The Missing Bookshop

Milly never misses story time at Mrs. Minty’s bookshop, where one day she notices that the paint is peeling, the cushions are worn, and the curtains are faded. But the girl is more dismayed that the elderly bookseller, like her story time rocking chair, is “getting a bit creaky,” and Milly (quite theatrically) frets that Mrs. Minty, “a walking encyclopedia when it came to books,” will soon be unable to run her store. Milly’s fears are realized when the shop suddenly closes due to “unforeseen circumstances,” and she assuages her sadness by painting a picture of the exterior as she imagines it was in its heyday, with colorful window displays and flower-packed window boxes. After she tapes her artwork to the storefront and other patrons add their own tributes and appeals (“Save Our Book Shop”), a cheering turn of events that entwines the past and present launches a new chapter for the store. Folksy illustrations by Beautyman similarly evoke both a traditional and contemporary sensibility, reinforcing the story’s message of the importance of family, community, and reading. Ages 5–7. [em](Mar.) [/em]