Description
This warm, delightful middle grade has it all - a mystery, a pop-up library, ghosts, a cat that protects mice, and a beautiful friendship.
The New York Times bestselling authors of Bob, Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass, introduce readers to a little free library guarded by a cat and a boy who takes on the mystery it keeps.
When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves,never suspecting that his life is about to change.
Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.
Told in turn by a ghost librarian named Al, an ageing (but beautiful) cat named Mortimer, andEvan himself,
The Lost Library is a timeless story from award-winning authors Rebecca Stead andWendy Mass. It's about owning your truth, choosing the life you want, and the power of a goodbook (and, of course, the librarian who gave it to you).
Review
When the remaining books that survived the fire that destroyed the Martinville Public Library twenty years earlier are put out on the nature strip as the start of a free little library, a magnificent chain reaction occurs.
Mortimer the cat, who was never seen outside, suddenly will not leave the library and provides a wonderful running commentary on its success. Eleven-year-old Evan borrows two books which reveal clues as to what started the fire, and he is determined to discover the truth.
This becomes even more important when he discovers that his reclusive Dad was working as an intern at the library and that he was (and still is) a suspect to the crime. Will Evan discover the truth, and will the once important library return to their small town?
This book is like a warm hug. Beautifully written with boys who are not afraid to show their feelings, an incredible cat, some ghosts and mice all trying to uncover the truth that ruined their library. Told in alternating short chapters it is a really easy read, with themes of the importance of libraries, friendship, determination, and a mystery to solve, this is a beautiful story that will be adored by all middle grade readers.
Reviewed by Rob
