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Mr. Lemoncello's Library #1
Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Middle Grade & Children's (2013)Join Kyle as he uses all his gamer skills to solve the puzzle that is Mr Lemoncello's extraordinary library. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets A Night in the Museum in th is the action-packed New York Times bestseller from Chris Grabenstein, coauthor of I Funny and other bestselling series with James Patterson!
Kyle Keeley is the class clown and a huge fan of all games - board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most famous and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the town's brand-new super library that is as much a home for tech and trickery as it is for stories. Kyle is lucky enough to win a coveted spot as one of twelve kids invited for a puzzle-packed lock-in on the library's opening night, hosted by Mr. Lemoncello. But when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret riddle to find the hidden escape route . . . !
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2013
3784 people are currently reading
33956 people want to read
About the author
Chris Grabenstein
149 books2,431 followersCHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His books include the LEMONCELLO, WONDERLAND, HAUNTED MYSTERY, DOG SQUAD, and SMARTEST KID IN THE UNIVERSE series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson. You can visit Chris at ChrisGrabenstein.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,110 reviews
May 30, 2016
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU EVERYONE WHO LIKED THIS I FEEL LIKE DONALD SUTHERLAND IN INVASION OF TEH BODY SNATCHERS YOU ARE ALL PODS.
It gets one star because it has the word LIBRARY in the title. I like libraries.
But Chris Grabenstein does not. At least, he doesn't like libraries qua libraries. His version of an ideal library is like being floo-powdered into World of Warcraft then spiked with Disneyland and dosed with Ritalin. The book talks the talk about the awesomeness of libraries but then shows-don't-tells that libraries need to be TV.
The characters are pancake-flat. The dialogue is crawl-under-the-rug lame. I was a mature enough parent that I did not suggest a drinking game involving doing a shot every time Miguel Fernandez said "bro," BUT I THOUGHT IT. The whole enterprise just seemed so CYNICAL, a naked ploy to sell books to librarians by sucking up to them while actually pulling the beeping/flashing/green-screened wool over their eyes. It depressed me. It name-dropped a zillion book titles without ever conveying the transformative joy of simply READING.
We read this at bedtime -- my 12-year-old and I hate-bonded about how bad it was while my 9-year-old was utterly transfixed, so take that as you will. Also, the 12-year-old (and I) figured out really early in the book what the means of escape was going to be so having to WAIT FOR IT was maddening.
I don't know how to upload pictures so IMAGINE DONALD SUTHERLAND POINTING AND DOING THAT GRRAAAAAAA THING AT YOU. Oh, hey, I can LINK!
ADDENDUM, THREE YEARS LATER: I regret being so bitchy about this book. I loathed it, true, but lemme repeat the part about "my nine-year-old was utterly transfixed," which, jeez, should have been my takeaway. IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME; GROW UP, ME. Maxie went on to give this book to her friends for their birthdays, and ALL OF THEM loved it. So, uh, give it to your 9-year-old independent reader and DON'T READ IT ALOUD AT BEDTIME, problem solved.
It gets one star because it has the word LIBRARY in the title. I like libraries.
But Chris Grabenstein does not. At least, he doesn't like libraries qua libraries. His version of an ideal library is like being floo-powdered into World of Warcraft then spiked with Disneyland and dosed with Ritalin. The book talks the talk about the awesomeness of libraries but then shows-don't-tells that libraries need to be TV.
The characters are pancake-flat. The dialogue is crawl-under-the-rug lame. I was a mature enough parent that I did not suggest a drinking game involving doing a shot every time Miguel Fernandez said "bro," BUT I THOUGHT IT. The whole enterprise just seemed so CYNICAL, a naked ploy to sell books to librarians by sucking up to them while actually pulling the beeping/flashing/green-screened wool over their eyes. It depressed me. It name-dropped a zillion book titles without ever conveying the transformative joy of simply READING.
We read this at bedtime -- my 12-year-old and I hate-bonded about how bad it was while my 9-year-old was utterly transfixed, so take that as you will. Also, the 12-year-old (and I) figured out really early in the book what the means of escape was going to be so having to WAIT FOR IT was maddening.
I don't know how to upload pictures so IMAGINE DONALD SUTHERLAND POINTING AND DOING THAT GRRAAAAAAA THING AT YOU. Oh, hey, I can LINK!
ADDENDUM, THREE YEARS LATER: I regret being so bitchy about this book. I loathed it, true, but lemme repeat the part about "my nine-year-old was utterly transfixed," which, jeez, should have been my takeaway. IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME; GROW UP, ME. Maxie went on to give this book to her friends for their birthdays, and ALL OF THEM loved it. So, uh, give it to your 9-year-old independent reader and DON'T READ IT ALOUD AT BEDTIME, problem solved.
January 26, 2019
this is the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for book- and puzzle-nerds. or, as one character says, "It'll be like The Hunger Games but with lots of food and no bows or arrows."
it takes place in alexandriaville, ohio (not a real place, but a real cutesy reference, one of many peppering this book), whose town library was demolished 12 years ago. a wealthy eccentric gentleman who made his fortune creating a series of very popular games and puzzles decides to rebuild the library and engineers an elaborate publicity stunt where twelve children from the town, all twelve years of age, who have never had the pleasure of browsing through the stacks of a public library, are selected to participate in a lock-in and encouraged to solve a series of puzzles to "escape" the library and win a fabulous prize. these are three of my favorite things: puzzles, books, and lock-ins.
i can't imagine growing up in a town without a library. i am from the smallest state of them all, from a wee village, but there was a town library reasonably close that i could walk to in the summer when i was a teenager. when i was too young to walk there, i used to be driven - dropped off, actually, while my parents ran errands or tried to obtain the paperwork necessary for trading me in for a horse (an oft-used threat in my house). but i grew up in those stacks, making my way from the picture books to the chapter books to the adult books, there not being much in the way of teen fiction when i was that age. so it was heartwarming indeed for me to follow these characters as they experience the thrills of the library for the first time, even though this library is way cooler than any library that actually exists, with holograms of tigers and all.
and grabenstein is smart - this is librarian-bait like crazy. librarians love books about librarians, and books that teach kids how cool the library is, and kids love fast-paced books filled with puzzles to solve. it's pretty much win-win.
is is a perfect book? nah - the characters are pretty stock, the outcome predictable, and the puzzles are not as cool as those in my beloved peggy parish series.
but it does teach kids how to use the library: how the dewey decimal system works, what the archives are, how to ask a librarian for help, and there is also a lot of trivia about literature and A LOT of book-title name-dropping, which would have thrilled me as a little girl and would have made me take out a little pencil and mini-notebook to write down each and every title so i could read those books as well. nerd alert!
speaking of nerd alert - in this book, i am totally sierra. more excited to be in a building full of books than playing/winning a contest?? curled up reading while everyone else is running around playing games?? yeah, that sounds familiar. i spent a lot of my summer camp days curled up reading under the piano while everyone else just went nuts making stuff with pipe cleaners and singing along with the radio.
but while it does have its flaws, it is still super-super fun, and any book that makes the library sound like THE place to be is okay by me. plus there are many examples of how not to be a jerk, which can get a little cloying and unrealistic at times, but are probably useful because the world already has enough jerks. plus: BOOKS!! PUZZLES!! LOCK-INS!!
fun times one million.
oh, and this is the author's note:
Is the game really over?
Maybe not.
There is one more puzzle in the book that wasn't in the story. (Although a clue about how to find it was!)
If you figure out the solution, let me know.
and then he gives his email address.
and so now i have to read it again, because i wanna solve this hidden puzzle!
very smart, indeed, grabenstein…very. smart. indeed.
come to my blog!
it takes place in alexandriaville, ohio (not a real place, but a real cutesy reference, one of many peppering this book), whose town library was demolished 12 years ago. a wealthy eccentric gentleman who made his fortune creating a series of very popular games and puzzles decides to rebuild the library and engineers an elaborate publicity stunt where twelve children from the town, all twelve years of age, who have never had the pleasure of browsing through the stacks of a public library, are selected to participate in a lock-in and encouraged to solve a series of puzzles to "escape" the library and win a fabulous prize. these are three of my favorite things: puzzles, books, and lock-ins.
i can't imagine growing up in a town without a library. i am from the smallest state of them all, from a wee village, but there was a town library reasonably close that i could walk to in the summer when i was a teenager. when i was too young to walk there, i used to be driven - dropped off, actually, while my parents ran errands or tried to obtain the paperwork necessary for trading me in for a horse (an oft-used threat in my house). but i grew up in those stacks, making my way from the picture books to the chapter books to the adult books, there not being much in the way of teen fiction when i was that age. so it was heartwarming indeed for me to follow these characters as they experience the thrills of the library for the first time, even though this library is way cooler than any library that actually exists, with holograms of tigers and all.
and grabenstein is smart - this is librarian-bait like crazy. librarians love books about librarians, and books that teach kids how cool the library is, and kids love fast-paced books filled with puzzles to solve. it's pretty much win-win.
is is a perfect book? nah - the characters are pretty stock, the outcome predictable, and the puzzles are not as cool as those in my beloved peggy parish series.
but it does teach kids how to use the library: how the dewey decimal system works, what the archives are, how to ask a librarian for help, and there is also a lot of trivia about literature and A LOT of book-title name-dropping, which would have thrilled me as a little girl and would have made me take out a little pencil and mini-notebook to write down each and every title so i could read those books as well. nerd alert!
speaking of nerd alert - in this book, i am totally sierra. more excited to be in a building full of books than playing/winning a contest?? curled up reading while everyone else is running around playing games?? yeah, that sounds familiar. i spent a lot of my summer camp days curled up reading under the piano while everyone else just went nuts making stuff with pipe cleaners and singing along with the radio.
but while it does have its flaws, it is still super-super fun, and any book that makes the library sound like THE place to be is okay by me. plus there are many examples of how not to be a jerk, which can get a little cloying and unrealistic at times, but are probably useful because the world already has enough jerks. plus: BOOKS!! PUZZLES!! LOCK-INS!!
fun times one million.
oh, and this is the author's note:
Is the game really over?
Maybe not.
There is one more puzzle in the book that wasn't in the story. (Although a clue about how to find it was!)
If you figure out the solution, let me know.
and then he gives his email address.
and so now i have to read it again, because i wanna solve this hidden puzzle!
very smart, indeed, grabenstein…very. smart. indeed.
come to my blog!
January 12, 2014
This is a messy, loud book crammed full of one-note characters, dizzying book references, and an illogical plot. There is no nuance, no suspense, and no character growth. This is the story of a puzzle, not the story of the people solving it - much to the book's detriment. The Westing Game would be a better choice; in fact, it's entirely possible that book was name-dropped in this one. There were so many awkward book references shoehorned into the story that I honestly couldn't keep track.
And I'm confused as to why a library would need a director of holographic imagery. Just buy more books.
And I'm confused as to why a library would need a director of holographic imagery. Just buy more books.
February 7, 2016
Lately I have been on an easy reading kick. I think I get this way every late winter. That being said, my kids had this book from the library for a reread and told me it is a great book and I should read it. I give this 4.5 stars because it is a great kids book, but to paraphrase my daughter, nothing is as good as Harry Potter.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a fun book for middle grade kids. The town of Alexandriaville, Ohio has not had a public library in 12 years, and millionaire toy maker Luigi Lemoncello has sponsored a new, state of the art library. For a grand opening he has invited 12 twelve year olds to spend the night and then take part in a survivor type game to escape from the library. The winner will get to star in his tv commercials.
Our protagonist is Kyle Keeley the younger brother to overachieving Curtis and sports star Mike. Lost in their limelight, Kyle finally has his turn to shine as he takes part in the library escape. As he forms an alliance with his friends, Kyle works to solve Lemoncello's clues in order to win the game.
I admit I was not a Willy Wonka fan as a kid so I can't compare the two books. Being the book worm that I am, I enjoyed the state of the art library, the references to classic and contemporary kids books, and the Dewey decimal system. I also thought it was refreshing to see kids working together positively.
I would recommend this book to older elementary aged kids, even those who don't read much. It is a fun read and will hopefully encourage kids to read more than they had been before reading this book.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a fun book for middle grade kids. The town of Alexandriaville, Ohio has not had a public library in 12 years, and millionaire toy maker Luigi Lemoncello has sponsored a new, state of the art library. For a grand opening he has invited 12 twelve year olds to spend the night and then take part in a survivor type game to escape from the library. The winner will get to star in his tv commercials.
Our protagonist is Kyle Keeley the younger brother to overachieving Curtis and sports star Mike. Lost in their limelight, Kyle finally has his turn to shine as he takes part in the library escape. As he forms an alliance with his friends, Kyle works to solve Lemoncello's clues in order to win the game.
I admit I was not a Willy Wonka fan as a kid so I can't compare the two books. Being the book worm that I am, I enjoyed the state of the art library, the references to classic and contemporary kids books, and the Dewey decimal system. I also thought it was refreshing to see kids working together positively.
I would recommend this book to older elementary aged kids, even those who don't read much. It is a fun read and will hopefully encourage kids to read more than they had been before reading this book.
June 4, 2015
Update: Just received the Summer Reading List for Rising 5th Graders to give the students a "head-start" on their Passport to Reading Program. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library was one of the six books listed. I know that the other students will enjoy this as much as Boy did!
This book was read and reviewed by The Boy, a 4th grader.
"It was really exciting.....like a roller-coaster. I wanted to read the whole book at once, all the way through. I did not want it to end!"
My thoughts? Well done, Mr. Grabenstein. Boy is very excited about Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics!
This book was read and reviewed by The Boy, a 4th grader.
"It was really exciting.....like a roller-coaster. I wanted to read the whole book at once, all the way through. I did not want it to end!"
My thoughts? Well done, Mr. Grabenstein. Boy is very excited about Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics!
October 23, 2018
This gets 5 stars because I couldn't put it down and wanted to cancel plans with friends just to finish it.
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library is the modern day Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, just without creepy oompa loompa's and it takes place in an awesome library. Twelve kids are selected to stay overnight in a library, but little do they know they are being entered into a game to see who can find a way out! Winner gets prizes galore.
Like I said, I really loved this one because I was sucked in right away. I think this is one of those rare books reluctant readers would enjoy and get them into reading. The clues and library and book knowledge made this so much fun to read. I need to get more books by this author from the library!
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June 11, 2025
"Every woman's mind is her kingdom. Rule it wisely, lassie.”
Goodreads, hang out with your younger self and read a kid's book! This one was so much fun.
Goodreads, hang out with your younger self and read a kid's book! This one was so much fun.
October 25, 2019
I cannot understand all the 4 star reviews and the NY Times best seller status of this book. Then again, most of what I find on the children's best seller list lately is mediocre junk!
This is yet another rip-off of Roald Dahl's immortal Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with an eccentric inventor and a contest, only this time with a superduper library instead of a factory.
Here there is one "bad" kid, plus a few others who have their faults, and while they don't meet heinous fates, they all lose. The winners, of course, are the "good" kids, plus one who could go either way, but proves to be a "good" kid in the end. Luigi Lemoncello is no match for Willy Wonka, and the endless, ENDLESS insertion of book titles or references is as irritating as product placement in a movie.
And yes, there is a "Wonka" reference, but to add insult to injury it's to the movie--and probably to the crappy remake with Johnny Depp!
Utterly, utterly, predictable. Is it the libary/reading theme that is making all the librarians and educators kvell?
P.S. The technological references will help this book go stale in no time flat.
P.P.S. Want a great book that does have a Wonka vibe in that it is about kids and a candy factory contest, and isn't as funny as a Dahl book, but is a lot deeper? Try Wendy Mass's fabulous The Candymakers
This is yet another rip-off of Roald Dahl's immortal Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with an eccentric inventor and a contest, only this time with a superduper library instead of a factory.
Here there is one "bad" kid, plus a few others who have their faults, and while they don't meet heinous fates, they all lose. The winners, of course, are the "good" kids, plus one who could go either way, but proves to be a "good" kid in the end. Luigi Lemoncello is no match for Willy Wonka, and the endless, ENDLESS insertion of book titles or references is as irritating as product placement in a movie.
And yes, there is a "Wonka" reference, but to add insult to injury it's to the movie--and probably to the crappy remake with Johnny Depp!
Utterly, utterly, predictable. Is it the libary/reading theme that is making all the librarians and educators kvell?
P.S. The technological references will help this book go stale in no time flat.
P.P.S. Want a great book that does have a Wonka vibe in that it is about kids and a candy factory contest, and isn't as funny as a Dahl book, but is a lot deeper? Try Wendy Mass's fabulous The Candymakers
November 20, 2023
Aw man! I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this book. It was a fun and exciting read. This is definitely a Willy Wonka like book, but make it about books and libraries instead of candy.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a fun, fast paced novel that follows main character Kyle Keeley who is a fan of games especially those created by Mr. Lemoncello. Luckily, he gets the opportunity to participate in a overnight celebration of games, food, and fun in honor of the new library opening. What starts off as just a casual night of fun quickly turns into a game of puzzles when the participants find they cannot leave the library. They must work together or individually to solve all of the clues to escape from the library.
What Worked: I grew up loving the 1960s version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so imagine my surprise when I read this book and I not only got those vibes, but everything takes place in a library. My little librarian heart was content. From the nods to all of the most amazing books in literature to the superb character development, this book sucked me in every time that I picked it up. Even the nods to the Dewey decimal system took me out! A lot of libraries are shifting away from using that as a classification system, but it was nice to see it honored in this book even if I'm not a fan of it. I absolutely adored the fact that Kyle learned more about literature through other participants and it made him want to check out more books. Outside of one particular character, the participants communicated well and worked together in ways that drew on all of their strengths.
This was a fun, fast read and I'm excited to pick up the next books in the series.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a fun, fast paced novel that follows main character Kyle Keeley who is a fan of games especially those created by Mr. Lemoncello. Luckily, he gets the opportunity to participate in a overnight celebration of games, food, and fun in honor of the new library opening. What starts off as just a casual night of fun quickly turns into a game of puzzles when the participants find they cannot leave the library. They must work together or individually to solve all of the clues to escape from the library.
What Worked: I grew up loving the 1960s version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so imagine my surprise when I read this book and I not only got those vibes, but everything takes place in a library. My little librarian heart was content. From the nods to all of the most amazing books in literature to the superb character development, this book sucked me in every time that I picked it up. Even the nods to the Dewey decimal system took me out! A lot of libraries are shifting away from using that as a classification system, but it was nice to see it honored in this book even if I'm not a fan of it. I absolutely adored the fact that Kyle learned more about literature through other participants and it made him want to check out more books. Outside of one particular character, the participants communicated well and worked together in ways that drew on all of their strengths.
This was a fun, fast read and I'm excited to pick up the next books in the series.
April 23, 2025
Catching up…
This book has won an Agatha Award and an ALA Notable Children’s Book Award.
This is a story about Kyle and how much he loves games.
And…One of his favorites are created by Mr. Lemoncello, owner of the famous Imagination Factory.
Kyle is a 12-year-old that has just learned that Mr. Lemoncello is planning something special at a new library that is opening that will be invitation only…
And… Kyle really wants to be a part of it.
But…In order to do that, Kyle will need to write an essay.
And…Turn it in this morning.
Can he make it happen in time?
This story is full of puzzles and clues and games and the love of libraries and books that will be a joy for kids to read!
But…Most interesting of all…Once he gets in with all his friends…
How will they get out?
And what is particularly fun is the author’s note where the question is posed…
Is the game really over?
There is one more puzzle in the book to discover…
Which allows readers to connect directly with the author.
How fun is that?
(A bonus clue is even provided at the end.)
And…It doesn’t stop with this book.
It is a continuing series for kids…
So…Those who love to play games and solve puzzles, too, this may be the right place to be!
Interest Level: Kids ages 8-12 years (parents can be included, too!)
This book has won an Agatha Award and an ALA Notable Children’s Book Award.
This is a story about Kyle and how much he loves games.
And…One of his favorites are created by Mr. Lemoncello, owner of the famous Imagination Factory.
Kyle is a 12-year-old that has just learned that Mr. Lemoncello is planning something special at a new library that is opening that will be invitation only…
And… Kyle really wants to be a part of it.
But…In order to do that, Kyle will need to write an essay.
And…Turn it in this morning.
Can he make it happen in time?
This story is full of puzzles and clues and games and the love of libraries and books that will be a joy for kids to read!
But…Most interesting of all…Once he gets in with all his friends…
How will they get out?
And what is particularly fun is the author’s note where the question is posed…
Is the game really over?
There is one more puzzle in the book to discover…
Which allows readers to connect directly with the author.
How fun is that?
(A bonus clue is even provided at the end.)
And…It doesn’t stop with this book.
It is a continuing series for kids…
So…Those who love to play games and solve puzzles, too, this may be the right place to be!
Interest Level: Kids ages 8-12 years (parents can be included, too!)
February 7, 2019
What a wonderful, imaginative, and creative story! This book totally reminded me why I still love to read children's books!
After several years without a city library, a new wonderous library has been built by an ecentric, quirky billionaire...Mr. Lemoncello. Kyle and his school friends are familiar with Mr. Lemoncello as his company has made many of their favorite boardgames, including Mr. Lemoncello's Indoor Outdoor Scavenger Hunt. At school, they write essays for a contest -- the winners get to see the new library before anybody else. It's the adventure of a lifetime!
For me, this story was reminiscent of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with a library theme instead of a candy factory. The characters are fun and quirky....and there's lots of book references and library goodness. Fun story!
I was delighted to find out that there is a television movie version, streamable on Hulu. I'm going to watch it as soon as I post this review. :) Following my rule: Always read the book first! I'm not quite sure how they are going to capture the magic of this story in only 69 minutes though.....the movie must cut out a lot. I hope I'm not disappointed.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. The audio is almost 6.5 hours long and narrated by Jesse Bernstein. Bernstein reads at a nice pace and does a great job bringing the characters to life. Excellent performance!
There are 3 other books in the Lemoncello series so far. Chris Grabenstein has written several books for middle grade kids. I'm definitely going to be reading more! Loved this story!
After several years without a city library, a new wonderous library has been built by an ecentric, quirky billionaire...Mr. Lemoncello. Kyle and his school friends are familiar with Mr. Lemoncello as his company has made many of their favorite boardgames, including Mr. Lemoncello's Indoor Outdoor Scavenger Hunt. At school, they write essays for a contest -- the winners get to see the new library before anybody else. It's the adventure of a lifetime!
For me, this story was reminiscent of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with a library theme instead of a candy factory. The characters are fun and quirky....and there's lots of book references and library goodness. Fun story!
I was delighted to find out that there is a television movie version, streamable on Hulu. I'm going to watch it as soon as I post this review. :) Following my rule: Always read the book first! I'm not quite sure how they are going to capture the magic of this story in only 69 minutes though.....the movie must cut out a lot. I hope I'm not disappointed.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. The audio is almost 6.5 hours long and narrated by Jesse Bernstein. Bernstein reads at a nice pace and does a great job bringing the characters to life. Excellent performance!
There are 3 other books in the Lemoncello series so far. Chris Grabenstein has written several books for middle grade kids. I'm definitely going to be reading more! Loved this story!
August 20, 2013
You know, I think Grabenstein missed an opportunity to have a great book instead of just a good one. The puzzles and mysteries were fantastically well-placed and a lot of fun to try to solve alongside Kyle and his friends, and I liked the positive teamwork message the book had to send. As a librarian, I absolutely adored the positive library portrayal, the fact that it was a place that was fun and exciting and the clever way the Dewey Decimal system was used in the book.
But to an extent, it seemed like that was where Grabenstein stopped trying - with creating the puzzles and mysteries the children had to solve and with incorporating the library aspects. He stopped short of fleshing out the characters much, or giving them any time to do anything other than solve the puzzles or (in the adults' case) hand out clues. This was enjoyable, but I found myself disappointed and wishing that Kyle and his friends had been given the careful treatment that the excellent plot indicated that they deserved.
But to an extent, it seemed like that was where Grabenstein stopped trying - with creating the puzzles and mysteries the children had to solve and with incorporating the library aspects. He stopped short of fleshing out the characters much, or giving them any time to do anything other than solve the puzzles or (in the adults' case) hand out clues. This was enjoyable, but I found myself disappointed and wishing that Kyle and his friends had been given the careful treatment that the excellent plot indicated that they deserved.
July 12, 2016
Grade rating: 67% D
A super huge library is any book lover's dream! But this or comes with a catch...
I didn't really like this one.
The author was annoying, first of all. He was trying to make his characters seem like the kids of today. When Charles said "I'll Twitter it", my spine shuddered is disgust. Also, the author kept making references to books. New books, not just the classics. I don't think references to recent literature should never happen, but I feel it's out of place. That got annoying real quick.
Second, it was so predictable. Kyle's team won, blah blah blah. The book needed more twists. Wouldn't it be better if Haley revealed at the end that she joined Kyle's team just to get the answers and win, because her want of being a commercial star consumed her? That would have been amazing. Also, the narrator should have focused on each character equally, and there shouldn't have been teams, so you didn't know who would win.
At the beginning, Sierra was my kind of character. Shy, bookish, and quiet. Then she joined a team and that all went away. She became someone she wasn't. No. That's not right. I was positive she would win because she was the underdog. Also, Charles's elimination was meaningless. If he broke a rule a long time ago in the game, why did they take him out of the game just then? Unbelievable. He should have been there until the end, then Kyle's team would pull ahead and Charles would lose.
In the end, an odd little story with annoyances everywhere and un-needed references. There were plenty of other book I would have rather been reading.
A super huge library is any book lover's dream! But this or comes with a catch...
I didn't really like this one.
The author was annoying, first of all. He was trying to make his characters seem like the kids of today. When Charles said "I'll Twitter it", my spine shuddered is disgust. Also, the author kept making references to books. New books, not just the classics. I don't think references to recent literature should never happen, but I feel it's out of place. That got annoying real quick.
Second, it was so predictable. Kyle's team won, blah blah blah. The book needed more twists. Wouldn't it be better if Haley revealed at the end that she joined Kyle's team just to get the answers and win, because her want of being a commercial star consumed her? That would have been amazing. Also, the narrator should have focused on each character equally, and there shouldn't have been teams, so you didn't know who would win.
At the beginning, Sierra was my kind of character. Shy, bookish, and quiet. Then she joined a team and that all went away. She became someone she wasn't. No. That's not right. I was positive she would win because she was the underdog. Also, Charles's elimination was meaningless. If he broke a rule a long time ago in the game, why did they take him out of the game just then? Unbelievable. He should have been there until the end, then Kyle's team would pull ahead and Charles would lose.
In the end, an odd little story with annoyances everywhere and un-needed references. There were plenty of other book I would have rather been reading.
July 24, 2018
EXCERPT: So Kyle had gone down to the basement and dug up one of his all-time favorites: Mr Lemoncello's Indoor Outdoor Scavenger Hunt. It had been a huge hit for Mr Lemoncello, the master game maker. Kyle and his brothers had played it so much when they were younger, Mrs Keeley wrote to Mr Lemoncello's company for a refresher pack of clue cards. The new cards listed all kinds of different bizarre stuff you needed to find, like 'an adults droopy underpants', 'one dirty dish' and 'a rotten banana peel'.
(At the end of the game, the losers have to put everything back exactly where the items had been found. It was an official rule, printed inside the top of the box, and made winning the game that much more important!)
ABOUT THIS BOOK: 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.
MY THOUGHTS: School holiday time here in New Zealand, and traditionally the time for my grandson and I to do our buddy read. You may remember that last year we read our way through the Harry Potter series. Our time was curtailed somewhat these holidays as he spent the first week in the South Island skiing. But last week we read two books together, and this was the first of them, and his pick.
This was a fun read which teaches lessons about the perils of cheating, the advantages of learning to work as part of a team, and how to think outside the box (or the most obvious answer is not always the correct one).
Honestly, neither of us could see what was wrong with being locked in a library, particularly since this library has a café, and we would have been quite happy to have stayed there. But this book was not about us.
We did enjoy trying to solve the puzzles, though we (or more specifically I) weren't all that successful.
My grandson thought that this ultra modern library would be wonderful. Me? I have fond memories of the library of my childhood (now sadly demolished), a grand old wooden building with coke fuelled fires that I would curl up in front of and read for hours. And wonderful librarians, one of whom is still alive and whom I visit whenever I can.
Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library fuelled a lot of discussion between us. My grandson now knows a lot more about my life as a child, and the books I read. He has some new titles to read, as do I. And while he has already read the other books in this series, I haven't, but am keen to do so.
😍😍😍😍
THE AUTHOR: CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling. His books include the LEMONCELLO LIBRARY series, the WONDERLAND series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson. You can visit Chris at ChrisGrabenstein.com.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein, narrated by Jesse Bernstein and published by Listening Library via OverDrive. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
(At the end of the game, the losers have to put everything back exactly where the items had been found. It was an official rule, printed inside the top of the box, and made winning the game that much more important!)
ABOUT THIS BOOK: 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.
MY THOUGHTS: School holiday time here in New Zealand, and traditionally the time for my grandson and I to do our buddy read. You may remember that last year we read our way through the Harry Potter series. Our time was curtailed somewhat these holidays as he spent the first week in the South Island skiing. But last week we read two books together, and this was the first of them, and his pick.
This was a fun read which teaches lessons about the perils of cheating, the advantages of learning to work as part of a team, and how to think outside the box (or the most obvious answer is not always the correct one).
Honestly, neither of us could see what was wrong with being locked in a library, particularly since this library has a café, and we would have been quite happy to have stayed there. But this book was not about us.
We did enjoy trying to solve the puzzles, though we (or more specifically I) weren't all that successful.
My grandson thought that this ultra modern library would be wonderful. Me? I have fond memories of the library of my childhood (now sadly demolished), a grand old wooden building with coke fuelled fires that I would curl up in front of and read for hours. And wonderful librarians, one of whom is still alive and whom I visit whenever I can.
Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library fuelled a lot of discussion between us. My grandson now knows a lot more about my life as a child, and the books I read. He has some new titles to read, as do I. And while he has already read the other books in this series, I haven't, but am keen to do so.
😍😍😍😍
THE AUTHOR: CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling. His books include the LEMONCELLO LIBRARY series, the WONDERLAND series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson. You can visit Chris at ChrisGrabenstein.com.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein, narrated by Jesse Bernstein and published by Listening Library via OverDrive. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
December 20, 2015
A very fun book, especially for bookworms. I loved hearing about the library, and the games and puzzles were very clever. I really loved that there were lists of the books mentioned at the back!
September 8, 2017
First off are Patrick Carman and Chris Grabenstein secretly the same person?
Are they twins?
Their books felt so similar and not just because they were very poorly done Willy Wonka knockoffs. Both Floors and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library have shallow cardboard characters that spout out terribly unrealistic dialogue. Their plots are boring and consist of very little story beyond having a setting filled with over the top technology. They both strive to be witty and whimsical, and both fail, miserably.
This book is an abomination, I am having a hard time accepting the average rating on this book, I am in disbelief as I look at all the 5 star ratings!
The plot of this book is so stupid. A bunch of kids get to spend the night in a crazy library and are then abandoned by all the adults, locked in for the entire weekend, and watched from security cameras. But guess what! If they can escape from the library they will be in a bunch of commercials, um okay? There is absolutely no risk and not much of a reward. Plus the game seems completely rigged, the team of 'bad kids' seem unfairly punished and the 'good kids' get bonus clues for absolutely no reason. Gee I wonder what the outcome of this extremely uninteresting scenario with be....?
What really makes this book awful is the LARGE cast of nothing characters.
Lemoncello Ugh! This guy is the worst, so incredibly annoying. Here we have an eccentric bazillionaire who decides to spend 500 million on a library for his hometown. He is so wacky, he wears rubber chicken shoes that squeak out POP GOES THE WEASLEY, wow what a wild and crazy guy. He uses tons of out of place literary references and sounds like an after school special most of the time.
Kyle He's our main character and the person we should be rooting for, except I'm not sure why? He has two younger brothers and enjoys playing board games and watching re-runs of Miami Vice, why? Because it is convenient for the plot, duh! Oh and even though this is a library competition, Kyle never reads, that's why he aligns himself with Sierra.
Sierra She likes to read. Apparently she knows everything, literally. Our characters never even have to GOOGLE, they have this convenient plot device who can speed up the process. Never mind that she is 12 years old. For example, one character wonders what event happened on Feb. 20, 1915 and Sierra literally responds immediately oh that was was the day the The Panama–Pacific International Exposition opened in San Francisco, California. Sorry I'm a big fan of World Fairs I actually had to laugh out loud it is so ridiculous. Even Hermione had to look stuff up in the library!
Charles He's the bad kid. He's bad because he's rich and wants to win the game. Wow what a jerk!
Haley She is the one character that I actually thought deserved to win, but the reader is apparently supposed to hate her, at least at the start. I guess we are supposed to see her as a spoiled brat, even though she isn't. In fact she is actually going through a pretty hard time since her dad lost his job and her mother has been reduced to stealing food, she could have been the most interesting character but she is a girl who just wants attention, ugh! Girls are the worst when they try to be pretty and stuff.
Then there are a whole bunch of other characters that are just as forgettable and stale.
If you are going to market your book as a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory read-a-like and even reference the original in your story you are setting yourself up for comparison. Unfortunately, there is no comparison, Roald Dahl was a genius. he understood how to write for children. He understood that children like to be scared but they don't like to be talked down to.
Being inspired is one thing but you have to take the concept and make it your own, make it fresh, at the very least you have to make it interesting. This book was devoid of danger. There was no suspense, nothing was at risk. With Wonka you are wondering is this guy insane? Is this factory dangerous? What is happening to these children that are disappearing? With this knock off every problem is solved immediately. There is no moral to the story and the child reading at home has learned nothing substantial except for the occasional bit of trivia.
And the ending.... Thanks for wasting my time!
Are they twins?
Their books felt so similar and not just because they were very poorly done Willy Wonka knockoffs. Both Floors and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library have shallow cardboard characters that spout out terribly unrealistic dialogue. Their plots are boring and consist of very little story beyond having a setting filled with over the top technology. They both strive to be witty and whimsical, and both fail, miserably.
This book is an abomination, I am having a hard time accepting the average rating on this book, I am in disbelief as I look at all the 5 star ratings!
The plot of this book is so stupid. A bunch of kids get to spend the night in a crazy library and are then abandoned by all the adults, locked in for the entire weekend, and watched from security cameras. But guess what! If they can escape from the library they will be in a bunch of commercials, um okay? There is absolutely no risk and not much of a reward. Plus the game seems completely rigged, the team of 'bad kids' seem unfairly punished and the 'good kids' get bonus clues for absolutely no reason. Gee I wonder what the outcome of this extremely uninteresting scenario with be....?
What really makes this book awful is the LARGE cast of nothing characters.
Lemoncello Ugh! This guy is the worst, so incredibly annoying. Here we have an eccentric bazillionaire who decides to spend 500 million on a library for his hometown. He is so wacky, he wears rubber chicken shoes that squeak out POP GOES THE WEASLEY, wow what a wild and crazy guy. He uses tons of out of place literary references and sounds like an after school special most of the time.
Kyle He's our main character and the person we should be rooting for, except I'm not sure why? He has two younger brothers and enjoys playing board games and watching re-runs of Miami Vice, why? Because it is convenient for the plot, duh! Oh and even though this is a library competition, Kyle never reads, that's why he aligns himself with Sierra.
Sierra She likes to read. Apparently she knows everything, literally. Our characters never even have to GOOGLE, they have this convenient plot device who can speed up the process. Never mind that she is 12 years old. For example, one character wonders what event happened on Feb. 20, 1915 and Sierra literally responds immediately oh that was was the day the The Panama–Pacific International Exposition opened in San Francisco, California. Sorry I'm a big fan of World Fairs I actually had to laugh out loud it is so ridiculous. Even Hermione had to look stuff up in the library!
Charles He's the bad kid. He's bad because he's rich and wants to win the game. Wow what a jerk!
Haley She is the one character that I actually thought deserved to win, but the reader is apparently supposed to hate her, at least at the start. I guess we are supposed to see her as a spoiled brat, even though she isn't. In fact she is actually going through a pretty hard time since her dad lost his job and her mother has been reduced to stealing food, she could have been the most interesting character but she is a girl who just wants attention, ugh! Girls are the worst when they try to be pretty and stuff.
Then there are a whole bunch of other characters that are just as forgettable and stale.
If you are going to market your book as a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory read-a-like and even reference the original in your story you are setting yourself up for comparison. Unfortunately, there is no comparison, Roald Dahl was a genius. he understood how to write for children. He understood that children like to be scared but they don't like to be talked down to.
Being inspired is one thing but you have to take the concept and make it your own, make it fresh, at the very least you have to make it interesting. This book was devoid of danger. There was no suspense, nothing was at risk. With Wonka you are wondering is this guy insane? Is this factory dangerous? What is happening to these children that are disappearing? With this knock off every problem is solved immediately. There is no moral to the story and the child reading at home has learned nothing substantial except for the occasional bit of trivia.
And the ending.... Thanks for wasting my time!
July 19, 2013
Whenever I see a book about a library, I tend to order it for the collection at my library. This was one of the best things to come from this whim! Perfect for both the reluctant reader and avid bibliophile, Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library had me hooked even as an adult.
Twelve 12-year-olds are selected for an overnight experience at their new public library. Little do they know, this is actually a set-up for the time of their lives. When the overnight is over, they find themselves locked-in. Their only hope is to figure out the clues and piece together the puzzles in order to win the ultimate prize.
Kyle was a great character. Realistically flawed yet a good role model for readers. The peripheral characters were also charmingly well-developed and really added to the story. Plus, where to even start on the setting? It was spectacularly fantastical, mixing just enough eccentricity in with reality to make it extraordinarily possible. I only hope kids aren't disappointed when their own libraries aren't quite as amazing (which is a mostly sarcastic observation).
I loved the seamless way learning was woven into the story. There is so much to discover about Dewey classification, the help librarians offer, and the fun that reading can be. Grabenstein's description of the kids getting caught up reading about Sherlock was almost tangible. This is children's literature, but it's not lazy in the least. Yet it's also completely accessible. It was fast-paced and had a good flow to it.
As others have mentioned, it reminded me of a cross between The Westing Game and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. However, I think I enjoyed this one more as it didn't have the pretentious, dark edge those two presented (more so the latter). This was just a fun jaunt through the library with a good heart, great lessons, and fun for all!
Twelve 12-year-olds are selected for an overnight experience at their new public library. Little do they know, this is actually a set-up for the time of their lives. When the overnight is over, they find themselves locked-in. Their only hope is to figure out the clues and piece together the puzzles in order to win the ultimate prize.
Kyle was a great character. Realistically flawed yet a good role model for readers. The peripheral characters were also charmingly well-developed and really added to the story. Plus, where to even start on the setting? It was spectacularly fantastical, mixing just enough eccentricity in with reality to make it extraordinarily possible. I only hope kids aren't disappointed when their own libraries aren't quite as amazing (which is a mostly sarcastic observation).
I loved the seamless way learning was woven into the story. There is so much to discover about Dewey classification, the help librarians offer, and the fun that reading can be. Grabenstein's description of the kids getting caught up reading about Sherlock was almost tangible. This is children's literature, but it's not lazy in the least. Yet it's also completely accessible. It was fast-paced and had a good flow to it.
As others have mentioned, it reminded me of a cross between The Westing Game and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. However, I think I enjoyed this one more as it didn't have the pretentious, dark edge those two presented (more so the latter). This was just a fun jaunt through the library with a good heart, great lessons, and fun for all!
May 9, 2023
3.5 stars
This one was fun, but it took me a bit to get into it. There was a lot going on, and overall I liked the premise. I don't think that I'm the right reader for this book, but I love that this is a book that I feel would be great for middle grade girls or boys to read. So many I read feel like they're more for girls.
This one was fun, but it took me a bit to get into it. There was a lot going on, and overall I liked the premise. I don't think that I'm the right reader for this book, but I love that this is a book that I feel would be great for middle grade girls or boys to read. So many I read feel like they're more for girls.
Audio book source: Libby
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Jesse Bernstein
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Middle Grade
Length:6h 20m
August 22, 2020
Star Rating: —> 4 Stars
I was feeling the need for a simple, fun, library based MG read, and I got what I came for & more! Loved this!
I was feeling the need for a simple, fun, library based MG read, and I got what I came for & more! Loved this!
July 28, 2014
A fun, entertaining read. Unfortunately, some people might decide not to bother with reading this book since it seems too reminiscent of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." But before you make any hasty decisions, I'm glad to inform you Chris Grabenstein readily addresses the similarities and in quite an amusing manner. There were multiple references to books scattered throughout, which I found quite delightful. How could you not enjoy a book that's meant to teach children the wonderful joys and hidden treasures contained within a public library?
Technology was woven throughout this book, but it was done in such a manner that showed how it can be used for good and not bad. I guess sometimes technology is considered so much more exciting than books it makes me worry what the future may hold. I wonder if one day kids will forgo books entirely for video games. Luckily, this book gave me the hope to think otherwise. I really enjoyed seeing Kyle's interest in reading flourish. It didn't take him too long to realize books are just as good as "watching a 3-D IMAX movie in his head."
I thought some of the trivia and questions might be pretty hard for 12 year olds, especially considering most kids nowadays don't even know the slightest thing about "Hawaii Five-O" or Agatha Christie. Shoot, some of the questions were hard for me! I could be wrong though ;p.
There were a lot of good messages scattered throughout this book as well. I won't spoil them for you, but I was glad to see there were repercussions and rewards for the children's behavior. The riddles were truly enjoyable and I found myself scrambling to figure them out as well.
If you love books, then "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" is a definite must read!
P.S. - There's even an unsolved mystery mentioned at the end of the book! I'm working on figuring it out, but it's certainly a bit of a challenge.
Technology was woven throughout this book, but it was done in such a manner that showed how it can be used for good and not bad. I guess sometimes technology is considered so much more exciting than books it makes me worry what the future may hold. I wonder if one day kids will forgo books entirely for video games. Luckily, this book gave me the hope to think otherwise. I really enjoyed seeing Kyle's interest in reading flourish. It didn't take him too long to realize books are just as good as "watching a 3-D IMAX movie in his head."
I thought some of the trivia and questions might be pretty hard for 12 year olds, especially considering most kids nowadays don't even know the slightest thing about "Hawaii Five-O" or Agatha Christie. Shoot, some of the questions were hard for me! I could be wrong though ;p.
There were a lot of good messages scattered throughout this book as well. I won't spoil them for you, but I was glad to see there were repercussions and rewards for the children's behavior. The riddles were truly enjoyable and I found myself scrambling to figure them out as well.
If you love books, then "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" is a definite must read!
P.S. - There's even an unsolved mystery mentioned at the end of the book! I'm working on figuring it out, but it's certainly a bit of a challenge.
November 8, 2022
this book was a fun, easy story to read. everything was really detailed and intricate and the riddles were complex and difficult. there was always something going on that helped progress the plot.
July 27, 2022
This light, exciting adventure is a perfect summer-reading book for all ages! The puzzles are original and the characters are as well. There’s a bounty of literary references and historic book-lore. It would be amazing to explore a library with even one magical feature present in Mr. Lemoncello’s extraordinary menagerie!!
December 18, 2018
Hay tuyệt cú mèo!!! Trời ơi mấy kiểu giải đố để tìm được lối ra này kia là mình khoái lắm (kiểu người thích mấy trò thử thách cần dùng tới não và suy luận :D) nên là đọc cuốn này như cá gặp nước :D Đã vậy ngài Lemoncello còn thòng thêm câu này nữa:
Ha ha ha, chỗ nào có ăn là mình chui vô à :)))) (người 24 tuổi rồi vẫn còn ham ăn đấy các bạn ạ =)))))) Trời ơi muốn cái thư viện này có thật, muốn được tham gia giải đố cùng tụi nhỏ quá ư ư ư!!! (mặc dù đầu óc tư duy này kia thì chẳng bằng ai :D).
Vì cuốn này là bản dịch, mấy câu đố, dữ kiện và cả lời giải đố đều phải được Việt hóa cho phù hợp với ngôn ngữ của cuốn sách, nên chắc chắn là sự tinh quái của những câu đố ở bản gốc đã mất đi ít nhiều. Nhưng mà không sao (vì thật ra mình cũng chả hiểu lắm lời giải của mấy câu đố ấy vận hành như thế nào :D), bởi vì theo cảm nhận của mình, cốt lõi cái hay của cuốn sách này không chỉ nằm ở những câu đố, mà còn nằm ở cái cách tác giả Chris Grabenstein xây dựng bầu không khí thi đua đầy hồi hộp giữa hai nhóm thí sinh: một nhóm của Kyle Keeley (nhóm những đứa trẻ đáng yêu dễ thương thông minh tốt bụng) và nhóm của Charles Chilltington (cái thằng này thì đáng ghét mất dạy kiêu căng tự phụ khỏi nói!).
Nhịp điệu và diễn tiến câu chuyện vô cùng nhanh và căng thẳng, kiểu cỡ mình mà còn thấy căng, thấy hồi hộp thì huống hồ gì tụi nhỏ 12 tuổi ^^ (vậy mà mấy em vẫn giải đố như đúng rồi, thế mới ghê :D). Đặc biệt mình cực kỳ thích cái cách tác giả khiến mình càng ngày càng yêu mến nhóm của Kyle và ủng hộ các em giành chiến thắng, dõi theo sát sao từng bước đường suy luận và hành động của các em để tới cái đích cuối cùng, giữa cảnh thằng Charles Chiltington thích dùng mấy trò chơi bẩn và đâm sau lưng đối thủ để giành lợi thế (chùi ui đọc mà đâm ghét thằng nhóc này khủng khiếp luôn ý!). Giống như thể mình thực sự đang theo dõi một cuộc chạy đua, thi đấu đích thực ngoài đời, tay cứ lần giở sách liên hồi mặc dù hai mắt đã muốn díp lại :D
Cực thích cô bé Sierra Russell, kiểu người thông minh bác học theo hướng mọt sách, nhưng ra đời thì hơi bị thơ ngây trước mấy trò chơi xấu của kẻ gian (giống như mình ^^). Còn cái thư viện của ngài Lemoncello cùng những thiết bị, hiệu ứng góp phần vào cuộc thi thì ôi thôi, đọc thích phải biết ^^ Cuối sách tác giả có tiết lộ một câu đố bí ẩn được cài cắm vào câu chuyện, độc giả nào đọc xong mà biết lời giải thì email cho tác giả để lượm quà. Nhưng quá đáng tiếc, mình thêm chí còn ch�� nhận ra có câu đố dành cho độc giả được cài trong câu chuyện nữa, lên mạng kiếm thì cũng có khối người giải ra rồi ý (có cả mấy em nhỏ cỡ tuổi mấy nhân vật hoặc nhỏ hơn nữa ^^), nhưng tuyệt nhiên chả ai tiết lộ điều gì, nên là thôi đi ha :)) Phận này ngu muội nên đành cúi đầu trước tác giả :D
P.S.: Cuốn này đã được dựng thành TV movie trên kênh Nickelodeon rồi đấy ạ. Trailer đây nha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1nOp...
Trông có vẻ không được giống sách lắm, đặc biệt là cái vụ first puzzle (méo nhớ trong sách có cái này...): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uagpL...
Nhưng mà thôi kệ, để xem thử xem thế nào ^^
Với lại bản dịch của NXb Trẻ có chỗ này hoàn toàn sai: tên cuốn sách The Westing Game của Ellen Raskin bị dịch thành "Vui với những trò chơi miền Viễn Tây". Mình đọc mà thấy ngứa ngứa, vì chữ "Westing" trong tựa đề cuốn sách là tên riêng, tên của Samuel Westing, người tổ chức ra trò chơi trong câu chuyện, chứ chẳng phải miền Viễn Tây Viễn Đông gì cả... Nếu dịch đúng ra phải là "Trò chơi của ngài Westing" hoặc đại loại vậy. Trước khi dịch sách không biết dịch giả Trần Hạo Triết có đọc qua tóm tắt của những cuốn sách được đề cập đến trong tác phẩm này không nữa... Mấy cuốn kia mình không biết rõ nên không có nhận xét gì, chỉ riêng cuốn "The Westing Game" này mình đã đọc qua và biết cốt truyện của nó là như thế nào nên cảm thấy cần phải lên tiếng.
"Cứ hình dung là trò chơi này giống như phim Đấu trường Sinh tử nhưng thay vì phải bắn cung, lũ trẻ sẽ được ăn uống ngập bụng."
Ha ha ha, chỗ nào có ăn là mình chui vô à :)))) (người 24 tuổi rồi vẫn còn ham ăn đấy các bạn ạ =)))))) Trời ơi muốn cái thư viện này có thật, muốn được tham gia giải đố cùng tụi nhỏ quá ư ư ư!!! (mặc dù đầu óc tư duy này kia thì chẳng bằng ai :D).
Vì cuốn này là bản dịch, mấy câu đố, dữ kiện và cả lời giải đố đều phải được Việt hóa cho phù hợp với ngôn ngữ của cuốn sách, nên chắc chắn là sự tinh quái của những câu đố ở bản gốc đã mất đi ít nhiều. Nhưng mà không sao (vì thật ra mình cũng chả hiểu lắm lời giải của mấy câu đố ấy vận hành như thế nào :D), bởi vì theo cảm nhận của mình, cốt lõi cái hay của cuốn sách này không chỉ nằm ở những câu đố, mà còn nằm ở cái cách tác giả Chris Grabenstein xây dựng bầu không khí thi đua đầy hồi hộp giữa hai nhóm thí sinh: một nhóm của Kyle Keeley (nhóm những đứa trẻ đáng yêu dễ thương thông minh tốt bụng) và nhóm của Charles Chilltington (cái thằng này thì đáng ghét mất dạy kiêu căng tự phụ khỏi nói!).
Nhịp điệu và diễn tiến câu chuyện vô cùng nhanh và căng thẳng, kiểu cỡ mình mà còn thấy căng, thấy hồi hộp thì huống hồ gì tụi nhỏ 12 tuổi ^^ (vậy mà mấy em vẫn giải đố như đúng rồi, thế mới ghê :D). Đặc biệt mình cực kỳ thích cái cách tác giả khiến mình càng ngày càng yêu mến nhóm của Kyle và ủng hộ các em giành chiến thắng, dõi theo sát sao từng bước đường suy luận và hành động của các em để tới cái đích cuối cùng, giữa cảnh thằng Charles Chiltington thích dùng mấy trò chơi bẩn và đâm sau lưng đối thủ để giành lợi thế (chùi ui đọc mà đâm ghét thằng nhóc này khủng khiếp luôn ý!). Giống như thể mình thực sự đang theo dõi một cuộc chạy đua, thi đấu đích thực ngoài đời, tay cứ lần giở sách liên hồi mặc dù hai mắt đã muốn díp lại :D
Cực thích cô bé Sierra Russell, kiểu người thông minh bác học theo hướng mọt sách, nhưng ra đời thì hơi bị thơ ngây trước mấy trò chơi xấu của kẻ gian (giống như mình ^^). Còn cái thư viện của ngài Lemoncello cùng những thiết bị, hiệu ứng góp phần vào cuộc thi thì ôi thôi, đọc thích phải biết ^^ Cuối sách tác giả có tiết lộ một câu đố bí ẩn được cài cắm vào câu chuyện, độc giả nào đọc xong mà biết lời giải thì email cho tác giả để lượm quà. Nhưng quá đáng tiếc, mình thêm chí còn ch�� nhận ra có câu đố dành cho độc giả được cài trong câu chuyện nữa, lên mạng kiếm thì cũng có khối người giải ra rồi ý (có cả mấy em nhỏ cỡ tuổi mấy nhân vật hoặc nhỏ hơn nữa ^^), nhưng tuyệt nhiên chả ai tiết lộ điều gì, nên là thôi đi ha :)) Phận này ngu muội nên đành cúi đầu trước tác giả :D
P.S.: Cuốn này đã được dựng thành TV movie trên kênh Nickelodeon rồi đấy ạ. Trailer đây nha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1nOp...
Trông có vẻ không được giống sách lắm, đặc biệt là cái vụ first puzzle (méo nhớ trong sách có cái này...): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uagpL...
Nhưng mà thôi kệ, để xem thử xem thế nào ^^
Với lại bản dịch của NXb Trẻ có chỗ này hoàn toàn sai: tên cuốn sách The Westing Game của Ellen Raskin bị dịch thành "Vui với những trò chơi miền Viễn Tây". Mình đọc mà thấy ngứa ngứa, vì chữ "Westing" trong tựa đề cuốn sách là tên riêng, tên của Samuel Westing, người tổ chức ra trò chơi trong câu chuyện, chứ chẳng phải miền Viễn Tây Viễn Đông gì cả... Nếu dịch đúng ra phải là "Trò chơi của ngài Westing" hoặc đại loại vậy. Trước khi dịch sách không biết dịch giả Trần Hạo Triết có đọc qua tóm tắt của những cuốn sách được đề cập đến trong tác phẩm này không nữa... Mấy cuốn kia mình không biết rõ nên không có nhận xét gì, chỉ riêng cuốn "The Westing Game" này mình đã đọc qua và biết cốt truyện của nó là như thế nào nên cảm thấy cần phải lên tiếng.
November 4, 2013
Mr. Lemoncello has the coolest library on the face of the planet! Sigh. Too bad it isn't a real place. Kyle and his friends win a chance to be the first to experience the new library and play some fun games. Mr. Lemoncello is, after all, a game creating genius. But the overnighter takes an unexpected turn when the door won't open in the morning and a new game is introduced. The game requires those who participate to find an alternative exit to the library, but they only have 24 hours to do it. Kyle and his friends must decide how to approach the game using only the resources in the library and each other. But will they work together and share the prize or alone?
Strengths: I loved the library in this book, it sounds absolutely awesome, with lots of bells and whistles as well as the books themselves. Kyle is a fun, nice kid who tries to do the right thing even when it is disadvantageous. The puzzles are fabulous and I enjoyed them a great deal. The references to literature are great as well. While a lot of kids might not recognize some of the book references the book is till very enjoyable and they should get at least a few of them. Loved this one!
Weaknesses: Didn't see many, except maybe the references to adult literature, but the book can be enjoyed even without knowing all the books that are referred to.
Strengths: I loved the library in this book, it sounds absolutely awesome, with lots of bells and whistles as well as the books themselves. Kyle is a fun, nice kid who tries to do the right thing even when it is disadvantageous. The puzzles are fabulous and I enjoyed them a great deal. The references to literature are great as well. While a lot of kids might not recognize some of the book references the book is till very enjoyable and they should get at least a few of them. Loved this one!
Weaknesses: Didn't see many, except maybe the references to adult literature, but the book can be enjoyed even without knowing all the books that are referred to.
February 22, 2016
Για όσους λατρεύουν τα βιβλία, δεν υπάρχει μεγαλύτερη χαρά από ένα χώρο γεμάτο βιβλία. Αυτός ο χώρος θα μπορούσε να είναι είτε ένα βιβλιοπωλείο είτε μια βιβλιοθήκη. Επίσης, αν είστε τόσο nerd όσο εγώ, δεν υπάρχει καλύτερος συνδυασμός από βιβλία, παιχνίδια και γρίφους, όλα μέσα σε ένα περιβάλλον "παιδικής χαράς"και υψηλής τεχνολογίας.
Μην περιμένετε μεγάλες περιπέτειες και κακούς που καταδιώκουν τα παιδιά, το βιβλίο αφορά μια χαλαρή απολαυστική περιπέτεια μέσα στη βιβλιοθήκη, με απόλυτη ασφάλεια. Φανταστείτε μια περιπέτεια του Ρόαλντ Νταλ, αλλά με βιβλία!!!!!!
Μην περιμένετε μεγάλες περιπέτειες και κακούς που καταδιώκουν τα παιδιά, το βιβλίο αφορά μια χαλαρή απολαυστική περιπέτεια μέσα στη βιβλιοθήκη, με απόλυτη ασφάλεια. Φανταστείτε μια περιπέτεια του Ρόαλντ Νταλ, αλλά με βιβλία!!!!!!
March 16, 2016
I relish creativity, the bravery to make-up possibilities! I am amazed at how much fun this novel is; a writer appreciative of exciting stories. Dialogue sped naturally. We needn’t care about phrases being au-courant. I never compare literature to berate it. There is no ownership on a whacky adventure. I would cherish this kind of extravaganza! I love “Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library” on its own merits, which are numerous. I venture to describe this story as: a younger, non-sullen “The Breakfast Club” and an urban, non-dangerous “The Goonies”!
Our protagonist is youngest of three brothers: good at video and board games but no match for them elsewhere. Readers root for Kyle to shine and he is honoured to discover that his brothers always considered him a team mate. We have a brainy reader who becomes admired by a new gaggle of friends and a girl whose family needed money but who felt good about putting friends first. “The Breakfast Club” bonding refers to peers who had not been buddies before; seeing schoolmates in a new light. “The Goonies” flavour of course, is this once-in-a-lifetime quest: each child using their talent and knowledge to solve clue after clue, culminating in a triumphant end-game.
Being able to speak to a departed, beloved librarian was touching. I was especially moved by the way Kyle’s heart leaped, because he could treat his whole family to a gift card! It’s wonderful seeing bookworm Sierra’s knowledge blossom into friendships and Kyle beginning to read. Imagine the wonderment of having free reign of a place, to brainstorm clues with friends and solve a highly-rewarding quest! It pays off, that Chris Grabenstein let himself carry zany ideas and Mr. Lemoncello’s personality, all the way! This cache of puzzles motivates us to think and to seek possibilities everywhere.
Our protagonist is youngest of three brothers: good at video and board games but no match for them elsewhere. Readers root for Kyle to shine and he is honoured to discover that his brothers always considered him a team mate. We have a brainy reader who becomes admired by a new gaggle of friends and a girl whose family needed money but who felt good about putting friends first. “The Breakfast Club” bonding refers to peers who had not been buddies before; seeing schoolmates in a new light. “The Goonies” flavour of course, is this once-in-a-lifetime quest: each child using their talent and knowledge to solve clue after clue, culminating in a triumphant end-game.
Being able to speak to a departed, beloved librarian was touching. I was especially moved by the way Kyle’s heart leaped, because he could treat his whole family to a gift card! It’s wonderful seeing bookworm Sierra’s knowledge blossom into friendships and Kyle beginning to read. Imagine the wonderment of having free reign of a place, to brainstorm clues with friends and solve a highly-rewarding quest! It pays off, that Chris Grabenstein let himself carry zany ideas and Mr. Lemoncello’s personality, all the way! This cache of puzzles motivates us to think and to seek possibilities everywhere.
November 5, 2024
The book’s dust jacket describes it as a cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the film A Night in the Museum; however, I found it more of equal parts Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The View from Saturday, and Key to the Treasure: children with different abilities banding together to win a contest of puzzles and growing into true friendship.
After 12 years without any library at all, Alexandriaville, Ohio (nod to the famed Library of Alexandria) gets a state-of-the-art new library courtesy of Luigi Lemoncello, an immigrant boy turned billionaire, the most famous and creative producer of games of every type: board games, card games, videogames, and puzzles. He credits his success to the Alexandriaville library and its empathetic librarian, Mrs. Gail Tobin, who took the young Luigi under her wing and went above and beyond for him, even improving his English.
Twelve-year-old Kyle Keeley isn’t much of a reader. (That would be his older brother Curtis or his best friend Akimi Hughes.) But he’s a fanatic for all types of games, most of them by Mr. Lemoncello. He lucks into being one of the 12 fortunate children who get to spend the night at the new library. And he can’t resist the challenge of joining a contest in which he escapes from the new library in return for a fabulous prize. To tell any more would be to ruin this wonderful book, but I can say that savored every page, loved the puzzles and appreciated the message that cooperation and empathy beat selfishness and deceit every time. Highly, highly recommended to kids and kids at heart.
Last but not least, while Kyle isn’t initially an avid reader and, therefore, unfamiliar with many of the titles mentioned, we bibliophiles will thrill at the mention of so many wonderful books, written for children and adults.
After 12 years without any library at all, Alexandriaville, Ohio (nod to the famed Library of Alexandria) gets a state-of-the-art new library courtesy of Luigi Lemoncello, an immigrant boy turned billionaire, the most famous and creative producer of games of every type: board games, card games, videogames, and puzzles. He credits his success to the Alexandriaville library and its empathetic librarian, Mrs. Gail Tobin, who took the young Luigi under her wing and went above and beyond for him, even improving his English.
Twelve-year-old Kyle Keeley isn’t much of a reader. (That would be his older brother Curtis or his best friend Akimi Hughes.) But he’s a fanatic for all types of games, most of them by Mr. Lemoncello. He lucks into being one of the 12 fortunate children who get to spend the night at the new library. And he can’t resist the challenge of joining a contest in which he escapes from the new library in return for a fabulous prize. To tell any more would be to ruin this wonderful book, but I can say that savored every page, loved the puzzles and appreciated the message that cooperation and empathy beat selfishness and deceit every time. Highly, highly recommended to kids and kids at heart.
Last but not least, while Kyle isn’t initially an avid reader and, therefore, unfamiliar with many of the titles mentioned, we bibliophiles will thrill at the mention of so many wonderful books, written for children and adults.
Read
June 24, 2022This book is perfect for second (advanced readers or as a book to be read to them) through sixth grade and is entertaining enough to be a good read aloud chapter book for parents. (Technical reading level is 4.5.) The book starts with ordinary elementary school kids, making the book easily relatable. It continues onto illustrate a library turned into kid paradise, from the video game room right down to the limited adult supervision. All of this is set amidst Mr. Lemoncello's challenge to the kids that they must solve a puzzle in order to get out. Granbenstein has even inserted his own puzzle into the book so that readers have an additional mystery to solve. This much intrigue within a wonderfully unique setting kept me reading at a fast pace - and I loved every minute of it.
– Tiffany M.
This is a library I would love to visit. Think Willy Wonka meets a library and you'll only be part way to the fun, games, quests, and adventures that await in this magical book. If you love libraries and all they have to offer, or even if you don't, this is the one you'll wish was in your neighborhood.
- Jennifer K.
Check it out!
Scottsdale Public Library
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library written by Chris Grabenstein is a humorous action book in which a group of seventh graders win a chance to spend overnight locked in the town’s new public library. The next day, they are invited to stay to play a game created by Mr. Lemoncello, a billionaire as well as the founder of the library, in which they use resources inside the library to escape. The winner gets fame and glory and will star in all of Lemoncello’s commercials. I truly enjoyed the book as it brings out the themes of perseverance and teamwork and involves puzzle and mystery as well.
- Shankar C., SPL Teen Volunteer
– Tiffany M.
This is a library I would love to visit. Think Willy Wonka meets a library and you'll only be part way to the fun, games, quests, and adventures that await in this magical book. If you love libraries and all they have to offer, or even if you don't, this is the one you'll wish was in your neighborhood.
- Jennifer K.
Check it out!
Scottsdale Public Library
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library written by Chris Grabenstein is a humorous action book in which a group of seventh graders win a chance to spend overnight locked in the town’s new public library. The next day, they are invited to stay to play a game created by Mr. Lemoncello, a billionaire as well as the founder of the library, in which they use resources inside the library to escape. The winner gets fame and glory and will star in all of Lemoncello’s commercials. I truly enjoyed the book as it brings out the themes of perseverance and teamwork and involves puzzle and mystery as well.
- Shankar C., SPL Teen Volunteer
November 1, 2016
Rating: 3.75* of five, rounded up because DAMN!
Want to know something? I read this book *after* its sequel! Want to know something else? I hate reading Young Readers books! And guess what? No, you guess, c'mon! C'mon, please? Oh okay: I did NOT hate reading this book OR its sequel!
I know, right?
Chris Grabenstein writes for middle-graders like a middle-grader would, and I mean that as a compliment. He gets right into the mindset of a young person in a way that I don't see a lot of adult writers doing. He anticipates the questions a younger reader is most likely going to ask and, before they can even be posed consciously, leads the reader to the answer while making it seem they've gotten ahead of the author. That's quality writing for any age, let alone the finicky and detail-oriented 9-to-12 market.
Want to know something? I read this book *after* its sequel! Want to know something else? I hate reading Young Readers books! And guess what? No, you guess, c'mon! C'mon, please? Oh okay: I did NOT hate reading this book OR its sequel!
I know, right?
Chris Grabenstein writes for middle-graders like a middle-grader would, and I mean that as a compliment. He gets right into the mindset of a young person in a way that I don't see a lot of adult writers doing. He anticipates the questions a younger reader is most likely going to ask and, before they can even be posed consciously, leads the reader to the answer while making it seem they've gotten ahead of the author. That's quality writing for any age, let alone the finicky and detail-oriented 9-to-12 market.
February 25, 2025
I’m a fan of Willy Wonka. I’m also a fan of The Westing Game, Night in the Museum, National Treasure, and the first Brixton Brothers book. This book had elements of all of these and ended up being pretty fun. :D
Okay, libraries are pretty cool to start with, but I’m not sure any can compare to this one. There’s a hoverboard for checking out books on higher shelves, holographic statues, and huge screens on the ceiling to represent the Dewey decimal system. And much more. At first, especially during the construction scenes, I had trouble picturing the library since it is pretty bizarre, but after awhile I was able to build a picture in my head. ;)
The games were very fun and clever, though not too hard that a middle-grade reader couldn’t enjoy trying to solve them along with the characters. There were a ton of literary references too. :D :D Mr. Lemoncello talks almost entirely in book titles, and reading a couple Sherlock Holmes’ short stories helped the characters figure out a clue. (A+ for that!) Mrs. Tobin is the classic librarian.
I really liked the concept of learning to appreciate and use all the tools a library has to offer. (I think we miss what a goldmine they are sometimes.) I feel like I should learn the Dewey decimal system now. XD The characters were pretty cool, and Kyle was a great protagonist. My favorite part though was how compassion, teamwork, and determination were what in the end won the game. (Thanks to some bonus clues. :D)
Just a note, there are a few instances of mean children and a couple slang words.
Best quote: “Congratulations, Rose!” cried Mr. Lemoncello, who had put on a pointy party hat. “For sticking to your prior commitments, you will receive our special Prior Commitment Sticker prize: a complete set of Lemoncello Sticker Picture Games and a laptop computer to play them on! Enjoy.”
Altogether, this book kept me amused and guessing. ;)
Okay, libraries are pretty cool to start with, but I’m not sure any can compare to this one. There’s a hoverboard for checking out books on higher shelves, holographic statues, and huge screens on the ceiling to represent the Dewey decimal system. And much more. At first, especially during the construction scenes, I had trouble picturing the library since it is pretty bizarre, but after awhile I was able to build a picture in my head. ;)
The games were very fun and clever, though not too hard that a middle-grade reader couldn’t enjoy trying to solve them along with the characters. There were a ton of literary references too. :D :D Mr. Lemoncello talks almost entirely in book titles, and reading a couple Sherlock Holmes’ short stories helped the characters figure out a clue. (A+ for that!) Mrs. Tobin is the classic librarian.
I really liked the concept of learning to appreciate and use all the tools a library has to offer. (I think we miss what a goldmine they are sometimes.) I feel like I should learn the Dewey decimal system now. XD The characters were pretty cool, and Kyle was a great protagonist. My favorite part though was how compassion, teamwork, and determination were what in the end won the game. (Thanks to some bonus clues. :D)
Just a note, there are a few instances of mean children and a couple slang words.
Best quote: “Congratulations, Rose!” cried Mr. Lemoncello, who had put on a pointy party hat. “For sticking to your prior commitments, you will receive our special Prior Commitment Sticker prize: a complete set of Lemoncello Sticker Picture Games and a laptop computer to play them on! Enjoy.”
Altogether, this book kept me amused and guessing. ;)
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