Do You Know Dewey? Exploring the Dewey Decimal System. By Brian P. Cleary. Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff. Millbrook Press / Lerner Publishing Group. 2013. 32 pages. 978-0761366768. Ages 6-10.

The Dewey decimal system can be made kid-friendly, as Cleary and Lew-Vriethoff skillfully prove in this illustrated work, which offers a comprehensive run-down of the cataloging system’s main points. Using a charming rhyming structure and vivid full-page illustrations, the book helps children learn more about libraries and how to use them as a resource (Cleary even helpfully explains that the Dewey decimal system is most useful for nonfiction). The immersive, detailed full-page illustrations plunge the reader into the given subject matter (language, science, history…) and showcase the idea that a trip to the library is a veritable adventure, thanks to the set of exploratory young protagonists who reappear on every page. This illustrated work is ideal as a read-aloud for young children learning to use the library on their own: it both demystifies the library’s methods of organization and makes library exploration exciting, allowing kids to take ownership of their own search and selection process and make their librarians proud! Recommended. ( )

Good introduction to DDC. ( )