The librarian, Mrs. Chen, knows every shelf in the library. But today, one book is missing.
It is a small blue book about a boy and his dog. A young reader named Leo borrowed it last week.
Leo comes to the desk with tears in his eyes. "I lost it," he says. "It was my mother's favourite."
Mrs. Chen is kind. She does not shout. She is patient and considerate. "We will look together," she says.
They search under tables, behind shelves and inside the return box. At last, Leo finds it in his school bag. He forgot he put it there.
He says sorry. Mrs. Chen smiles. "Books get lost," she says. "People matter more."
A thought to keep
Some books are more than paper.