Author: Chris Grabenstein
Publisher: Random House
# of Pages: 304
Release Date: 25 June 2013
Publisher's Summary: Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.
Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.
Review: I'm proud to say that this was the first book I checked out in my new role as YA librarian! I had read early reviews of it while I was still working as an English teacher and was excited that it was coming out just as I transitioned to my new job. I will shamelessly admit that I gave it five out of five stars in part because it's a love letter to libraries and librarians, but I'll do my best to not gush about it too much in my review!
I haven't read any of Chris Grabenstein's other works, although I was aware that he was the author of both YA and adult titles. I wasn't sure what to expect from Mr. Lemoncello but I was intrigued by the premise of children solving riddles and puzzles while locked overnight in a futuristic library. Many of the early reviews I read compared it to Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but I would argue that it's more like Wendy Mass' The Candymakers. Both books, as well as Mr. Lemoncello, follow the classic formula of children thrown into an adult setting left to bond as a group or fall apart trying. Dahl, master that he is, made Charlie his hero; a protagonist who was truly good while those around him suffered from the ugly flaws of youth and greed. Mass and Grabenstein follow a more contemporary model, allowing their characters to shine because of their imperfections, not in spite of them. There are multiple heroes and everyone is capable of redemption. Which makes for a friendlier book and a more enjoyable story. Part of the joy in reading Mr. Lemoncello is watching the characters learn to work together. They solve problems as a team and share the rewards equally.
Grabenstein, besides understanding the group dynamics of tweens, clearly loves libraries. The book is filled with literary quotes and Dewey references. I'm especially fond of Grabenstein's description of the giant dome covered in LCD screens that fills the ceiling of the main reading room of Mr. Lemoncello's library. I love it because as magical as it seems, it's also plausible. I'm already trying to convince my director that we need to install one in our library!
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a fast and highly enjoyable read. I recommend it to tweens and librarians alike!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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