Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Mr. Lemoncello's Library, #1)

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library has a clear audience: anyone who likes books. So it should be a great choice for anyone reading this blog (You like books, right? And libraries?). Grabenstein works to grab potentially more reluctant readers, as well, by combining this topic with the fun of board games and the cleverness of puzzles and puns. He brings readers not just into a library, but into Mr. Lemoncello’s library, which is filled not only with the latest technology (holograms, touchscreens, smartboards, etc.) but also with secrets.

The plot centers on a group of children who have been “trapped” in Mr. Lemoncello’s library and must follow a series of hidden clues in order to escape. All kinds of fun ensues as the children battle with wits and literary knowledge to be the first one out the door. In many cases, however, the puzzles are not ones that readers can figure out along with the characters. Kyle and his friends often use their knowledge of Mr. Lemoncello’s board games to solve their way through clues. While many of these games are clearly based on real versions (modified Trivial Pursuit, for example), they remain fictional and readers cannot be as immediately familiar with them, their rules, and their secret shortcuts as the characters. However, there are a few straight-up puzzles, like rebuses, and plenty of trivia questions that occasionally allow readers to get in on the game.

Read the rest of the reviews at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.