Dedicated to teacher-librarians everywhere, Ms. Bee's Magical Bookcase (Chestnut, $10.95) is the latest picture book from Margriet Ruurs who, although temporarily re-located in Oregon, still calls rural Armstrong home. Ms. Bee, with sassy striped socks, hair anchored in a haphazard bun and satchels of books, leads a secret weekend life with seven dwarfs, three kittens without mittens and a woman who lives in a shoe. Come Monday, Ms. Bee, who in the hands of illustrator Andrew Gooderham bears a resemblance to a certain Armstrong community librarian, returns to school with an ever-changing repertoire of stories. 1-894601-10-6

[BCBW 2005]