to many celebrated works of literature might encourage readers to seek out some from their own local library. VERDICT A stunningly designed romp through literature, and an excellent addition to most libraries.Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA