Alpacas Make Terrible Librarians - Story Snug

Alpacas Make TERRIBLE Librarians!! by Kristi Mahoney & Chantelle & Burgen Thorne

Isn’t Alpacas Make TERRIBLE Librarians!! a great title?! It definitely made us want to read more of this colourful, zany picture book! It also encourages us to appreciate librarians of the non alpaca kind!

The Story: Basically alpacas are good with children but make terrible librarians. The book takes us through all the bizarre behaviours that alpaca librarians indulge in including giving haircuts, taking away any animal books that aren’t about alpacas and not being quiet in the library. Story time with an alpaca is extremely entertaining as they display bizarre character traits and behaviours including sunbathing and not using the bathroom. But whatever you do don’t pick up a book about llamas…

The alpaca librarian is such a self centred egoistical character whose amusing ideas about how to run a library cause a lot of confusion for the children visiting. Humming, spitting, book banning are not things that they’re used to and they’re relieved when their usual librarian returns. But when they go to tell their teacher about their experience… (we won’t spoil the twist at the end!).

We love the vibrant, colourful, diverse illustrations which are full of amusing details. The pink librarian definitely takes centre stage and we love her blue eyeshadow!

Interesting facts about alpacas are so subtly woven into this picture book that children won’t realise that they’re also learning about alpaca behaviour. It’s a fun story to read in an Early Years or Key Stage One classroom and could be used to stimulate creative writing about other animals who would make terrible librarians!

Age Range: 3 +

Author: Kristi Mahoney / Illustrators: Chantelle & Burgen Thorne

Thank you to Gnome Road Publishing and Netgalley for the review copy of this amusing picture book.


Related posts


Enjoyed this? Share or comment.

Leave a Reply

14 responses to “Alpacas Make TERRIBLE Librarians!! by Kristi Mahoney & Chantelle & Burgen Thorne”


  1. Kristi Mahoney avatar

    Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful review! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!


    1. Catherine avatar

      You’re very welcome Kristi – it’s a really fun read ๐Ÿ™‚


  2. Carol avatar

    What a fun idea – an alpaca librarian. I love the graphics. #MMBC


    1. Catherine avatar

      The illustrations are really fun and add to the humour in the text ๐Ÿ™‚


  3. Kim Carberry avatar

    That is a great title, it made me smile. lol
    This sounds like a really fun book.


    1. Catherine avatar

      The cover and the title just invite you to read the book ๐Ÿ™‚


  4. Lisa | Handmade in Israel avatar

    How cute! I still have great memories of visiting an alpaca farm with my boys when they were little. They are fun animals!


    1. Catherine avatar

      They are fun – until they spit ๐Ÿ˜‰


      1. Lisa | Handmade in Israel avatar

        Yes, I remember that too. My kids thought it was hilarious!!



  5. stickymudandbellylaughs avatar
    stickymudandbellylaughs

    What a fun book! And I love the alpaca having a bit of of a sunbathe. Haha. ๐Ÿ™‚


    1. Catherine avatar

      Apparently alpacas love sunbathing ๐Ÿ™‚


  6. Joanne avatar

    That sounds like such a fun story!


    1. Catherine avatar

      It’s very funny, the alpaca main character is hilarious!