ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY by Chris Grabenstein

Again, I am posting on a day when I normally don't do book blogging, but this was another book too good to hold on to until October. And this one is already available in libraries and bookstores.

The opportunity to spend the night in the new town library turns into a weekend of puzzles and games for Kyle Keeley and eleven other kids. The essay contest winners are locked into the library and must complete puzzles - and follow the rules - to find the secret exit from the library. The first student out wins the grand prize.

This was my favorite book of the whole summer! I know my summary is really short, but I don't want to give away too much of the story because it unfolds so wonderfully.

This reminded me of one of my all-time favorite books, The Candymakers, in the contest and the tone and voice of the story and the interactions of the characters. It reminded me of The Westing Game because of the puzzles and the eccentric benefactor. Finally, it reminded me of the Winston Breen books because of the puzzles and clues. There are countless references to amazing books, and reading is extolled as a valuable investment of time. And the library is held up as a beacon in the community. I loved everything about this book. If I was a classroom teacher, this would be one of my first read-alouds of the year. I may still try to read a chapter of it to my library students this fall. I think this would work with kids in third grade and up.

Excellent! Outstanding! A joy!

5 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.5

Floors by Patrick Carman

Summary
Leo Fillmore lives in the Whippet Hotel, a quirky hotel full of quirky people and all sorts of secrets. Leo's dad is the janitor and handy-man at the Whippet, so Leo knows more of the secrets than most people. But the mysterious boxes that are left for him are full of secrets Leo never imagined. Leo will need to choose his friends wisely if he wants to discover the secrets of the boxes and save the Whippet Hotel from people who want to destroy it.

Review
I had read early reviews of Floors that compared it to one of my favorite pieces of children's literature, The Westing Game, and I think the comparisons are good. You have a quirky setting and quirky characters in both and people aren't who they appear to be. The strange rooms and the twists and turns will keep readers turning page after page in order to find out if Leo can save the day. The number "1" on the spine leads me to hope that there will be more adventures for Leo and the Whippet Hotel in the future.

4 out of 5 stars
AR level of 5.7

Recommended for: readers 10 and up, fans of The Westing Game or The Mysterious Benedict Society or other puzzle-type mysteries. Fans of Carman's other books, like the Land of Elyon series, won't be disappointed if they give Floors a try. It's a different style all together, but well done.

Cautions: none

Waiting on WEDNESDAY

My hope is that this holiday weekend (with a professional development day Friday and two fantasy football drafts and a visit from my inlaws) will leave enough time for me to read these three new books. I have been counting down the day for Unwanteds and Floors has been compared to The Westing Game which is an all-time favorite. Vordak would be quite put out if I didn't get to his latest.... treat, Rule the School. I'm not sure quite how to take Vordak. [I'm reading his first book right now.]

Waiting on Wednesday

  The Westing Game was one of my favorite books as a kid. In fact, my husband and I each brought a copy of it into our marriage (I took that as a sign that I had made the right choice in a husband!). 

This month, the publisher has released some of Raskin's other books, with fresh, new covers, and I have them in my library book bag - along with an audio version of Westing Game - waiting for some of my attention.



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