Ronan the Librarian

Ronan is a fierce barbarian and “a leader of his people,” with a reputation for always having the best trading goods following a raid . . . until he finds himself with books (which are deemed worthless!) instead of the usual plunder. Upon beginning to read part of his treasure, however, he finds himself hooked! Unable to concentrate on his usual raiding activities, Ronan devours book after book, finally building a library to save himself from being overpowered by his growing collection, even though he has yet to convince the other barbarians how enjoyable reading is. An Odin read-aloud gives the barbarians a taste for reading, however, and they feel the irresistible pull of a good story that ends the story on a humorous and feel-good note. The transformation of both Ronan and his barbarian friends from raiders to raiders and readers is convincing and parallels the experience young readers can relate to in the moment they find the right book and recognize the joy of reading, effectively capturing the intense desire to know the end of a story. The viking setting is original, and the quirky humor in both text and illustrations (and particularly the two in concert as Ronan repeatedly “invaded and raided and read”) makes this a lighthearted and enjoyable rather than sermonizing book about reading.