The Night Librarian follows twins, Page and Turner, who are on a mission to recover their father’s rare book which was stolen when they were trying to determine its value.
They had taken the book to the New York Public Library, when the book went missing.
As the story unfolds, the twins realise that the library is no ordinary library, and that the characters are trying to escape from their books! Adding to the problem is that their father’s book is the story of Dracula … Needless to say they need to recover the book before the library is destroyed. The twins, together with the night librarian and some of the escaped characters, must save the library.
Lincoln’s artwork is beautiful, moody and meaningful. The depth of work in each panel supports multimodal meaning (pictures and text working together) and showcases visual storytelling. I thought that the graphics might increase my cognitive load when reading, and I suppose they do for those not used to this format. But for those readers who are developing fluency and comprehension, the graphics provide clues which eases the load of words alone.
So what is the appeal of graphic novels? They are accessible and engaging for readers. They are especially great for reluctant readers and can act as a gateway to other types of books. As noted above, graphic novels provide multiple ways for readers to comprehend a story given the text and visual signals working together. I know both my 13-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son find graphic novels to be speedy yet satisfying reads.
In the classroom, The Night Librarian is a great text for highlighting the concept of intertextuality as there are simple references to well-known stories such as Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland and Jack and the Beanstalk. The Night Librarian is also a useful text for exploring the concept of multimodal texts. In addition, it covers themes such as sibling issues and issues with absent parents.
At around 250 pages, The Night Librarian will please those voracious readers who tear
through graphic novels. In fact, I’ve already spotted a few kids at school,
polishing it off. As for me, I'll gladly add graphic novels to my reading pile.
Title: The Night Librarian
Author/Illustrator: Christopher Lincoln
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, $19.99
Publication Date: 1 January 2025
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761643507
For ages: 8 - 12
Type: Graphic Novel
