Written By: Dek S. at Foster City Library
August 9 is Book Lovers Day! An unofficial but very real excuse to shout from the stacks about our favorite stories, favorite authors and of course, our favorite fictional book lovers. We asked staff across San Mateo County Libraries: Who’s your favorite fictional character who loves books as much as you do?
As it turns out, the answers were as diverse and delightful as our library community itself. From classic literature to middle-grade fantasy, manga to Disney animation, here’s who we turn to when we want to feel seen as readers.
The Dreamer of Chivalry: Don Quixote
For Robert, a librarian at San Carlos, no one quite matches the passion (and chaos) of Don Quixote. Cervantes’ classic character doesn’t just read books—he lets them shape his entire life. “It’s his obsession with tales of chivalry that drives him to don armor and embark on his own imagined adventures,” Robert says. “Quixote shows us that books can be far more than simple entertainment—they can inspire us to pursue ideals.” A little delusion? Maybe. But a whole lot of heart.
The Dragon’s Librarian: Cimorene
Nicole at Brisbane takes us back to childhood with Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede, where Cimorene, a princess who doesn’t care for tea parties or embroidery, runs away to become a dragon’s assistant—and an avid librarian. “She gets to do all the things she’s always wanted to do, while cataloguing and reading books and scrolls,” Nicole remembers. “She even gets offered the title of Librarian at the end of the book.” Now that’s a happily ever after.
The Midnight Librarian (and Her Owl Assistants)
Sabrina at Half Moon Bay adores the gentle, magical world of The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara. “She helps animals find the perfect book for them—with help from three owls, of course,” Sabrina says. “I’m very similar to her in that sense—I always want to find the perfect book for the kids who come into the library.” Owl sidekicks are a bonus, but we think Sabrina’s doing great on her own.
A Provincial Reader with a Big Heart: Belle
For Daniela at Belmont, it’s all about Belle from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. “She was the princess I most related to because she loved books as much as I did!” Daniela says. That iconic library moment still sparks envy—and admiration. “I also loved how she tried to talk to others about books she was excited about… You can always find your people, even if they’re beyond your hometown—or happen to be a beast.”
Ghosts, Guts and Good Books: Lucy Carlyle
Deidre at San Carlos shouts out Lucy Carlyle from Lockwood & Co., a spooky, ghost-hunting teen who tells her story with wit and honesty. “She’s resourceful, loyal, makes mistakes and grows from them,” Deidre says. “I loved her in the Netflix show just as much as in the books.” If you like your book lovers with a side of the supernatural, Lucy might be your kindred spirit.
Knowledge Keepers and Bookmakers
Marcia at Millbrae couldn’t pick just one favorite—and honestly, we love that. They highlighted several characters across genres and forms. Meggie and Mo from Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart sparked their imagination as a child, while Wan Shi Tong, the great owl spirit from Avatar: The Last Airbender, raised fascinating questions about information access, bias and hoarding knowledge like treasure.
But it was Myne from the manga Honzuki no Gekokujou or Ascendance of A Bookworm who truly resonated. Reincarnated into a world with no books, Myne sets out to make her own, learning papermaking and bookbinding in the process. “She loves books as both a consumer of stories and as a maker,” Marcia reflects. “Sometimes, the breaking down is part of the experience.” A powerful reminder that books are both art and artifact.
From Battlefields to Bookbinding: Ilyn Toth
Jamie at Belmont offers a nod to a lesser-known, but deeply compelling character: Ilyn Toth from Baldur’s Gate 3. “He went to books and experimentation to meet his goals,” Jamie says. “And he wrote his own meticulous records of research, which is how the characters learn about him.” In a world full of high-stakes adventure and danger, Ilyn Toth stands out for his commitment to study and self-documentation—proof that even in fantasy, knowledge is power.
A Secret Affair in the Margins: Estelle
Nick at Atherton chose Estelle from Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. “She talks about how she had an ‘affair’ with another man because they would write each other notes in the margins of books to share reading experiences,” he says. It’s a quiet, intimate kind of book love—one that reminds us how reading can be both deeply personal and deeply shared. Marginalia as love letters? We’re swooning.
A Nurse, a Healer, a Lifelong Learner: Claire Beauchamp
Esmeralda at East Palo Alto chose Claire from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon—a character whose love of books and learning is tightly woven into her identity. “Claire has a passion for books, curiosity and an appreciation for learning new skills,” Esmeralda says. “Her reading and research in medicine allow her to heal people throughout the series. I admire that she’s always adapting and helping others.”
The Royal Reader: Queen Elizabeth II
Claire at Pacifica found her favorite fictional book lover in an unexpected place: a novella called The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. In it, a fictionalized Queen Elizabeth II falls in love with reading later in life after discovering a mobile library. “The book is silly and sweet, but it shows how much reading can change you,” Claire says. “It’s also comforting to see a passionate but slower reader develop a deep love for books—it made me feel seen.”
From Readers to Writers—and Back Again
From knights who live out their literary dreams to dragons’ librarians, ghost-fighting teens and queens discovering books late in life, our staff found themselves in all kinds of stories. What unites them all? That unmistakable bond between a reader and the written word. It shapes who we are, what we believe, and the kind of worlds we build—on and off the page.
This Book Lovers Day, we invite you to think about your own favorite fictional book lover. And maybe... you’ll find a little of yourself in them too.
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