I have been a fan of Mr. Lemoncello since the first time I found him on the library shelves. He is an entertaining protagonist, intriguing, and very likable as an adult character. I was so interested in reading his origin story and I wasn't disappointed. This was a great introduction to his life as a child and finding out where the zany character we love from the other books originally came from. I love the way that tiny hidden details were worked into the story to connect this origin to the stories that come later on. I can't wait to see if there are more Mr. Lemoncello books for us in the future.

My kids are big fans of the Mr. Lemoncello series, and this prequel was a hit! They enjoyed the new characters and the subtle "winks" to fans who are already familiar with the Lemoncello world.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was a cute prequel to the Lemoncello series. Luigi is having a hard time finding his place in such a large family, especially when his games sometimes lead to accidents and trouble. He is ecstactic when his showmanship is noticed at the carnival and he is asked to help Professor Marvelmous run one of the game booths.

This book is filled with rebus puzzles, riddles, decoded messages, and city square sized game boards. The themes, clues, and characterization are all heavy handed for adults, but younger readers (3rd grade +) will enjoy this story that deals with friendship, perseverance, and code cracking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

I really wanted to love this book like I loved the rest of the series. I liked the premise of telling Mr. Lemoncello's origin story. I enjoyed the story, but it just didn't keep my attention like the rest of the series. It took me much longer to finish, just because I kept forgetting it was in my (electronic) TBR pile.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another great Lemoncello read from Chris Grabenstein! I loved this peek into what Luigi Lemoncello’s life was like leading up to the events of the first book and I know my students will enjoy having some of their questions get answered too! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a really sweet and fun story that built the character Mr. Lemoncello as a child. Great prequel for the Mr. Lemoncello series for middle grades.

I am a huge fan of the Mr. Lemoncello series so it was really interesting seeing his childhood and the start of his game making. This is a super fun addition to the series and I enjoyed all the puzzles and clues in the story. It's well paced and well written, all around a great book.

Not the same old Lemoncello were used to. I liked getting a look at his family and I enjoyed the carnival booth worker, but the rest of it was a bit of a flop for me. Couldn't interest my 10 year old with it either.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest, personal review. This prequel to Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, lets the reader in on how it all began for Luigi as a child. He always had a mind for puzzles and a visit to the fair sets what is to come in motion. You get to know his family and friends as well and you find out the origin of Banana Shoes. Great read for kids and adults alike, not difficult to follow, it's just enjoyable and fun. Thanks again!

An awesome addition to the Limoncello franchise! I loved the look at the beginning of the story of Mr, Lemoncello! It will be interesting to hear what students think about this one; whether they'll read it first or last.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

(4.5 / 5)

Long before Kyle Keeley and his friends played their first Lemoncello game, Luigi Lemoncello was the 6th child in a family of 10 kids, struggling to stand out from the rest in some way. At thirteen, Luigi already loves games and puzzles (maybe a little too much, according to some people), and in this book, we get to read about his "origin story." From his first and worst idea for a game to the one that started it all, Luigi gets inspiration from his family, his friends, and a unique carnival barker, whom Luigi emulates as he begins to let his own colorful personality shine through.

First of all, it's strange to think of Mr. Lemoncello as "Luigi." But that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this book! It was a lot of fun and a fresh entry into a series that I overall enjoy but does tend to be formulaic. There are puzzles just like the other books in the series have—nothing groundbreaking, but it's fun to solve them alongside the characters. I particularly enjoyed the puzzle box storyline, though, especially inspiration that the professor/uncle got from Luigi, which I picked up on way faster than the kids, but I think readers of the age group this book is meant for might see it as a twist.

I loved seeing elements of the older Mr. Lemoncello from the rest of the series getting their start in this book, and at least one other character from the series also appears in this book (though I didn't connect it until I went back and scanned through MR. LEMONCELLO'S GREAT LIBRARY RACE to remind myself of what was said there about how he got his start). One thing that bothers me a little is that there is a major character in this book who, by all appearances, seems to be connected to a major character in the main series, but I can't see any hint of that connection in any of the books. But it's too much of a coincidence for there to not be any connection, so I would have just liked to somehow know the relationship there. Overall, though, solid entry to the series. I wasn't sold on it when I first saw it announced, but that's mostly just because I would rather see a continuation of the main series, given how book #5 left off. Hopefully that's still coming, but in the meantime, I very much recommend this book for kids and those who are kids at heart!

Mr. Lemoncello, Luigi that is, is just a young kid who loves puzzles trying to stand out in his family and have fun with his friends over the summer. He gets to work with Professor Marvelmous at a puzzle booth in the summer carnival. And, of course, he designs his very first game.... or two.

I'm honestly not sure how to describe the feeling this book gives me. It soothes my soul. I have loved this series from the very beginning and getting to see Mr. Lemoncello as Luigi was a splendiforous treat. Seeing his interactions with Marvelmous as a mentor were amazing and getting to see some clear parallels of Marvelmous and who Luigi will become as an adult is really cool. As always, it was also nice to see some familiar.. family lines I guess in this case, following their archetypes. I loved it. I'm sad its over, but I can't wait to introduce it to my library kids.

Perfect for reluctant readers (especially boys), fans of puzzles, carnivals, fun and silly things, and summer fun, and balloons (of course).

One of my favorite middle grade series! I would have loved these books as a kid and continue to enjoy them as an adult!

Author Chris Grabenstein is a favorite in my home for his Mr. Lemoncello and The Smartest Kid in the Universe Series so I was excited to check out this Mr. Lemoncello prequel, Mr. Lemocello’s Very First Game. One of my favorite things about Grabenstein’s books is that he is so great about making them fun for kids while also teaching important life lessons and desirable character traits. He does this again in this story and helps readers see the importance of being a good friend, working hard, and not giving up. He also shows that it’s okay to be different and that our differences can be our strengths. Grabenstein also throws mind puzzles into the mix to get one thinking. Additionally, the story also includes a wide variety of characters that helps the story be interesting and relatable to many readers. For an entertaining and uplifting read, try Mr. Limoncello’s Very First Game.

Favorite quote from the book: “Keep striving to do things for other people. Not because of who they are or what they might do in return. Do it because of who you are!” -Professor Marvelmous

Grabenstein did a really good job rebooting this series by telling Lemoncello's origin. He was smart to stock the cast, including a large Lemoncello family so subsequent books can feature more built-in characters -- and more books in this series are clearly what the author is going for. His previous books focused on Kyle Keeley in the Lemencello Library series and that just dragged. Many times my daughter was ready to give up but I kept bringing those books home from the library (where we won our Lemoncello Scavenger Hunt) out of loyalty.

I've shared with her this new series is interesting, has heart and has a bit more complexity (whereas his previous Lemencello Library series became stuffed with name-dropping and didn't have a purpose as it dwindled towards its most recent books) that I enjoyed. Her response: Don't oversell it to her and get her hopes up. So, dear readers, go in with low expectations and hope you walk away liking it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the review copy of Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game. I have loved the books in the Mr. Lemoncello's Library series, and was so thrilled to see the origin story of Mr. Lemoncello! It can be a little bit scary when a prequel of a favorite series comes out. This one had me a bit anxious because the last installment of the series felt a bit "new generation"gimicky. However, I did still enjoy that book, and wanted to read this one.

I was absolutely captivated by this book. From the beginning, Grabenstein leaves easter eggs from the series that had me constantly looking for more. I loved the role models that Luigi found and the friends he made. The connection to the library was very clear to set up the first book. I will definitely be recommending this to my students when I share this series with them.

This series is perfect for students who love puzzles, games, and reading - and is especially great for students in 4-7th grade.

As a huge fan of Mr. Lemoncello books, I was excited to read more about how he got started in games as a kid, and this book did not disappoint! It was fun to read about his mentor as well! All it takes is one person believing in them for kids to find the strength and will to succeed in their favorite things, and that’s exactly what happens for Mr. Lemoncello. Fans of the other books will love this prequel!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy.
Reading this book was a pure fun.
Our library purchased a copy and I already recommended it to many happy young readers

I was worried that this book would be a baby version or somehow dumbed down from the rest of the books in the series. I was wrong. This book is just as good and just as interesting as the others. I should have known that Chris Grabenstein wouldn't let me down.