Review: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I switched gears a little bit for this one, and, boy, am I glad I did. While a children's book about a bunch of seventh graders playing games runs a bit lighter than my usual selections, my love of libraries and games made this an easy pick.

I devoured this in a day (thanks, long commute!), and loved every minute of it. As the cover suggests, this is pretty fun stuff. Twelve kids, all twelve years old, win an overnight stay in what sounds like just about the most amazing library in the world--amazing books combined with fantastical technology, donated by Mr. Wonka... er, Mr. Lemoncello. The catch--if you can call it that--is that they've *also* been secretly selected to participate in a great game... "Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library"! The goal of the game? Well, as Mr. Lemoncello points out, the title sort of gives it away, doesn't it? The book mostly follows Kyle Keeley--avid game player whose reading is largely restricted to game guides--as he and his classmates all try to win the grand prize by escaping from the library.

The kids break off and invariably form rivalries and partnerships. Loyalties are tested. Backs are stabbed. Snotty little suck-ups lie, cheat, and steal, but, as you expect, the affable kid comes out on top. And why not? Frankly, how could it end up any other way?

It's a really fun ride. Grabenstein does a great job coming up with amusing puzzles for the kids to solve, and if I had a complaint, it's that I wish there were more puzzles for the reader to play around with. One can hope for a follow-up (and does!) with more puzzles and word games.

And bravo to Grabenstein for coming up with such a delightful cast of characters to populate the book. Some of the characters are a little stock--Kyle's main rival is a snotty suck-up cheater who is pretty much a photocopy of any spoiled rich kid from any children's/teen story ever made--but they work really well together. Kyle's generosity and good nature are very endearing, and his relationship with his friends--and with the new friends he makes during the overnight stay--are well executed. For such a quick read, I liked how well the main cast was developed. Kyle grows to appreciate reading, Sierra comes out of her shell and grows real affection for interacting with her peers, Miguel learns the value of trust and teamwork, Haley lets down her façade and learns to be open with the group... As I think about it now, it's a mashup of Breakfast Club and Willy Wonka, set in a futuristic library.

Anyway, sure, it's a kid's book, but it's great fun. Well worth checking out. And it showcases, really well, why libraries are so amazing! They're fun places to be full of all kinds of incredible information that you didn't even know you wanted to know about!



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