I love these Sam library books. In this one, a boy named Tom is visiting the library for a Writer’s and Illustrator’s Club. He is to be partnered with the librarian to write a book.
During the night, Sam the mouse is out using the library and falls asleep at the table. Sam dashes away as he hears people entering the building as it opens. In his hurry he leaves behind his research notebook
Tom finds the notebook and brings it to the librarian. She mentions it must be their mystery author Sam who writes those little books. When Sam goes to get the book from the librarians desk, he leaves stamped mice feet print behind. Tom puts 2 and 2 together and realuzes Sam is a mouse.
He tries to lure Sam out but food doesn’t do it—but stories do. Tom writes a story about Sam titled “The Shy One.” Sam finds it and illustrates it. The story continues from there with Sam and Tom being friends

The whole premise is lovely. I love that Sam’s temptation is words. I love the pictures with Sam running through a stamp pad with library specific “discard” stamps nearby. I love the allusions to books kids might recognize on the different pages (Fancy Nancy here, I Spy, Henry and Mudge). I like the expressions on Sam and Tom’s faces as they experience different emotions.

It says on the dust jacket there are I structures on how to make your own little book at the author’s website www.Daniel Kirk.com. ( )

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Kirk, D. (2009). Library Mouse: A Friend’s Tale. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Sam is a mouse who lives behind the children’s books in a library. He loves writing stories and often leaves his works out for the librarians to find. One day, a boy named Tom joined the library’s “Authors and Illustrators Club”, but he had no partner to write a story with. He forgot his assignment altogether once he found one of Sam’s stories. Tom was determined to find out who Sam was, so he followed Sam’s footprints to his mouse hole. Sam hid from Tom and ignored all the treats Tom left as bait to coax him out into the open. Finally Tom wrote a short story for Sam and left it for Sam to find. The next day, the club was meant to present their completed stories, but Tom hadn’t completed one. When the librarian told Tom that she enjoyed his book, Tom was confused. Sam had completed the story and illustrated it and had left it for the librarian to find. Tom didn’t want the story read aloud to the group, in case the children would, upon learning that Sam was a mouse, try to chase him away or hurt him. However, it turns out that Sam had illustrated the story with two mouse characters instead of a mouse and a boy, so his secret was still safe. Tom and Sam had both made a new friend. This book is suitable for children ages 3-7 years. ( )

Tom can't find a partner for a book-making assignment. He discovers a secret hole behind the children's section of the library. Sam, the library mouse loves to write and the children love his little books. Can Tom and Sam pair together to write a book?

Sam the library mouse returns in this second picture-book adventure, following upon his initial story, chronicled in the eponymous Library Mouse. In this installment of author/illustrator Daniel Kirk's five book series, a young boy named Tom inadvertently discovers Sam's identity, while participating in a writing project for the library's Writers and Illustrators Club. Together, Tom and Sam create a story about a shy author who avoids his many fans. But will the story give Sam's identity away to the rest of the children...?

Like its predecessor, Library Mouse: A Friend's Tale pairs an engaging story with bright, colorful illustrations. Young child listeners will enjoy being "in the know," when it comes to Sam's identity, and will enjoy watching Tom as he too gets to share in the secret. Without any didactic fanfare, Kirk manages to teach a lesson here about authors and illustrators, and how they (sometimes) work together to create picture-books. Recommended to fans of the original story about Sam, and to anyone looking for children's stories about storytelling and the creative process. ( )