Now a Nickelodeon Original Movie!Over 100 Weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List!44 State Award Lists! Discover what James Patterson calls “the coolest library in all the world” in this fun-filled, action-packed bestseller from the much-loved co-author of I Funny and Treasure Hunters! “A worthy successor to.…Willy Wonka.” —Booklist, Starred ReviewWhen Kyle learns that the world’s most famous … to.…Willy Wonka.” —Booklist, Starred Review
When Kyle learns that the world’s most famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town’s new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night, he’s determined to be there! But the tricky part isn’t getting into the library—it’s getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route!
Don’t miss bonus content in the back of the book—extra puzzles, an author Q&A, and more! And look for the puzzle-packed sequels—Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics and Mr. Lemoncello’s Great Library Race!
“Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at …this solid, tightly plotted read is a winner for readers and game-players alike.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
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WOW. This book was great. I loved every minute of it. It was like a high-tech version of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The twists and turns in this book are so much fun. I really enjoyed reading about the kids solving the puzzles and trying to find the way out.
I highly recommend this book to any fans of Roald Dahl’s Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and anyone who likes puzzles and adventures.
I thought this was a sweet children’s book! It gave me “The Mysterious Benedict Society” vibes. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed this book until I watched the movie and was so disappointed that they’d left out the best themes! I loved that the book makes you feel like the library is a magical, beautiful place. I also appreciated that kindness was rewarded. I thought it was sweet! It was a little juvenile for me, but I liked it.
I read this book to consider it for my daughter’s book club selection. I loved it! Mr. Lemoncello brings the library to life – literally! Great characters, fun plot, lots of twists, book references galore, and even some puzzles to be solved by the reader.
Libraries were put here on this earth to guide us through murky times. The library is filled with adventure, with love, and insight into the unknown. One would be proud to have a Library Card….the key to unlimited power.
Games were made to strengthen ones skill. The knowledge of getting from Point A to Point B in record time excites every boy and girl from the ages of 2-92. The experience of playing a game with friends and trying to beat said friends has been instilled into us since the dawn of time.
Put those two items together? I can’t even imagine what that would unfold.
Mr. Lemoncello, a respected world-known game maker has decided to come back home and rebuild a Library for his hometown folk. Everyone is so excited to see a new building go up and especially a new Library. But with Mr. Lemoncello, you never know what your getting yourself into. For Mr. Lemoncello has changed the rules of getting into this new building. He has set the Library as a game. Some are excited to see what this entails. Some are flabbergasted.
Some, like Kyle Keeley, can’t WAIT to see what Mr. Lemoncello has done to the Library.
Kyle Keeley has beaten every single game Mr. Lemoncello has ever created. Kyle might not know the Dewey Decimal or how to shelve books, or even how to find books, but he knows the inside and out of every game Mr. Lemoncello has made. This game should be a piece of cake.
Of course with Mr. Lemoncello, that cake could be in cased box with no key hole, wrapped in bubble wrap, tied with chains that Zeus himself couldn’t open, with a voice activation code.
Kyle, along with 12 other chosen kids from the community, must be locked-in in the library to complete the games. Paired up with the unlikely of sorts, Kyle and his teammates must band together to beat the others to the finish line. Using the Dewey Decimal System, using the knowledge of literature literally at their finger tips, it should be a piece of cake. But remember what I said about Mr. Lemoncello and his cakes?
An amazing story of kids, Libraries, and gaming and how you can have all of that fun with the price of one. Getting gaming kids exciting about Libraries, and also getting kids to try reading other books that are mentioned in this one. Chris Grabenstein did a fantastical job of showcasing Libraries in their form, and the way kids act around books. As a Librarian, I approve this book.
This book is about all these library lovers that are 12 and play all these cool games created by Mr. Lemoncello who is a billon air
it was amazing
Game-lover Kyle Keeley is desperate to win a spot in the overnight sleepover at the new, state-of-the-art local library. The library was designed by his hero, Mr. Lemoncello, who created pretty much every board game and video game Kyle loves. When the overnighter turns into a lock-in (literally), Kyle and his fellow 12-year-olds have to figure out how to escape.
My 10-year-old daughter convinced me to read this book, and by convinced I mean pushed, cajoled, and pestered me until I got to it. She loved it and was sure I would too. She was right! It’s a quick, mostly simple read, and once the lock-in part started up, it was the most just pure fun I’ve ever had reading a book.
Once morning comes, the kids have to find clues and solve puzzles in order to try to escape and win the big prize. The story is basically Willy Wonka meets escape rooms, which is right up my alley. But even better, it’s an escape room played in the entire 3-story (plus the basement) library! I was seriously jealous. Mr. Lemoncello is a really entertaining character, and the kids have distinct personalities, for the most part. I will say that the knowledge base for some of these kids was pretty unrealistic, but it didn’t really bother me. It was just too fun!
I think something else that is important, since the book is written for kids, is that my daughter is a huge fan. She’s read the first 4 books in the series and was ridiculously excited to find out that a 5th one came out a few months ago. I’ll really enjoy continuing this series and being able to talk to her about the books as I go. I think this is a great book for kids around 8-12, and for parents too, especially those who like games.
I love these books even as an adult. They are fun and I enjoy trying to figure out the puzzles as well!
The book was just great. I couldn’t sleep reading it. Kyle Keely and his friends must find there way out of Mr. Lemencello’s library without using the entrance
So much fun! I love books revolving around puzzles and clues and ciphers so I had high expectations for this one going into it. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. I really liked the character development as the small group of protagonists reluctantly found themselves forming their own team to take down the smug, smart kid who thought he had the contest all figured out. I found myself cheering for them and trying to figure out all the different clues they were unearthing. The book was a quick read, not surprising given the target audience, and now I’ve got some sequels to go hunt down!
Willy Wonka-esque with hugely round children characters that tap perfectly into the middle-grader psyche.
I enjoyed this title because of its layers and clever ways of making people think. Unlike Sierra, I couldn’t think of five titles for some of the authors. I enjoyed the subtitles of the library cards, double-play on words, and the concept of having a library exist that could do some of the things mentioned. I think how Grabenstein chose to teach concepts, such as the Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal cataloging systems and the 1968 Newbery Awards’ uniqueness, engaging. I can see many middle graders enjoying this title, even hesitant readers.
Fast read and enjoyable for kids who like fantasy.
loveed this book
Kyle Keeley isn’t excited about the new library in town until he finds out that Mr. Lemoncello helped design it. It’s got to have plenty of cool stuff if the creator of so many amazing games is behind it. He is thrilled to win an overnight preview, but it turns into a contest the next day when he and the others inside the library learn they are in a contest to figure out puzzles to get out of the library. Can he do it?
I put this book off for too long. The story is fun and I got caught up in the action the further I went into the book. I’m not a puzzle person, but fortunately the characters figure things out for us. (I would be sunk in their position). Plus, I would absolutely love to visit this library. It sounds absolutely amazing.
A fun read, with my son.
This book is at top of my list to give to my middle grade relatives and friends. I enjoyed it very much!
Great read out loud book. I loved imagining my own dream library with elements from the book. The riddles are great fun.
We listened to the story. My kids and I really enjoyed it.
I read this book aloud to our 10-year-old son, and it was fun sleuthing our way through the clues in the story. We love libraries and we love books, and we decided this book was a sprinkling of The Whippet Hotel mixed with Night of the Museum tied up with a little serving of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, and if you liked any of the above books or/and movies, you’d be sure to get a kick, and a chuckle, out of this one. There are a few more in this series, so on we go! And we found out there are so many more books we need to read, all that were mentioned in this book. Many of them we had read, but most…not yet. We’ll make a list like Kyle! And this copy had some extras and fun activities included in the back, after escape, when the book was concluded.