Thank you NetGalley! I couldn't wait to read this because not only was it written by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass, two of my favorite children's authors, but it was also about a library. It's right there in the title!
I found this absolutely charming. One thing I thought about a lot afterward was the level of mystery in the story. There are some wonderful reveals throughout, including when the main character begins to solve a mystery. Most of these things (but not all!) I guessed ahead of time, but I think that if I was a child reading it I wouldn't have. And I think if I was a child I would have been absolutely delighted and thrilled as things revealed themselves.
This is a lovely story about community, library, and secrets. It was wonderful.

Read this book if you love books, have a soft spot for rodents, and always take care of others.

When a little free library shows up in the town of Martinville, Evan is excited but also confused. After the fire that took the towns libraries years ago, he never thought he would see something again. While the library is standing by itself it is accompanied by an old orange cat named Mortimer. While Evan tries to find out more about the mystery of the library fire, Mortimer tries his best to point Evan in the right direction. A story of adventure, family, and friends is given to us perfectly in this book.

This book was adorable and the characters were absolutely the best. Al is working to care for others, Evan is hoping to grow closer to his father, and Mortimer finds a surprise he never expected. I think this book should be a staple for any kids who love books!

Thank you to Rebecca Stead, Wendy Mass, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is out now for you to grab a copy of!

Goodreads review link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5722537581

This book just made my heart happy. As someone who loves books, having an entire community share books and it being a main point of the book was wonderful. The characters are well written. There is a small mystery for Evan to solve. I also appreciated the fact that at one point Rafe asked for a hug from his friend. Not only was it okay for him to NEED it but okay for him to ASK for it as well.

My favorite quote was "Being a Great Reader has nothing to with reading great sophisticated books, or reading great long books, or even with reading a great many books. Being a Great Reader means feeling something about books." (Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. The Lost Library (Kindle Locations 585-587). Kindle Edition.)

I chose this preview because of Wendy Mass as an author. The book did not disappoint. Plot twists, family stories, humor and small town characters make this book a hit. I recommend this book for those who like magical realism.

Rebecca Stead is one of my all-time favorite middle grade authors, so as soon as I saw this book was available to request on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it.

What I enjoyed:
- The potential to adapt this specifically for Language Arts curriculum; this is a book about books, about reading, about writing, and as such, there are so many potential educational connections and opportunities
- The multiple narrators and points of view
- The mystery genre

All of my 5th and 6th graders will be reading this text for their first trimester book this school year, and I'm looking forward to writing curriculum around this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and the advanced listener copy.

The Lost Library was such a fun little story for me. Evan picks two books from a free library that appears out of nowhere, not knowing it's about to change his whole world. He should have known since it was being guarded by a cat named Mortimer. Along with his best friend Rafe begins searching for more about the books and soon everything starts to piece together.
This was a great story I was expecting. I love how the authors included the importance of the librarian. The story is told by that librarian, the cat and by Evan. It tells a heartfelt story and shows the importance of a book.
Wonderful writing and great characters make this adventure a must read. Even for those book loving adults looking for a little adventure this book is just what you need. Worth 5 stars for sure.

A cute mystery and a chunky orange cat, what's not to love. While the beginning was a little odd to read, once you get a hold of the formatting it's a delightful read.

THE LOST LIBRARY by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass is a new story written for late elementary age students in grades three through five. In fact, a major character is 5th-grader Evan who "loved making free time and then spending it however he wanted." Another narrator is Mortimer, the orange cat who is struggling with changes to his library and missing his sister, Petunia. A "ghost" librarian named Al also narrates some chapters. Young readers will enjoy the mystery element involving old library books, a polaroid picture, and library fire that occurred decades ago. Both Rebecca Stead (Goodbye Stranger) and Wendy Mass (A Mango-Shaped Space is a personal favorite) are so very talented at writing for middle grade students that it was fun to see another collaboration from them. The audiobook – narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Jennifer Blom, and Rob Dircks - is very well done, too, and will hold listeners' interest.

And, if you are curious and want to learn more about creating a Little Free Library, check out these rather whimsical versions made from all kinds of recycled materials:
https://littlefreelibrary.org/little-free-libraries-shoestring-budget/

I really loved this story. it was so interesting and entertaining. It is very well written. This story was told by all the characters involved including the cat and I thought it was brilliant. The story was very engaging. Finding out the mysterious circumstances of the library and what happened was unexpected. Loved the ending.

I loved this new novel from Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead! What a charming and delightful read. I loved the switching perspectives and the presence of the cats and the mice. The ghost aspect was fantastic and brought that special layer of mystery that kept me guessing. My only complaint is I wish the book had gone on longer! I may use this in my children's literature course in our fantasy section and will definitely be recommending it to my students. Thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an E-ARC of this book. In Martinville, secrets and mystery abound. Years after a fire destroyed the local library, 11 year old Evan is determined to find the truth. As he finds answers, will it change everything he thought he knew? Stead and Mass have crafted a story that was immediately captivating. I'm not usually a fan of multiple points of view in a story, but their use was clear and enhanced the story. I loved all of the characters, who were all realistic and well-rounded. This book will please fans of the authors' previous works, as well as those who love realistic fiction with a touch of the supernatural.

Sometimes books have a charm to them that you can’t quite put your finger on but the book fairly radiates. That’s The Lost Library.

The book unfolds through multi-points-of-view — from a ghost librarian named Al, an aging cat named Mortimer, and Evan. These unique voices move the story quickly forward while simultaneously making you pause to consider each new revelation.

Authors Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass have crafted a magical read with smooth and inviting prose and characters that you really care about. The book is a celebration of family, friendship, choosing your path and a love of reading.

Really cute middle grade with the vibe of an old-school classic! We follow three characters - a cat named Mortimer, a ghost named Al, and a fourth grader named Evan. Together (but without necessarily knowing it) they try to solve the mystery of the library that burned down long ago in their town. The shifting perspectives and funny quotes (mostly from the cat) keep it entertaining, and the mood is pretty light and suitable for quite young readers despite the potentially dark-sounding subject matter. The plot is very simple and quite slow to develop, but hopefully the character work will keep young readers engaged.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy.

This is a middle grade fantasy. It has a orange cat that protects a free little library that appears one day. And some of the books set some things in motion. This was an absolute delight to read. I didn't want it to end! It was absolutely perfect.
I just reviewed The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead; Wendy Mass. #NetGalley
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A Little Library shows up in town and leads to questions and mysteries. I absolutely loved this sweet gem of a book. It has multiple POV characters and the perfect amount of mystery for the suggested age group. I loved the characters too!! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this eARC.

This was cute, fun middle grade novel with just the right amount of mystery. The alternating POVs were a little confusing and felt somewhat disjointed at the beginning of the book, making it a little hard to get into, but once I got further in the book it started to flow better. I really liked the relationship before Rafe and Evan. I really enjoyed the bits from Mortimer's POV because who doesn't love seeing the world from the viewpoint of a cat?

Honestly, this book was an enjoyable, quick read that would easily delight audiences both young and old.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A little free library pops up in town and Evan snags a couple of old books which leads to all kinds of questions. Did a famous author once live in their town? Who started a fire that nobody will talk about? As they keep digging, secrets come to light and Evan and his friend, Rafe, change the future for themselves and the town. This is a fantastic middle school book narrated by a ghost and featuring a large orange cat. There is some magic and some mystery and a message about the power of a good book. I will be recommending this to my middle grade students who come in my bookstore!

The Lost Library is one of the most delightful books I've read this year! Told in multiple points of view, including that of a boy, a ghost and a cat, this novel is a mystery about a little free library that appears in town one day. The audio is fantastic!

📚 From the award-winning authors of Bob comes The Lost Library by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead.

📚 This page-turning mystery will be hard to put down! Fifth grader Evan McClelland discovers a mysterious new free little library that appears to have popped up out of nowhere. Evan selects two books from its shelves, and inside them he finds clues that help lead him down a path to discover the truth behind the tragic fire that burned down the Martinsville Library before Evan was born.

📚The Lost Library is told from multiple perspectives including those of Evan, a cat who guards the free little library named Mortimer, and a ghost librarian named Al.

📚 I think children will easily relate to Evan and his friend Rafe, who has very overprotective parents. I also think children will enjoy the twists and turns. The Lost Library is perfect for middle grade readers who love a good mystery with a splash of fantasy!

📣 This one releases in just a few days, August 29, 2023!

😊Thank you Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the gifted ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A mystery, and a ghost story, but overall extremely sweet. Interesting, clever, maybe a little predictable, but a very satisfying middle grade read.