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Table of Contents
About The Book
From New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry and New York Times bestselling illustrator Andrew Joyner comes a moving picture book about a brave little lion who decides to speak out for stories by standing up to book banning.
Libraries and lions have a history so long no one’s quite sure how it began—maybe because books were once rare and needed fierce protectors? Still, it’s been a very long time since lions had to roar in the name of books. But when young Julius finds out that books are being banned at his local library, he becomes so filled with emotion that he ROARS!
Not all lions are librarians, but all librarians are lions in this inspiring tale of protecting the stories that connect us and defending books that hold ideas that can change the world.
- Resources in this edition have been adapted for Australia and New Zealand.
Libraries and lions have a history so long no one’s quite sure how it began—maybe because books were once rare and needed fierce protectors? Still, it’s been a very long time since lions had to roar in the name of books. But when young Julius finds out that books are being banned at his local library, he becomes so filled with emotion that he ROARS!
Not all lions are librarians, but all librarians are lions in this inspiring tale of protecting the stories that connect us and defending books that hold ideas that can change the world.
- Resources in this edition have been adapted for Australia and New Zealand.
About The Author
Photograph by Theresa Artigas
Beth Ferry is the author of numerous picture books for children including Roar for Reading, Prunella, and the New York Times bestseller Stick and Stone. She is an avid reader who believes that any day spent with a book is a perfect day. Beth lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey where she finds inspiration in the salty air. In addition to writing picture books, Beth also writes chapter books and graphic novels. She’s the author of the middle grade book Growing Home. You can learn more at BethFerry.com.
About The Illustrator
Andrew Joyner is an Australian illustrator and cartoonist. He’s the illustrator of The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky and Roar for Reading by Beth Ferry and the author and illustrator of the Boris chapter book series. In addition to his children’s book projects, he also illustrates regularly for newspapers and magazines. Andrew lives in Strathalbyn, South Australia, with his family and nineteen pets.
Why We Love It
“In a time when we’re facing a surge of book banning across the country, reading about Julius’s finding his roar in the name of books makes you want to roar alongside him. Because inside every book lover is a ROAR!”
—Celia L., Executive Editor, on Roar for Reading
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (January 1, 2025)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665982436
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
"Using “roar” as both anthem and acronym (“Recognize. Organize. Act. Respect.”), Ferry gives librarianship a creaturely prehistory in this picture book with an anti-censorship message. . . . Drawn in thin black lines, Joyner’s digital artwork saves its detailing for character expressions, which range from anger to joy as their movement finds its voice."
– Publishers Weekly
"This timely book effectively simplifies the current book-banning movement into easily digestible terms. Better yet, in the backmatter, “ROAR” is revealed to be an acronym for steps to advocate for intellectual freedom (Recognize, Organize, Act, Respect). As an added treat, book covers throughout reference near-actual titles (Of Mice and Moose). A solid primer for library advocates."
– Kirkus Reviews
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Roar for Reading Local Edition Paper Over Board 9781665982436
- Author Photo (jpg): Beth Ferry Photograph by Theresa Artigas(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
