Thursday, June 5

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Chris Grabenstein

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9780375870897
Publisher: Random House
Date of publication: June 25, 2013
Age: Grades 5 - 9
Genre: Science Fiction

Themes: libraries, games, gadgetry, information science

The infamous gamemaker, Luigi Lemoncello, has constructed a brand new, high-tech library for the town. As his biggest fan, Kyle is determined to be part of the select few kids who get to preview Lemoncello’s library before it’s officially open. With 11 other kids, Kyle soon realizes the sneak-peek is another elaborate game with high stakes—one he’s determined to win.

In terms of the story, it is very similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and has some exciting twists and turns. As a librarian, however, this book came across to me as pure propaganda. It was all about the cool things you can find at a library, but a more high-tech, lets-give-kids-an-unrealistic-expectation version. Sorry, we do not have holographic librarians at our branch, you’ll have to come back in 50 years. So I was disappointed in it. But, technically, it is an exciting adventure book that is especially good for the reluctant-reader boys of the world, so I do appreciate that. And if they come to the library looking for the larger-than-life robotic Mother Goose, then at least they are at a library. 

Find it at your library or on Amazon

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