A writer
alert for wonder.
My new picture book, LIBRARY GIRL, is the inspiring story of how Nancy Pearl became America’s most celebrated librarian.
Scribbling.
That’s how I began writing.
I was four years old and in love with book magic.
A pencil was my wand.
Not knowing the alphabet didn’t stop me. I wrote stories in loopy rows, adding dots and lines later to make it more interesting. Somehow, I understood revision.
Nothing has changed.
I scribble everywhere--on paper napkins, grocery receipts, fast-food sacks. Ideas on post-it notes line my computer screen.
While you’ve been reading this, I’ve probably jotted a list of character names in the margin of my desk calendar.
Thanks for joining me on my writing journey, which is easier now that I know the alphabet.
Library Girl
By Karen Henry Clark
Illustrations by Sheryl Murray
Little Bigfoot
Released October 2022
Nancy loves books and visits the school library every day, despite being teased by other kids. When she finds out the public library is open on Saturday, she begins a grand adventure with supportive helpers. As Nancy loses herself in stacks of library books, she also finds herself in their pages, leading to a discovery that changes her young life.
“Library Girl is more than my story. It's the story of how librarians change lives with the magic inside books.”
- NANCY PEARL
And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.
-ROALD DAHL