Review – Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 25, 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0375870897
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5 stars

“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.

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience.”

This was a cute and quick read with some neat puzzles throughout. It is described as a blend of Charlie and the Chocolate factory and A Night at the Museum and that description fits the story perfectly. I enjoyed it but not enough to read more books in this series.

However, this was one my nine year old son set aside…he thought it took too long for the story to get going and thought it was “boring”. He’s a big fan of fantasy books (Harry Potter, Warriors, The Unwanteds); so maybe this just wasn’t his cup of tea.

Overall this was a quick read with some neat puzzles throughout the book. It calls out a lot of great literary books for kids which is great and hopefully will encourage kids who read it to go and pick up some of these other great books. I personally agreed with my son and thought it was a bit boring and simple. It’s enjoyable but not great. I would recommend to middle grade readers who enjoy puzzles and mysteries. Young adult and older readers will probably be a bit bored.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge