Mychal Threets

You know what inspired it?

I think really just my lifelong love of libraries.

I briefly described in just the various encounters that I had with library people day in and day out and just trying as best I could to convince them that the library is a place where they belong.

That's where the title comes into play.

I'm so happy you're here.

A celebration of library joy.

I believe it's a celebration.

Anytime someone goes to the library, anytime they get a library card and that's what the book seeks out to do.

It seeks to celebrate the reader, young and old, but of course it's geared towards pre-K through second grade.

I wrote the word belong quite a bit in this story and effort just to teach that repetition and get kids and any reader to believe that they belong in the library.

And by belonging in the library, they also belong in the world that the library

is a place for everyone, where we all have a place, where we all have a space that we fit in, and so is the world.

So I hope that they see the book as a chance for them to go visit their local library, to thank their library people, and just recognize how much value impact they have on libraries and the world.

He is very much a hero of mine.

I am one of the biggest LeVar Burton fans in the entire world.

I am not the new LeVar Burton by any means.

I totally understand why people say that.

Some people say, oh, you're taking over for LeVar Burton.

And I always am quick to correct people, even though I know that it's very well-meaning.

But I'm like, nope.