Celebrate Library Lovers' Day with your little ones

How do you make friends? What do you say? They all think I’m weird anyway.

So I read a book instead. Books make good friends.

This month we celebrate Library Lovers’ Day! A day to celebrate libraries, librarians and the important role libraries play in all our communities. Libraries are safe, positive, inclusive spaces where families can access safe spaces, playful programs like First 5 Forever and, of course, enjoy books together.

To celebrate Library Lovers' Day on 14 February consider reading Books Make Good Friends (2023) written and illustrated by iconic bibliophile Jane Mount.

The girl at the heart of the story is Lotti. Lotti isn't sure she wants to make friends. She's shy and doesn't really know how to talk to people. While everyone around her is playful, outgoing, and loud, Lotti prefers a quiet place and a book to read. For Lotti, books are full of magic and aren't as confusing as people. The characters from her books are her only friends, until she meets another girl in the library reading the same book.

Jane Mount has made a career of illustrating books and book spines and in Books Make Good Friends she includes dozens of published early and middle grade novels making it a perfect book to share with diverse age groups.

Do you have a little one and an older child? If you do, you will know who tricky it can be to find one book that will appeal to both.

Books Make Good Friends is the perfect story to share with young and older children together. While your little one will enjoy the sound of your voice and being close with you and their sibling, your older child could focus on spotting the books they know or have read on the library shelves.

Libraries are an ideal place to talk, read, sing and play with your children through the First 5 Forever program, but what if you can’t make a session time? Libraries are free and accessible and have lots of options for engagement including access to fun and useful resources that make story time anytime possible. Resources like Story Box Library which can be accessed for free at most Queensland Public Libraries.

Story Box Library has been making short, filmed story readings by a diverse range storytellers since 2013. The 450 stories currently on the platform are all Australian and read by authors, sportspeople, musicians, grandparents, teenagers, comedians, actors, with varying accents and from different cultures and backgrounds. Story Box Library includes language learning and audio-visual support, including closed-captioning and even the StoryBox app!

For more information about how you can access Storybox Library or how you can support your child’s health and wellbeing through reading and imaginative play attend a First 5 Forever session at your local library and chat with the First 5 Forever staff. And remember, you’re never too young to be a member of your local library – you can join from birth and borrow Books Make Good Friends written and illustrated by Jane Mount to read and enjoy at home.

What else are we reading?

The Loud Librarian written by Jenna Beatrice and illustrated by Erika Lynne Jones (2023)

Our Library written and illustrated by Donna Rawlins (2022)

Luna Loves Library Day written by Joseph Coelho and illustrated by Fiona Lumbers (2018)