Patrick Adams and Caroline Legere
81 episodes listed below
Picture books with classroom mileage.
Librarians of Littles follows school-library voices as they talk through books for the youngest students. Episodes mix casual campus life, picture-book evaluation, library routines, and hands-on makerspace extensions that can actually fit into a busy rotation.
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Librarians of Littles is a school-library podcast with a clear affection for very young readers and the adults trying to serve them well. It feels practical from the start. Episodes usually open with the kind of talk that happens between colleagues before the day fully begins: campus cats, subs, spring break, book fair fatigue, library organization, or a visit to another school’s setup. Then the conversation settles into books. Picture books are treated as tools for attention, language, joy, and classroom connection, not just as objects to admire. The show looks closely at what makes a read-aloud work for pre-K and early elementary students. A funny predator-and-prey story gets judged partly by whether the illustrations keep a hungry character lovable. A rhyming book raises the question of which nursery rhymes children actually know. A library-themed story becomes a way to talk about gratitude and what students value about the space. The makerspace thread is especially steady. Books are regularly translated into activities with Legos, cardboard tools, moving parts, food chains, armor, animals, or drawing prompts. The advice stays grounded in routine. Young students need repetition. Stations need enough freedom to build choice, but enough structure to teach regulation. Popular materials may need to return for multiple weeks so every child gets a turn. The show is also honest about the operational side of library work: shelving systems, rotation, scoring, campus help, and the limits of time. Its tone is not polished or performative. That is part of the appeal. The value comes from listening to library practitioners think aloud about what actually happens when a book meets a room full of little kids. Recommendations are specific, often enthusiastic, and tied to use. A five-out-of-five-bookmarks reaction means more than simple praise because it usually comes with a reason, an age fit, and an activity idea. For early-childhood librarians and teachers, it offers the comfort of recognition along with a steady stream of classroom-ready sparks.
Made for: Early-childhood librarians, school library staff, pre-K and elementary teachers, and literacy educators who want picture-book talk grounded in daily practice. It especially suits listeners looking for read-aloud ideas, makerspace links, and honest library workflow chatter.
What sets it apart: The show stands apart by pairing book recommendations with the lived mechanics of young-student library work. It does not stop at whether a book is good; it asks how the book will land, what students may need explained, and what activity can extend it.
A podcast about being a librarian to our youngest students.
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Picture-book criticism becomes usable library practice through close attention to illustrations, makerspace design, costs, routines, and young children's needs.
Librarians of Littles turns picture-book discussion into plans for the next library session. The hosts assess stories and illustrations, then work outward toward activities for young students, keeping classroom realities close at hand.
Picture books become makerspace plans, so your next library lesson arrives with the staff-room story attached.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A campus cat becomes a plainspoken lesson in routines, safety, and little-kid choice.
Flowers for Mama/Saturday opens with a campus cat and uses the small episode to frame larger questions of judgment and safety. The AP takes the cat home, then returns it after a Facebook post helps the owner find it again.
A silly book talk that turns into usable classroom ideas without losing the joke.
This episode makes a tidy case for why a silly picture book can still do useful work in a library setting. It stays with the details that matter: Marcel's scarf, the friendly illustration choices, Steve getting eaten, and the way the art keeps the bird from reading as an easy…
A school-library catch-up that turns into a practical cardboard makerspace idea.
This episode stays with the small workings that make a library practical: shelving, rotation, and the way a room changes when books are left out of place.
A practical school-life conversation that moves from rotating schedules to a pricey pre-K coding robot.
This episode keeps its feet on the ground, moving through school logistics with a rotating specials schedule, kids who forget library books, PE shoes that do not match the day, and the reminders adults rely on to keep everyone oriented.
A school week shaped by testing leads into a practical look at Codepillar and classroom routines.
Librarians of Littles begins with a school week organized by telpos testing, shorter library time, and the work of getting second graders logged in by first initial, last initial, and birthday.
Practical conversations for inclusive early childhood teams.
Calm guidance for growing children and adults.
Early education, responsibility, and systems change.
Purpose made practical.
Early childhood research, translated for the classroom floor.
Patrick Adams and Caroline Legier review two October-friendly picture books: Marcus Cutler's I Do Not Eat Children (Little, Brown, 2024), rated five out of five, and Matthew Forsythe's Aggie and the Ghost (Simon & Schuster, 2025).
It starts with a campus cat.
The hosts start with Project Hail Mary.
Two library practitioners start with a week-in-school catch-up.
A teacher discusses using rhyming picture books like 'Pop!
A teacher reflects on visiting another school's library, finding validation in their own practices and considering changes to the Dewey Decimal System based on student use.
The speaker recounts attending a school presentation by author Jared Krasowska, discussing his career, books like the Lunch Lady series and Hey Kiddo, and his background growing up in Massachusetts.
Two people discuss their recent trips, including a busy Disney World visit with family and a quiet break at home with dogs while others traveled to Iowa for snowy activities.
Two people discuss a fun day spent playing at Bear Creek Park for over eight hours, highlighting the importance of community and fresh air after a busy work week.
The episode opens on a rotating specials schedule.
The week feels long because of telpos testing.
Librarians of Littles hosts Patrick Adams and Caroline Legere review two Black History Month picture books for pre-K readers, Mae Among the Stars (HarperCollins, 2018) and Change Sings (Viking, 2021).
This episode discusses two Texas 2x2 books for young children, focusing on 'Lefty' by Mo Willems and Dan Santat, as part of a library-focused podcast for educators.
This episode discusses two children's books about emotions, starting with 'The Boy with Big, Big Feelings', to help educators and young learners navigate big feelings at the start of the school year.
Two librarians discuss their favorite children's books for library settings, starting with 'If You Ever Want to Bring a Circus to the Library, Don't!' by Elise Parsley.
This episode reviews the children's book 'How to Make a Peanut Butter Sandwich in 17 Easy Steps' by Bambi Edlund, discussing its awards and context for library use with young learners.
This episode discusses the St.