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Reviewed by: Juli Westrich, Elementary School Librarian Title: The Lost Library Author: Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 3-6 Genre/Type of Book: Fantasy/Mystery
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Includes a fire which resulted in death. Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: I was able to select it as an ARC and as soon as I saw the authors - Stead of "When You Reach Me" and Mass of "Candymakers," I knew this collaboration was a must-read! If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: This engaging middle grade mystery is full of twists and surprises. It speaks to the power of books, the power of truth, and the power of moving forward.
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Review:
A little free library appears - in a town with no library, not since it burned down 20 years ago - and Evan is determined, with the help of his best friend Rafe, to discover where it came from and what actually happened the night of the library fire. Told in alternating chapters by Evan, a library cat, and the former assistant librarian AL readers follow along with the characters as they uncover the truth, and discover when it is time to move on from the past. The major themes include persistence to uncover the truth, how that truth can help us let go of our regrets and embrace the future, and the impact of books on our ability to interact with the world.
Stead and Mass create an engaging story, with some fun magical elements such as cat and mouse communication techniques, several ghosts, and a mystery linked to books. Readers who enjoy unraveling the mystery along with the characters will love this book. It has a few surprises that, while not as jaw dropping as those in Stead’s other works, still have the WOW factor to shock readers and keep them glued to the pages to find out what happens next. The cover is warmly inviting, and filled with cute elements like the cat and mouse illustrations, yet also hints at the ghostly mystery within – engaging and mysterious without being too creepy!
There are a few ways to connect this story to curriculum. I would invite students to research and investigate the biographies of their favorite children’s book writers – using print or online sources - which connects to Evan’s discovery that his father was a voracious reader and user of the library which led to his writing career. Another is to investigate little free libraries and how to implement one within the school building or community.
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Find resources for The Lost Library at Teachingbooks.net
For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website
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