The writing was good but I couldn't get into it. As a librarian at a low income school, this book is something that none of my students would recognize.

My favorite place to take my kids when they were little was to the library. A book set in a library is a very fun premise! I enjoyed the characters and the entertaining missions. I enjoyed the variety and how Lenora handled her quest. A wonderfully fun adventurous read.

Somehow I overlooked this title in my virtual stack of TBR books when I downloaded it from Netgalley in 2019. Today I rectified that mistake,, and let me tell you, it is even more relevant today now that the Forces of Darkness are roaming freely through our libraries. They may not be wearing bowler hats but they are just as intent on keeping children from asking questions and looking for answers in books.
Eleven year old Lenora a bright articulate girl emotionally abused by the adults in her life, takes refuge in the library and finds herself in a magical world. She talks herself into a job as an associate assistance librarian with a duty to provide help whenever and wherever needed. By reading and using her wits she successfully navigates time travel, rescuing a colony of penguins, harnessing the power of ants to reshelve a collection of books, all the while resisting the Thought Police trying to restrict access to books and information. One of the most profoundly disturbing episodes takes place in a series of empty rooms, representing all the knowledge of civilizations lost to the modern world.
This is a book classified for Middle School. If I were a classroom teacher, it would be my first read-aloud of the year. It is a witty, entertaining fast-paced story, but most importantly, it is a cautionary tale for all ages.

Unfortunately, even this librarian disliked this fantastical stories about libraries. I felt that it was boring and uninspiring.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, thinking from the cover and description that it might be something my kids would enjoy. I decided to read it first and found this book highly entertaining. As I told my kids, it's probably the most entertained I have been by a children's chapter book since Lois Lowry's Gooney Bird Green. I am happy to pass it on to them so I got them the audiobook from the library. I fully expect them to listen to it several times and beg for the sequel (which I too will be listening to!) There were a couple of comments in the book that are not compatible with our family's beliefs about a young earth, but they were in passing and not enough for me to have any qualms about sharing this delightful story with my kids.

A young girl loves the library, which is her safe place. But when the library proves to be a magical place where the librarians work to save the world, she finds it to be more dangerous than she could imagine but also the most exciting thing she has ever experienced. Middle grade readers will find this a satisfying fantasy and look forward to more adventures in the Library of Ever.

This book was a fun read, perfect for late elementary-aged children. It has excitement and intrigue that children will enjoy and also brings up some important topics, such as censorship. This will be a great recommendation for some of our younger patrons that are avid library users. I am excited to get book #2!

What a fun middle grade book for the adventurer and those who want to escape reality for awhile. Lenora is always stuck with a nanny while her parents travel the globe. But when she goes to a library with her ever bored nanny Lenora ends up with a job in a magical library! Mayhem and adventures ensue.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Lenora was bored. Her parents have been travelling around the globe, but Lenora has been stuck at home with her nanny. She loves learning and adventure, so when she sneaks away from her nanny and stumbles upon a secret doorway that leads into the Library of Ever, she quickly dives right in. She accepts a job as a librarian and is sent all around the library to solve problems and put things in order with courage and imagination. Her adventures take her into the future with a time-travelling robot, to Wales on the back of a whale, around the world with penguins, and most importantly up against mysterious forces that are trying to stop the spread of knowledge and truth.

This novel, geared for upper elementary aged readers, is fast paced, appropriately so for the attention span of the readers. The heroine jumps quickly from one adventure to another, gaining random tidbits of knowledge that help her solve each future problem. By the end, the author ties it all together to show how the knowledge gained along the way helps her to solve not only the next problem but to ultimately figure out what is happening.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

There is plenty of adventure in this book. A plucky protagonist in a surreal world is fun, and adding critical thinking and the scientific method into the reference questions Lenore answers puts this quirky novel solidly in the STEAM reading list..

A library, a focused and strong female protagonist, and a series of unusual events … what’s not to love?

We’ve all been there: bored out of our minds as a kid. However, how many of us have had the good fortune to have that ennui turn into a life-changing experience? Despite being eleven years old and bored to death, Leonora discovers a portal into an extraordinary library that is filled with everything in the world—and in some cases, beyond—for there are no limits. Leonora accepts the position as an assistant librarian, and during the book, she travels to worlds unknown, researches hyper-specific information for unlikely patrons, interacts with beings she never knew existed, gains additional librarian titles, and learns that shady and evil people inhabit her world.

The Library of Ever is a love story to libraries and librarians everywhere and a magical adventure in which a young girl discovers the truth, “Knowledge is a light.” Lenora shines just as brightly as that truth and has the smarts to go wherever the facts lead. The Library of Ever is a temple of curiosity in which Leonora fights evil and the Forces of Darkness by uncovering facts and seeking truths, pursuits that are imperative in today’s world.

I’m hooked, and it’s all your fault, Zeno Alexander! I absolutely love Lenora, who reminds me of Kirby Larson’s intrepid Audacity Jones—determined, focused, smart. Is it fantasy? Is it sci-fi? Is it phantasmagoria? With a dash of Snickett, a pinch of Rowling, and a whole bunch of fun in places even Leonora never imagined, there’s abundant adventure and a great setup, sending Lenora on her way in the first book of an exciting new series for young readers.

This feels like the greatest mashup of some of the middle-grade classics. A definite need-to-buy for your collection. I was instantly captivated. The first in a series that is for fans of A WRINKLE IN TIME, NEVERMOOR and the PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH.

I included it in a list for The Young Folks "Book Buying Lists for Mood-readers." https://www.theyoungfolks.com/review/140005/book-buying-recommendations-for-mood-readers/

This adventure has a little something for everyone. Who wouldn't want to visit a magical library that holds every piece of information EVER?! Major bookworms will enjoy.

I really enjoyed this book, and I can see many of my upper grade students enjoying it as well. It reminded me somewhat of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library.

High energy, plot driven fantasy with one challenge after another and in the end it feels like you've just finished an aerobics class.

A quick witted girl has to use the resources in the library to find her way out of a fantastical dream land manned by an evil false librarian. A fun read for a child 8-12.

Such a wonderful book! Lenora is a young girl often left to her own imagination with her nanny, when one day they stop at the library and she is whisked off on an adventure. On her adventure she finds a secret part of the library and she is asked if she wants to become a librarian. She will need to be strong and curious and find all the answers for the questions asked of her.

This book was an adventure through space and time and knowledge of real things and real-to-this-book things. Lenora helps animals, humans, and aliens and as she helps she gains more prestige as a librarian. But she also has to face the nothingness that wants to destroy all books, all knowledge - it was very upsetting.

Lenora is a strong and independent child, who craves this world or knowledge and adventure. She is curious and that is a wonderful trait in children. Her imagination allows her to accept all the weird requests thrown her way and she is a very fun main character.

The overall story was such a wonderful ride, I think that both parents and young readers will really love every second of it.

3.5 Stars
I’m always on the lookout for middle-grade novels that can be enjoyed beyond the intended audience. Lenora is a plucky heroine that readers will immediately like. Lenora’s adventures are great fun and quick for those readers who enjoy reading in smaller bites.

Alexander’s writing immediately draws you in, and his pacing keeps the story moving forward. There’s not a lot of ebb and flow to the story, though, so if you’re looking for a more leisurely pace, this isn’t the book for you.

Because of its length and pacing, The Library of Ever is a smart option for reading aloud, with each adventure becoming a nighttime read in and of itself.

Lenora is a precocious child who is largely ignored by her parents, particularly when they visit the library. One day, Lenora wanders into the Children’s section. There, he runs into a man with a bowler hat telling a young boy that the science fiction books he has are too advanced for him. When Lenora confronts him about it, a magical archway that leads to the Library of Ever. Soon, she is enlisted into being a librarian. . Through the magical world of the library, Lenora travels in time to help robots with their calendar, shrinks herself to assist a tardigrade with traveling through space, and many, many more reference questions. Not everything is magic and roses, however. The men with bowler hats seek to stop her from spreading information, wishing to censor everything. Can she save the library? Enchanting, engaging plot. The characters draw the reader into the story and bring to life the mystery and magical adventure themes with ease. Although the message of censorship gets a little heavy handed, young fantasy, mystery, and adventure lovers will enjoy reading this book.

This was a very fast, fun and charming read. My Rating 4.5.

Lenora an 11-year-old left home is bored with the nanny who is dragging her around visiting the nanny’s friends and shopping for items the nanny wants. Finally, the nanny stops at the library and Lenora perks up. She slips away from nanny to visit the children’s section of the library and what an adventure she finds!

Lenora helps a boy trying to get into a strange, mysterious hall in the library. Lenora slips into a library through a door with a sign that says: Knowledge is a light. Lenora runs into a Chief Librarian who tells Lenora she must leave. But Lenora convinces the Librarian to give har a job as a Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian. Lenora is directed to use her imagination, be resourceful and show courage. She is placed first at the Calendar Help Desk so she can learn important dates in history. She begins learning interesting details but is soon dragged off by a robot to help a kingdom in the future! When she returns to her desk Lenora is promoted to Third Assistant and moves on to another help desk. Her adventure continues through several departments where she learns new facts and helps creatures including penguins, ants and cats. She visits the future, outer space, the globe and ancient Egypt. As the adventure moves along, Lenora is confronted by an enemy who wants to stop her and, even worse, wants to destroy knowledge. What can Lenora do to help fight the enemy that is trying to bring darkness?

The journeys are fantastical and the reader learns fun facts along the way. I found the story delightful and think it would be wonderful for the intended audience of middle graders. It might be better enjoyed if read in sections as it is rather busy and fast paced. Still, it is well worth the fun reading experience.

Source: NetGalley 2019.