❓What’s something that brings you joy❓

🎈A number of years ago, I participated in a reading challenge where one of the prompts was A Book that Brings You Joy...

🎈Based on recommendations of others including my mom, I read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. And my instincts were not wrong, one part puzzle book, one part quest, 100% middle grade heart and friendship. This book has so much love for books, libraries, and librarians.

🎈Today we come full circle with Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game by Chris Grabenstein. Still full of puzzles, quests, friendship, and heart, Grabenstein gives us Luigi Lemoncello's origin story in a way that is so satisfying for current fans of the series but at the same time is accessible to new readers. From catch phrases to costuming to characters who appear in later books all grown up, there are so many references to other books in the series. But the core remains, friends working together to accomplish goals and dreams.

🎈The only question that reminds is advising new readers on how read the series.

❓Would you read 1) in the order they were published OR 2) according to the time line of the series❓

🎉Happy Pub Day to Chris Grabenstein and Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game

@acozyengagement #acozymay
Most Wanted: May New Releases

#middlegradefiction #happypubday #helloitsalemoncello #NetGalley #mrlemoncellosveryfirsthame #bookreviews #avidreader

A lovely addition to one of my favorite middle-grade series. It's nice to see a bit of an origin story and meet Mr. Lemoncello's mentor. I could almost do with a sequel to this book. like a prequel and a half...

Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game is a prequel/flashback to the popular Mr. Lemoncello middle grade reader series by Chris Grabenstein. Due out 3rd May 2022 from Random House on their Children's imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

This is such a richly imagined world with a cast of colorful and engaging characters. Despite the fun and fast paced action, the author manages to convey some really important points about honesty, loyalty, integrity, family, friendship and generosity without ever once sacrificing fun or being preachy.

The writing is accessible and warm with a lot of humor and carefully engineered plot arc. The resolution and denouement were satisfying and well done. It's enhanced by the inclusion of puzzles and rebus illustrations which are integral to the plot and move the story along.

This would be a good selection for public or school library acquisition as well as for the home library. It would also make a fun choice for book club discussion or buddy read.

Four and a half stars. Definitely one for fans of the series and can be read as a standalone.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I really like this series! It was nice to go back and see how Mr. Lemoncello got started with games and puzzles. The setting was great and the characters were a lot of fun. I also liked the connection between Kyle and Mr. Lemoncello.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library was a fun, engaging read, and I was excited to read the prequel. In this prequel. The prequel, Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game, brings you back to where the magic started. When Luigi Lemoncello was 13, he was obsessed with puzzles and would constantly make games; similar to his older self. He feels like the universe is against him until a carnival comes to town. Luigi begins working with Professor Marvelmous and finds his true calling. After the carnival comes to an end, he begins trying to solve puzzles that Professor Marvelmous left behind to find a spectacular prize.

This prequel was marvelously written. I loved how all of the threads intertwined and you really understood how it related to the first book. There were some ah-ha moments, where the pieces came together. The prequel made me love Mr. Lemoncello even more. I felt that knowing his childhood story is important for character development and empathy from the reader. Sometimes the book was a little overdone, but that is to be expected because it is Mr. Lemoncello afterall. I can see this being used in my classroom for literature circles and comparing to the first book. I would recommend reading the 1st one and then the prequel It will allow readers to get a full picture of why Mr. Lemoncello does what he does. I highly recommend reading this fast-paced, fun, and magical book with readers of all ages. This would make a wonderful read-aloud for 2nd or 3rd graders.

** “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!” **

Take a journey to where it all began with “Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game,” a prequel to Chris Grabenstein’s Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series.

Thirteen-year-old Luigi L. Lemoncello’s creativity and love for games always seem to get him in trouble. When he meets the fabulous Professor Marvelous at the summer carnival, his life is forever changed.

With the help of his best friends Bruno and Chester, as well as Professor Marvelous and his niece Maggie, Luigi discovers his true self and the path he wants to take in life — creating fun for everyone, no matter who they are — all while matching wits with the town bullies.

Grabenstein does a great job of revealing how the story of Mr. Lemoncello began and what made him the quirky adult he became. Using fun puzzles and riddles, he reveals great characters full of courage, compassion and pluckiness.

He also filled “Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game” with a lot of great themes, like families grow in different directions, but common roots remain; the importance of doing good things for others; showing compassion (“We must have compassion for those who have not yet journeyed as far as we have along this twisty, turny path we call life”); the importance of libraries and knowledge (“Knowledge not shared remains unknown. A public library’s mission is to democratize information. To make it available to all who walk through our doors seeking it”); and to be who you are meant to be.

Children of all ages will enjoy this book, which is due out May 3, as well as fans of authors like Lemony Snicket. You could read this book as a standalone, but I highly recommend checking out the rest of this seriously fun series!

Five stars out of five.

Random House Books for Young Readers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

For fans of the Mr. Lemoncello series this is a book that can't be put down. As always the characters are fascinating, the mystery is so much fun and the action is non-stop. LOVED IT!

Thirteen-year-old Luigi is the sixth of ten Lemoncello children, and is trying to find his place in the family. He has a knack for games and puzzles, but that doesn't seem like anything special – and it sometimes lands him in hot water. When a carnival arrives in town and he gets a chance to work at the balloon popping booth, he learns a lot from Professor Marvelmous, and proves that solving puzzles can be more than just a way to pass a few hours.

I started reading the Mr. Lemoncello books so I could share them with the young patrons at our local public library, and because I was a fan of Mr. Grabenstein's John Ceepak series for adults.. I was eager to read this prequel to those stories, and was not disappointed.

It was fun getting to know Luigi as a young teen, meeting his family and friends, and even the backstory of some of the bullies from the later books in the series. I loved the character of Professor Marvelmous, the lessons he taught Luigi and the others, and the *way he taught those lessons. If this book is ever made into a movie, please cast Christopher Lloyd as Professor Marvelmous! I hope there are more Lemoncello books to read in the future.

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishers through NetGalley.
A delightful opportunity to move back in time and see where Mr. Lem0ncello's ideas began. Readers meet Luigi when he is thirteen. They see his family and friends and the world where he grew up. They also meet Professor Marvelmous and figure out who first encouraged Luigi to celebrate his gifts.
Grabenstein offers hints and revelations about the stories to come after Luigi grows up. We even learn where the banana shoes come from.
A joy filled novel with serious overtones - job loss, bullying, not accepting differences. These experiences mold Luigi Lemoncello into the joyfully unique business owner in the rest of the series.

I really like this series! It was nice to go back and see how Mr. Lemoncello got started with games and puzzles. The setting was great and the characters were a lot of fun. I also liked the connection between Kyle and Mr. Lemoncello. :)

Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game is a very welcome prequel to the Lemoncello Library series. I will have to go back and read the rest of the series now that I know how Luigi got his start. This book is just as engaging as the others, full of good and bad characters, positive behavior and of course puzzles to solve.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this title. I really enjoyed this prequel to the Mr. Lemoncello series, and know one reader who is exceptionally jealous that I had.a sneak peek. I think she'll love it and will undoubtedly be ordering her a copy!

Find out how Mr Lemoncello got his start. As usual a great story from Grabenstein, who is always a middle grade favorite

Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game is the perfect prequel to the fantabulous Mr. Lemoncello series. It has it all: fun-loving Luigi as a young teen, puzzles, wordplay, misled bullies, family feuds, fun foods, quotable quotes, timeless wisdom, character lessons, and even balloons.

Chris Grabenstein has created the perfect blend of fun and learning with this series, and he really knocks it out of the park with Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game. He traces Mr. Lemoncello’s witticisms, character traits, and unique style back to his thirteenth summer and shares how they were each formed. This makes for a fun story, but the thoroughness and signature flair with which he does so is awesome. The story is tight, the characters true to the series, and there’s depth that can really be mined in multiple ways.

Which is one thing I really love about Grabenstein’s stories in this series. Many authors writing for the middle-grade audience and younger water down the content or resort to lame jokes that involve bodily functions or sound like something from a locker room – but while he definitely has a unique sense of humor, he clearly respects kids enough not to talk down to them. He pays attention to issues that kids have at this age and writes stories that address them while still being fun – and that can’t be easy. Grabenstein writes with strong sentence structure and good vocabulary while keeping the stories easy to read, as well – it’s obvious that he’s a good writer in both skill and content.

Each book in the Mr. Lemoncello series has a ‘moral of the story,’ if you will: some type of life lesson wrapped up in fun, puzzles, and balloons. Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game takes that concept a few steps further, however, and shows how Luigi L. Lemoncello’s character is formed during that all-important thirteenth summer – and then how those lessons shape the man that he becomes and the lessons he teaches in the other books. This not only shows off Grabenstein’s character, but it makes these lessons accessible for the kids reading these books – and gives adults everywhere the opportunity to have fun sharing these with kids.

These are crucial character lessons like:
- What do you do when you don’t fit in?
- How should you handle bullies?
- How far should you go to help a friend – or your family?
- What is a gift – and how can you identify it?
- How can you tell where your future path leads?
- How should you handle betrayal?
- What things in life are valuable?
- How can you tell truth from lies – or jealousy?

Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game is a book that belongs on every bookshelf in America – along with the rest of the series. We need more examples of wisdom, kindness, and understanding. In a culture that tries to shove everyone into the same box of expectations, we need more people who understand that everyone has different gifts and talents and that it’s okay to be good at your own thing. We need people who are good at solving problems and good with people and good at building things and good at critical thinking and good with literature and good with kids and good with business – and nobody can be good at everything. The Lemoncello series shines through with scientifically researched, educational wisdom with a Superman-sized dose of character and wisdom, and I highly recommend that parents, teachers, and librarians snag their own copies of this series and read it with the kids in their spheres – starting with Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Although this series is generally geared to middle grade readers, I am an adult who has enjoyed listening to the entire series on audio. I was very excited when I recently joined NetGalley to see this upcoming prequel to the series that I have enjoyed. It was fun to see how young Luigi grew into the infamous showman Luigi L. Lemoncello that we all love. I enjoyed seeing how he had a mentor who guided him from being a big hearted kid with a love of puzzles into a unique showman who enjoyed not only having fun, but making others happy along the way. And to see where his famous banana shoes originated was pretty awesometastic too!

It's always fun to revisit the world of Luigi Lemoncello. An origin story is a nice addition to the series. And even though it gets a little campy, the story and characters are so endearing that you can't help but smile when reading. The love Grabenstein has for libraries is ever apparent, making this librarian hold Mr. Lemoncello forever in her heart.

This was the MOST PERFECT story to introduce a young Luigi L. Lemoncello! I loved young Luigi just as much (or more) than grown up Luigi. The connections to key players in the rest of the Lemoncello series was super fun and had me running to get my copy of the first book, Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library. I would recommend reading this title sixth, as the prequal it his. That said, however, the story does work if read first.

Picked this up and couldn't put it down. I've read all of the "Lemoncello" books and that mixture of a fun story with interesting puzzles along the way is always a great read. This book detailing how Luigi L. Lemoncello started on the path to being a great great game-maker is a fun addition to the series. The sets of Rebus puzzles along the way add extra fun for readers to try to figure out the puzzle before the characters reveal the answer. As always, the story is an uplifting read with the protagonists almost always lifting up other people rather than doing anything to get ahead.

This is a wonderful addition to the Lemoncello series and opens up more possibilities to follow not only the original characters in our modern world, but to tell more stories of young Luigi's journey.