The Man Who Loved Libraries: The Story of Andrew Carnegie

In a crisply written tribute to industrialist/philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, Larsen (A Squiggly Story) outlines his path from a hardworking child of struggling Scottish immigrants to a wealthy businessman who established some 2,500 public libraries, among other endeavors. Maurey (The Specific Ocean) works in a subdued folk art style and a pale, creamy palette, creating a serene mix of quiet domestic scenes, busy urban landscapes, and, in one spread, a towering library that captivated a young Carnegie. It’s an accessible, admiring portrait, though an afterword about Carnegie’s legacy notes that “his relationship with works in his own factories was complicated,” and an accompanying photo shows a Carnegie Steel Plant in Pennsylvania, “the site of a deadly union-busting conflict.” Ages 4–8. [em]Author’s agent: Fiona Kenshole, Transatlantic Literary. (Aug.) [/em]