10/19/2015
Little Card, a wallet-size rectangle with anthropomorphic features, discovers his calling in this enjoyable but scattered story from Harper (Superlove). Little Card lives with an array of other cards destined to be postcards, price tags, file folders, and more. A postal mix-up results in Little Card attending birthday card school, but eventually he gets where he’s supposed to be, becoming a library card for a girl named Alex. Raff (Zora’s Zucchini) adopts a pastel palette for her digitally assembled collages; while skillfully executed and all-around lovely—an especially nice scene has Little Card and Alex assembling a rainbow of books on the library floor—they never quite capture the energy of Little Card, who shows up at the library booming “Happy Birthday!” and then, after being corrected, “Happy Library!” The story, meanwhile, proceeds in fits and starts as it moves from the details of Little Card’s home life to his birthday-card training and his library explorations with Alex, with a few musical numbers in the mix, too. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt Agency. (Feb.)
Not much in life holds the mystique of a child’s first library card, and this book celebrates that lovely milestone. In Harper’s clever story, Little Card, a cute sneaker-clad fellow with expressive eyebrows, is all set to be a birthday greeting, until he’s sent instead to become the library card of a girl named Alex...as the library’s wonders are revealed, it becomes clear that even if it’s not a birthday party, the place has something to offer every day.
—The New York Times
Harper's addition to the intro-to-library canon, with its anthropomorphic card cast, is a goofy winner. Raff's mixed-media collages, digitally colored, are a bright, perfect match for Little Card's excitement about all things library...Check it out!
—Kirkus Reviews
Raff’s minimalist illustrations, splashed in delicate pastels, and Harper’s playful text conjure up a world as buoyant as it is endearing.
—Booklist
Little Card is expressive and endearing, and in some instances, his exuberance can barely be contained...A good addition to library-themed storytimes.
—School Library Journal
Enjoyable.
—Publishers Weekly
02/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—Little Card mistakenly believes himself to be a birthday card and goes off to train at birthday card school. He loves the parties, cakes, and singing, so he is disappointed when the mistake is corrected and he is delivered to the job he was actually destined for. After being shushed for yelling, "Happy Birthday" in the library, he is given to a little girl as her first library card. He loves his girl and absolutely everything about the library. There are games, snacks, and fun, colorful books. The best part is that while a birthday comes only once a year, the library is open year round and any day can be a library day. Illustrations are ink wash with some digital coloring. Little Card is expressive and endearing, and in some instances, his exuberance can barely be contained. VERDICT A good addition to library-themed storytimes.—Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA
2015-11-11
What will Little Card be? Every card has a job. Wide Card's a postcard who gets to travel. Round Card's a price tag, and Tiny Card's a prize ticket. Only Little Card and Long Card don't know what they'll be. When a letter arrives telling "L.C." to report to birthday-card training, Little Card thinks it's addressed to him. He loves birthday-card school: the surprises, the cake, the games, the presents, and mostly the songs. When Long Card informs him that their letters got mixed up, Little Card learns his real job will be as a library card. After some small trouble with loudness, Little Card learns all about the library, along with Alex, the little girl he'll belong to. They play games, snack, and read a rainbow of books. And since Little Card loves to sing, he sings a library song. Librarian Miss Penny gives him a gold star. But Little Card believes library day only comes once a year (like birthdays)…then Alex tells him Library Day can be six days a week every week! Fantastic! Harper's addition to the intro-to-library canon, with its anthropomorphic card cast, is a goofy winner. Raff's mixed-media collages, digitally colored, are a bright, perfect match for Little Card's excitement about all things library. Alex is a brown-haired white girl, and Miss Penny is a gray-haired African-American woman with groovy boots. Check it out! (Picture book. 3-7)
