Remember that time I ranted about the librarians who didn’t know diddly squat about books? Oh, how tall my soap box was back then.

Today we went to the library to find a new stack of books for Annalyn (and a couple for me, of course. See that YA novel peeking out of that photo up there? I could not be more excited to be one of the first people who reserved Pandemonium [the sequel to Lauren Oliver’s Delirium] months ago and, therefore, one of the first people to get a copy as soon as it was released this month!).

As we were wandering through the children’s section, I remembered a book we read last year. I said, “Hey, do you remember that book with the dancing mouse? And the singing cat?” Well, of course, my 4-year-old did not recall the title or author of said book, but being the good little drama queen she is, she was immediately determined to find it. (And promptly began pulling random books off the shelf in her search for the mystery book.)

After reminding her not to pull random books off the shelf, I asked the librarian who was putting up a new bulletin board display nearby. She said she hadn’t heard of the book but encouraged me to ask Nancy at the front desk. At this point I felt silly and wasn’t going to bother. The book wasn’t really that important, and I was beginning to sound a little too invested in the fictional dancing mouse.

[No. It’s not Angelina Ballerina.]

But when we walked up to the front desk to check out our leaning tower of books, Annalyn wouldn’t quit whispering, “Ask her, Mom! Is that Nancy? Does she know? Where’s that mouse book?” until I asked.

I described the book, again in startling detail for someone who only read it a few times probably a year ago. I swear I’m not obsessed with musical rodents, but something about this book stuck with me. Anyway. The woman checking out our books didn’t know, but caught the attention of two other librarians (including Nancy). After I described the book for the third time and feeling more than a little ridiculous, they all decided they hadn’t heard of it.

No big deal. We gathered our books, declined a plastic bag (because, really, I have about 14 of them at home), and headed for the door. A display of new kids’ books detained us, especially when Annalyn actually saw an Angelina Ballerina book. After I convinced her to Put. It. Back. (We-have-plenty-of-books-It’s-time-to-go) we turned toward the door once more.

That’s when I heard, “Oh. Ma’am?” Sadly, at 33 years young, I knew I was that ma’am, and I looked back at the desk.

The third librarian who listened to my description had gotten online and found our book! After pulling up the book’s cover and making sure it was the right one (It was. First try. It was the right book.), she found it in the library’s system and got it from the kids’ section.

Just like that, we were the proud, temporary owners of Tessa’s Tip-Tapping Toes.

The librarians at my library rock. And I stand corrected.

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