Tom is a 16 year old boy being raised by his alcoholic father after his mom years ago. He likes a girl, but doesn't know how to talk to her. He seeks guidance at his local public library in the romance section. There he meets Maggie, a 72 year old independent lady, who frequents the library weekly for book club and runs her own farm. When the library is threatened to be closed, it propels these acquaintances into an unlikely friendship. These two form a bond that goes beyond what you would expect, but it's because they are both what the other needs.

Paul is insistent that Tom begins earning money as soon as possible and begin to pay his way, and to this end, wants him to begin an apprenticeship at a local dog food factory. Tom wants more, and dreams of going to university, but has concerns about how well he will do in his exams. He is drawn to the popular, beautiful and bright girl at school, Farah Shah, who likes reading romantic fiction. After his father breaks his Xbox, Tom finds himself going to Compton Mallow Library, and begins reading romance novels, and it is where he meets Maggie, a group member of the weekly book club discussions. After trying to help Maggie when she gets mugged, the two of them start to become closer, each needing the other, a relationship that develops around their campaign to save the library from being closed. However, there are personal challenges to overcome for both of them. This is a very enjoyable and heartwarming story about a sixteen year old boy and a seventy two year old woman who meet at the local library and accidentally become friends. MY THOUGHTS: I needed this! If you want a book that is going to make you smile and your heart swell, this is it! Such a heart-warming and thought-provoking novel! The Library is a touching tale of true friendship, overcoming adversity... and the genuine joy books can bring to our lives Christine the librarian has received word that their library may soon be closed. So there is the fight for the library that both of them are involved in, but that is almost second place in this story.A story that was deeply moving, and ultimately uplifting... Definitely recommended - it was one of my best reads this year' - Janet Gover They're closing us down,' said Christine, followed by a dramatic sob as she clutched the podium for support. Maggie Mann. Seventy-two. Widowed. Lives on a farm with her animals and her garden. Lonely. Discovers that her weekly book club at the library is a wonderful opportunity to find interaction with other bookworms.

The one thing that was a little bit iffy about the book was Farah. She's the potential love interest for Tom but then never really developed this in the book. They really hang out once in the book and the rest is just inferred. I also didn't like that there is moment where Tom tells her that another boy is jerk and she deserved better. She leaves in a huff and ignores him for WEEKS. Later, it's revealed that she wasn't with the jerk at all but tutoring him because her mom asked her too and she had to get out it because he was annoying. So she ignored him for what? it made no sense and it pissed me off so minus .2 invisible points for that. The library seems to be an obvious choice for fulfilling the needs of the socially inept with its open doors inviting people from all walks of life to participate equally and without judgment. A touching story of a friendship between a troubled teenager, a yoga-practising farming woman in her seventies and a local library. A delight' -- Sunday Times The story is told to us in alternating perspectives of Tom and Maggie. This gives an equal focus to both these lovely characters who are sure to make their mark on your heart. My old regret is that the author chose to write Tom in first person and Maggie in third person. Alternating between the voices again and again is tedious and too abrupt at times. The book would have flowed much better for me had both the characters been voiced the same way, whether first or third.The library is where our two main protagonists will meet and become acquainted. The chapters are told in alternating points of view between Tom and Maggie. These characters are what makes the story. They're a complicated mess with dark histories and unfortunate situations, but they try to make the most of them. After falling out with his father over the time he spends in his room on his XBox, Tom discovered that the library could offer him some respite from the hours he spends at home alone. He is by nature very shy and awkward around people and prefers to stay at home where he feels safe. Because of this he doesn’t make friends, but he does feel the need for company sometimes. Two people - Tom is a lonely teenager. Maggie is in her 70s and lonely as well. What brings them together? A library!

An unlikely friendship forms between a sixteen-year-old boy and a seventy-two-year-old woman as they rally the community to save their local library. Reading saved me as a child, giving me a way to see the world outside the walls of my childhood home, offering me respite and escape from an often intolerable and hostile atmosphere. The public library in my small town in eastern Washington state became my sanctuary. Tom discovers the joy of reading, he gains confidence, he starts to apply himself to his studies, he wants to pass high school and go to university. When they threaten to close the library, Maggie, Tom, Farah, Christine and the members of Maggie’s book group start a petition and come up with ideas to save the library. An emotional story about an unlikely friendship, Maggie gives Tom the love and attention he desperately needs and she has a new lease on life. Tom learns valuable life skills from Maggie, and also people do make mistakes and you can’t hold their past against them. Maggie is an absolute fiery delight whose wit and not-so-elderly attitidue will charm readers right from the beginning. She radiates this bright light throughout the entire story with her take-action attitude and her sassy personality. The characters in the story are either annoyed by her antics and outspokenness or their drawn to her because of it. From the start, Maggie has this spark that burns the brightest in this novel. She's got problems of her own, which aren't clear from the start. It seems as though she's lonely, living by herself in her retirement, but the end reveals there's more going on than what meets the eye.

About Bella Osborne

This is where the book goes overboard in its sincerity. Senior citizen problems, loneliness, alcoholism, environmental awareness, bullying, school crushes, exam pressures, parental pressures, parental abuse, healthy eating, yoga for fitness, importance of reading and libraries, … There are so many topics the book tries to raise awareness on that the final product dilutes the importance of most of these except for alcoholism and libraries.