"Through the double glass doors I could see the story alcove, the animal skeleton collection, twelve student computers with swivel chairs, and thousands and thousands of books.  Everywhere kids were reading on beanbag chairs, typing at computers, or standing in the check-out line.  More kids crowded around a tall blond woman holding a video camera.  Her tarantula earrings dangled below her rhinestone glasses."

"The full-page illustrations are lively and portray a busy and exciting modern school media center. This book would be a perfect read-aloud to introduce a class to the research process and to create some understanding for the role of a librarian as teacher." ~  Library Media Connection, April/May 2007

"In other words, she's a perfect school librarian. . .This amusing story with bright, zippy illustrations can be used to launch research units." ~ School Library Journal, February 2007.

"Written by School Library Media Specialist Toni Buzzeo for children in grades 3-5, and illustrated by mixed media artist Sachiko Yoshikawa, Our Librarian Won't Tell Us Anything! is a wonderful picturebook about a school librarian who never answers questions directly - instead, she gives young people the tools to find out the answers for themselves! "I clicked SEARCH and got a long list of books. I chose a few titles and read more about them. Then, I wrote down the call numbers and titles of the books I wanted on the catalog slips she handed me. 'Okily dokily,' she said at last. 'Now use the shelf labels to find them!' 'Ummm, Mrs. Skorupski? I asked YOU to show me where they are.' She smiled. 'Yes. You certainly did.'" The cheerful, stylized color illustrations add the perfect touch to this upbeat picturebook about learning to discover things on one's own, and a corresponding "Library Lessons" booklet is filled with useful lessons and reproducibles, suitable for classroom or homeschooling education. Highly recommended." ~ Midwest Book Review, February 3, 2007 (reprinted in full with permission of the publisher)

"When children search out a good library book, they need easy strategies to locate what they're looking for. So many kids come in the library with Library Mind Lock--'I don't know where anything is. Find it for me!' Good old Mrs. Skorupski knows that kids can learn to be independent, self-reliant, and proud of their prowess in the library. She challenges them to use their brains and skills and to jump right in. This is just the ticket to spark discussion with browsers and researchers alike--what do you need to know to find the books that are waiting for you? We want our children to be Library Success Stories, and take pride in their work. Buzzeo's cheerful story does that and then some." ~ Judy Freeman, Author, Books Kids Will Sit Still For 3

"After the winter break, MLK holiday and even a very rare ice day, my students were feeling a little mushy brained. Two of them approached to ask me where the books on Ancient Egypt were. I looked at them, raised my eyebrows and smiled, but didn't say anything. One of the boys said, "I know, I know, you want us to look it up ourselves!" They headed for the automated catalog.
 
I've been initiated into the Mrs. Skorupski Club! Toni Buzzeo's new book, Our Librarian Won't Tell Us Anything! (Upstart, 2006), is about Mrs. Skorupski who teaches her children to be independent with verve and expertise.
 
Not only is this a great read and gentle lesson to your students, but it comes with a really useful set of reproducibles and a cooperative teaching plan about animal research that crosses the curriculum. It includes checklists for a number of products students can create besides the standard habitat in a shoebox.
 
Share this book with your students to give you jumping off points for teaching. Use it to remind yourself why you take the extra time to repeatedly show children how to help themselves rather than the more expedient way of doing it for them. And finally, use it as a celebration of how very good we are at our jobs. Here's to Mrs. Skorupski, Toni Buzzeo, and the rest of us who labor in the libraries!" ~ Pat Miller, School Librarian and Author of Substitute Groundhog (Whitman, 2007)

"Here’s a book any librarian will love.

On Robert’s first day at Liberty Elementary, he goes to the library to find animal books. He decides to ask the librarian, but his classmate Carmen tells him, “Don’t even bother. Our librarian won’t tell us ANYTHING!” Carmen is right – sort of. Mrs. Skorupski doesn’t tell him where the animal books are. However, she does show him how to look up the books he wants on the computer and use the shelf labels to find them. Later, Mrs. Skorupski doesn’t find him a good online article for his report. But she does show him how to find one.

You get the idea! This is a fun story, and along the way it shows some of the many wonderful ways a librarian can empower you—even without telling you anything! I was not surprised to learn that the author is a School Library Media Specialist herself. As a brand-new children's librarian, this book has a special place in my heart." ~ Sondra Eklund, February 7, 2008, Sonderbooks

"This weekend [January 18, 2007], millions (if not thousands) of librarians will descend upon Seattle for the mid-winter American Library Association conference. What better way to celebrate this conglomeration of literature lovers than to review a brand new book about (wait for it . . .) a librarian? Luckily, we have the brand-spanking new offering by one of our favorite authors, Toni Buzzeo.

Mrs. Skorupski is the school librarian at Liberty Elementary. Word in the school is that she won't tell you anything so don't even bother asking. And it's true. Robert wants a book . . . she takes him to the card catalog. When he wants an article online . . . she makes him do the typing. What's that about? This lady is on a twinkle-eyed mission to raise "library success stories" and she succeeds.

Mrs. Skorupski is a school librarian's dream come true. With a twinkle in her eye, a bounce in her step, and glasses so cool it makes silly chicks drool, she reminds us a bit of Ms. Frizzle - without the bus! Yoshikawa's bright and playful illustrations compliment the text wonderfully and keep the mood light even while readers learn just a tad about using the library. Our Librarian Won't Tell Us Anything is a great addition to any elementary school library!" ~ Three Silly Chicks January 18, 2007 (reprinted in full with permission of the site owners)

"What a wonderful book!  You have truly depicted the role of today's librarian.  Our job is to teach kids how to access, evaluate, and use information, and of course, how to learn." ~ Julie Doyle,Teacher/ Librarian, Las Vegas, Nevada