Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Chris Granbenstein
Random House, 2013

Even before Willy Wonka is mentioned, readers will note the similarities between Mr. Lemoncello and Wonka: both are as quirky and eccentric as they come, and both enjoy creating a mysterious "playground" of sorts for children to explore. The nice ones survive and move ahead; the mean kids are out of luck.

In Mr. Lemoncello's case, it's a new library for a town that's been without for twelve years. Mr. Lemoncello is a famous game maker--both board and video--who's now a billionaire and decides to create the ultimate library + game for this small town that gave him his own beginnings in puzzle making and solving. In true eccentric fashion, his library will open with twelve twelve year olds playing an elaborate game of "escape from the library" in one 24-hour period. Kyle Keeley, game player extraordinaire but NOT a reader, is one of the twelve lucky participants, and he can hardly wait. His other eleven companions are the types of characters that enable the reader to immediately guess who's going to win and who's going to lose. After all, jerks and wimps are pretty easy to recognize, but team players nearly always get ahead--at least in books!

The game makes this book: it's elaborate, full of tricks like holographic former librarians, and is all being supervised by the actively involved Mr. Lemoncello (albeit from a distance through video cams).

What doesn't make this book are the very things that are probably supposed to make the book: the myriad references to libraries and books. Oh, the books which are referenced! Favorites of this reader, to be sure--grown-up books, kids' books, old books, new books. I had a great time noting the references, some of which are quite obscure. And there's the problem: what twelve year old who really has read enough to get all those references is going to pick this book to read next? And, if you're a gamer like Kyle who doesn't like to read, will you get any of the references? Will you really want to go read all those books?

No, I'm afraid Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, although it's getting lots of praise from professional reviews, is not going to be the crowd pleaser people seem to think it will be. It's a fun read, but it's hard to figure out who the audience will be who really gets into this: grown-up librarians or the type of kids it's about?

I rarely say this, but I think this book--ironically enough--would make a better movie than book. It's high adventure and would beg for terrific special effects. But a good read? Hmm...

Age recommendation: 9-12/middle grades
Book cover from publisher

Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things

Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things (Mister Max, Book 1)
Cynthia Voigt
Iacopo Bruno, illustrator
Knopf, 2013

Voigt is a well known author, to be sure (especially for her Tillerman books--Dicey's Song was a Newbery winner from back in the day). She also won the Margaret A. Edwards award in 1995 (for lifetime achievement). And yet, we haven't heard much from her in recent years.

There's no question that Voigt can write, and write well at that. On the surface, her latest book seemed tailor made for me: I love a good mystery. I enjoy historic time periods and settings. I relish a good, open ending. Quirky characters, a dog, some art, the life of the theater--what's not to like?

When the book opens, Max's parents--both actors and owners of the Starling Theater Company--are planning a monumental trip to India. Max gets to go along. Until the day his parents board the boat and the boat leaves...without him. But, because Max is a quick thinker, he soon finds out that the boat they were supposed to board didn't exist. Therefore, did the whole trip exist? Are his parents in trouble? Did they know about this ahead of time? Is this an elaborate game or some nefarious plot? The reader doesn't know either, and we spend the next several hundred pages working on this mystery along with Max.

Thankfully, Max's grandmother lives close by, so he's not completely alone at the tender age of 12. He also has his painting instructor, a new tutor, and a new spunky girl to help him make sense of life and survive. And survive he does through his newly created "Mister Max" business: he solves minor mysteries for hire. Each time Max shows up for a new job, he's crafted a new disguise using his parents' many costumes. Thus, no one knows it's really a twelve year old boy underneath.

By the end of the book, we've learned a lot about Max and his parents (including where they are, although not how/why they got there), and Max has helped long lost lovers reunite, his painting instructor discover a new technique, and made some good friends. We're nicely set up, too, for the next book in the series.

And yet... Frankly, this book was too long. I finished it several weeks ago and am still mulling over just what didn't work. I enjoyed the characterization both of Max and the supporting cast. I enjoyed the overall dramatic framework of the book ("Act I"). But the length of the book draws out the mystery surrounding the parents' disappearance a little too long. We're bored with where his parents might be by the end and are much more invested in the here and now with Max and his new friends.

Age recommendation: 9-12/middle grades
Cover image from publisher
Thanks to publisher via netgalley for ARC!

Liar & Spy

Liar & Spy
Rebecca Stead
Random House
2012


Thankfully, since Rebecca Stead has received a Newbery Honor recently (for When You Reach Me, now on my to-read list for sure!), you can bet this latest book of hers will hit library shelves in reasonably short order. Until that time, you can find it in stores this month (starting today, I believe).

I mention that because this is a terrific little book. So often these days, middle grade fiction runs upward of 250 pages! Not bad if you're a voracious reader, but what if you aren't? What if you don't even like reading?

Than you, Ms. Stead, for giving us a delightful book that clocks in at under 200 pages.

Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics

Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics
John Feinstein
Random House
2012



Apparently this is a "Final Four Mystery," number 6 to be exact. I read this particular one first, and, if it's like the earlier ones in this series, I've made a nice little discovery!

Mysteries are often a touch formulaic, but that's part of their charm. We know the kid sleuths will solve the mystery and save the day (remember Nancy Drew?). We know there will be a tad bit of danger, some intrigue, an action-heavy plot, and some slimy bad guys. This is what makes these books fun. And Rush for the Gold delivers nicely. The "story" qualities in mysteries are usually not as heavily crafted; these aren't books to savor--they're books to swim through, enjoying the fast pace.

Code of Silence

Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes with a Price
Tim Shoemaker
Zonderkidz
2012


Three eighth grade kids are eye witnesses to an armed robbery and potential murder at their favorite local diner. One of them is partially seen by the bad guys; the message to the witness, under cover of darkness, is "We'll find you. We'll make sure you don't talk." (OK, that's a rough paraphrase ☺). The problem? Two of the bad guys, though masked, were clearly wearing cop pants.... Are the police in on it? The kids' plan? A code of silence: tell no one (not even their parents). Hide the security camera's hard drive they swiped. Lay low. Play it cool. When the cops show up at their school to start questioning kids, the code of silence trio know the game is up--or very nearly so. These bad guys aren't messing around....

Truth
Because this is a book from a well known Christian publisher, it's no surprise that references to God and prayer are thrown around in the book. Unlike many prayers-as-evangelistic-opportunities, these one liners are the whispers of desperate kids. The code of silence trio are presumably Christians; some of their families and peers ask them if they're praying, and the kids themselves reference their own prayers. Yet, there is no overt gospel message or even remotely identifiable denominational label. This book will appeal just fine to nominal Christians and even a broader audience. That being said, one of the things I appreciated in this book is the characters' honesty and recognition that their continual lies--necessitated by their commitment to their code of silence--are creating a barrier between them and their families and the Lord. By the end of the book, this is all reconciled, and their hearts are predictably more at peace. "Lying doesn't pay" comes through loud and clear as the book builds to its climax. Another theme I appreciated is the subtle idea that kids don't always know what's best. Novel in this day and age, I can assure you. Here's a middle grades novel that wraps up with the kids taking matters in their own hands at their peril. The parents don't exactly "save the day," but the kids do realize at the end that they should have trusted their parents from the get go as well as the others in authority over them. Nice. (And yet, I don't feel the book is too preachy and "message-y".)

Story:
This is your classic mystery with a nice twist at the end. Writing is pretty good for mystery standards, which I was pleased with. The perspective changes a few times between the three main characters; this wasn't necessary, in my opinion, and gets a little distracting. In addition, the middle third of the book is a touch slow--just a touch. That being said, it's a gripping read, and I think kids who enjoy mysteries will like it a lot!

Reading:

• As with any book, Christian or not, ask your kids what they think of the actions of the main characters--would they have done the same thing? 
• It sounds, on a very few occasions, like the main characters might be taking the name of the Lord in vain. Arguable--what do your kids think? Is it justified? Is it a gasp of a prayer? 
• Ask your kids if there are times when they've been tempted to lie--is there ever an okay time to lie? What about trusting your parents? 
• Lots to discuss here--don't make this book a "teaching opportunity" but make note of some potential teachable moments that may crop up.

Happy Reading!

Book on shelves now; book reviewed via ARC from netgalley; cover image from Zonderkidz

Fading Tracks (a FaithGirlz Boarding School Mytery)

Fading Tracks
(FaithGirlz Boarding School Mystery)
Kristi Holl
Zonderkidz
2008



I am a snob about Christian literature. I'll admit it right here, right upfront. Oh, don't get me wrong--I've read PLENTY in my day. Why, back in the day, I practically lived on a steady diet of Grace Livingston Hill, Janette Oke, Bodie Thoene, Michael Phillips,....  But they are all kinda the same, aren't they? "Christian Disney" if you will**. So, you can imagine my smirks when I saw the FaithGirlz series in the public library--that "z" is a sure fire sign that this is "quality" literature, isn't it?

But you know what? It's not that bad. This is Nancy Drew in Christian form--well, a 12-year-old/6th grade girl in a private boarding school named Jeri (short for Jericho) in lieu of the slightly older Nancy Drew. If you love mysteries and good clean fun--you might want to check these out.

Truth: Overall, I really like how this book handled Jeri's Christian faith. There is no preachy-come-to-Jesus moment. There are no cheesy-prayers-which-are-really-evangelical-opportunities-in-disguise. In that respect, Jeri's faith seems genuine and unaffected. And, for that, we should applaud Kristi Holl. Well done. I also like that there's absolutely NO romance in this book--3 cheers for writing a story for girls where there is no pining after Mr. Right. Where Truth starts to slide over into truth is this: Jeri consistently disobeys those in authority over her--all in the guise of sleuthing and rescuing lost girls. Laudable reasons. But at one point, she seems to clearly feel that the Lord is leading her to do these things (she gets a hunch and feels that it's from the Lord). I'm uncomfortable with that. In my experience, the Lord doesn't usually lead us to obey authority, especially when the authority is not commanding us to sin. That is going to be a potentially dangerous message to pass onto impressionable middle school girls; let's be honest: how many outright laughable "hunches" did YOU have in the sixth grade?

Story: For what this short novel is, it's pretty well done. This isn't stellar writing--it's mystery writing for those who want an action packed story and a quick read. This particular genre doesn't usually lend itself to powerful prose that makes you want to stop and ponder....

Reading: Share these with the middle school girls in your life (or upper elementary). There are a slew of titles in the FaithGirlz series. But remember: you need to remind the young folks slurping these down to stop, take a breath, and think through whether the characters' actions are the right actions--even when those characters are Christians.

Sources: Book from local library; "Christian Disney" description from friend; cover image from goodreads

What Christian fiction for middle schoolers have YOU found to be worth reading?

Three by Kate Morton

The House at Riverton (2007; Pan Books)
The Forgotten Garden (2008; Pan Books)
The Distant Hours (2010; Atria)
Kate Morton



Kate Morton hails from Australia, but all of her books are set in England. I don't know if she has visited England, but her books have a remarkable sense of "place." And her three books bear other remarkable similarities to each other:

• a mysterious estate or castle in England filled with dark family secrets 
• aging family members who've held those secrets close 
• modern (ca. 1990s) heroine who finds tangible evidence of said secrets (like, a letter) 
• the awareness on the part of modern heroine that her own mother is somehow intimately connected with the mysterious castle and its strange inhabitants
• the revelation of said secrets through sleuthing by the modern heroine
• the gradual understanding of her own mother and family through the knowledge gained
• said secrets encompassing multiple issues: emotional love affairs and/or murder and/or suicide and/or betrayal and/or madness in the family...
• and an intricate plot slowly unraveled through jumping back and forth in time and between various narrators

Gothic in inspiration, full of references to book lovers and the profound impact even a single book can have on someone if it is read at the right impressionable age, and the overwhelming sense of place (and the effect that place has on its inhabitants and visitors) round out Morton's writing, making these novels some of my favorites for a long day of reading-on-the-couch-curled-up-under-a-blanket-and-sipping-tea. Once I get about halfway through one of these hefty tomes (think: 500 pages +/-), I cannot put the book down. I love me some good mystery. The reader gradually figures out what is going on before the big reveal(s), but, as I said in my goodreads review of The Forgotten Garden, "In my experience, a misty castle in the distance that gradually grows clearer and clearer as more details are ascertained never spoils a pleasant journey."
 
 I must confess that I don't enjoy the actual secrets that are revealed too much because they're often depressing, sordid, or just plain wrong--but the journey there is addictive. I like that Morton's books are pretty clean in the sense of anything being described explicitly, little foul language, and the like; but the dark family secrets involve some messy "stuff."

Is it possible to write a gripping mystery and dark Gothic novel without having the main historical characters be so disturbing? I know I haven't actually *read* Jane Eyre, but I know that's a good example of having dark secrets (and even a mad woman!). Hmm.... worth pondering.

For now, I space these kinds of books out in my reading...too much rich chocolate cake isn't good for me :-).

The London Eye Mystery

The London Eye Mystery
Siobhan Dowd
2007

Ted and Kat's cousin Salim (and his crazy mother Aunt Gloria) have come to visit unexpectedly for a couple of days. During their stay, Salim goes for a ride on the London Eye (the giant Ferris wheel on the banks of the Thames), but he doesn't get off. The rest of the book is focused on solving the mystery of how someone could get on the Eye--a closed system--and not get off at the end of the ride. Ted and Kat together solve the mystery!