Ok, all you book nerds (that includes me). Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is the read aloud just for you. A high-spirited tale of a mysterious game designer (Mr. Lemoncello) and his new public library in his hometown, and a group of 12 years locked inside the library for the weekend with a game of “who can find the way out,” this book references more books than you could shake a stick at. It almost calls for some sort of literary bingo game as you read it aloud.
While there are definitive echoes of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka and a host of other classic stories, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library holds its own, if only for the sheer fun of reading the story. I enjoyed how board games and game design were baked right into the plot itself. And what book nerd (again, like me) isn’t drawn in when a new library is the setting for a mystery and adventure, and where the characters learn teamwork and wits are the key to winning the game set in motion by Lemoncello. Plus, add all the cool technology inside the library (and not at the expense of the books), and you have a solid read from start to finish.
Get out your bingo boards and read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. You won’t be disappointed.
Peace (in the game),
Kevin