Book Buddies

A lonely doll helps a child adjust to a blended family in the first of a charming series about library toys and the children who borrow them, written by Newbery Honoree Cynthia Lord.

Marco Polo is a small felt mouse who used to be a Christmas ornament on Anne the librarian’s tree. But now he’s one of the Book Buddies, toys that can be checked out just like books. Marco Polo may be small, but he’s also a brave explorer looking for adventure - if only someone would check him out of the library. Seth is a boy who visits the library with his dad and younger brother. He wishes he could be a little more brave, especially when he goes on his first sleepover. But maybe a small explorer like Marco Polo is just the kind of friend he needs.

Dazzle is a snow-white unicorn with a twisty horn, a sparkly pink tail, and a tag that says unicorns can grant wishes. He isn't sure whether he can make a wish for himself, but he does so anyway, hoping for a child and a home of his own. Instead, Dazzle gets sold at a yard sale and becomes one of the Book Buddies, friendly toys that children can check out of the library just like books. Meanwhile, Maya has just moved to town and decides to borrow Dazzle, hoping he can grant her a wish for a new friend.

Roger the chick almost never gets the chance to do things on his own—he is always attached to his mother, Olive the hen, who prefers quiet naps to any kind of excitement. They even get borrowed together as Book Buddies at the library. But what Roger really wants is the chance for adventure. To make his little sister happy, eight-year-old Liam agrees to borrow Olive and Roger and bring them to the airport to pick up Grandpa. But when Liam is busy trying to show Grandpa he isn’t a little kid anymore, he loses track of Roger, who gets left behind at the airport.