The Lost & Found by Katrina Leno

The Lost & Found

by Katrina Leno


An imaginative and unconventional YA novel that “crackles with wit, humor, and enormous love” (Booklist, starred review).

Frannie and Louis met online when they were both little and have been pen pals ever since. They have never met face-to-face, and they don’t know each other’s real names.

All they know is that they both have a mysterious tendency to lose things. Well, not lose them really. Things just seem to mysteriously disappear.

When they each receive surprising news in the mail, they set off on a road trip to Austin, Texas, looking for answers—and each other. Along the way, each one begins to find, as if by magic, important things the other has lost.

And by the time they finally meet in person, they realize that the things you lose might be things you weren’t meant to have at all, and that you never know what—or who—you might find if you just take a chance.

“The characters and the road trip alone are a winning combination. The premise is where the magic happens.” —Adi Alsaid, author of Let's Get Lost and Never Always Sometimes

“A rich, romantic story about two thoughtful teenagers on a quest for meaning.” —Publishers Weekly

“A beautiful exploration of loss. An emotional journey that’s well worth the ride.” —School Library Journal

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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Both Frannie and Louis had lost so much.

Frannie lost both her parents - one, when he stabbed her, the other to mental illness.
Louis lost his feeling of safety and living guilt free, when his twin sister lost her legs.

They found each other via an online therapy site, and had formed a genuine friendship over the years. With their futures up in the air, they decided to drive halfway across the country to take care of some business, and to meet one another. Along they way, objects they had inexplicably lost are found, as they both get closer and closer to finding themselves and inner peace.

This story was so wonderful! It was heartbreaking, heartwarming, amusing, touching, sweet, adorable, and magical. I instantly fell in love with Frannie and Louis, and wanted them to be "found". But, I didn't only fall in love with Frannie and Louis, I fell in love with all the characters in this book. Frannie's grandparents, Louis' sister, Frannie's cousin -- I adored them all. Each played such an important role in this story, and I loved that Leno made them such an integral and vital part of this book. Leno writes books, which captivate me and make me feel so much, and she did so again with The Lost & Found. The ideas presented in the story and the ending left me with a lot of think about, but also left me wanting a sequel.

This was such a lovely journey, and in my mind, I have created so many explanations for what the lost and found objects represent. I shocked myself by getting all choked up at the end too. In a word, this was exquisite!

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 21 February, 2020: Finished reading
  • 21 February, 2020: Reviewed