A sweet and sometimes very funny story about a small town haunted by a past tragedy. Much of the plot is easily guessable, but it is told in such a compelling way by such compelling characters (one of which is a cat!) that the predictability really doesn't matter. TW are necessary for trauma related guilt (the cat's unnecessary sense of self blame genuinely shattered by heart to the point I nearly set the book aside a few times), but those should come with the addendum that everything ultimately turns out wonderfully well for everyone. P.S. There are ghost librarians and I am 100% here for it.

Rebecca Stead and Wendy Maas are a great writing team. The Lost Library is a beautifully written mystery. told in from three viewpoints. First there's Evan, a young boy only a week away from graduating elementary school. Then there's Al, a ghost living in town's history archive with two other ghosts. Finally, there's Mortimer the cat. All three of these people have been affected by the fire that burned down the library. Only Evan wasn't there and knows nothing about it until the day that a little free library mysteriously appears on the town square. Evan chooses two books from the little library and those books will change his life.

In "Whispers of the Library," Evan's transition from elementary to middle school seems daunting until a chance discovery changes everything. The story revolves around a captivating mystery that centers on the connection between an old, burnt-down library and a curious Little Free Library. Aided by his best friend Rafe, Evan embarks on an adventure that unearths hidden secrets, while merging the past and present.

The narrative ingeniously employs multiple perspectives, allowing readers to delve into the minds of three characters: Evan, Mortimer the cat, and AL, the friendly ghost with a history intertwined with the old library. This narrative approach not only enriches the storyline but also uncovers the origins of the Little Free Library itself.

While some of the mysteries threaded throughout the story might be somewhat predictable, the true joy lies in the way these threads are interwoven. The pacing picks up notably in the latter half of the book, leaving readers yearning for more. Evan's journey is heartwarming and relatable for readers aged 9-12, who will appreciate the blend of real-world challenges and enchanting elements.

The charming cast of characters is brought to life through the fantastic narration of Christopher Gebauer, Jennifer Blom, and Rob Dircks. Their voices breathe life into each perspective, making the listening experience thoroughly enjoyable. Moreover, the story celebrates two cherished elements: Little Free Libraries and cats. Mortimer, the ever-watchful feline near the Little Free Library, quickly becomes a favorite among readers, adding an extra layer of warmth to the tale.

"Whispers of the Library" is not just a mystery; it's a tale of friendship, community, and the enduring power of books. As readers follow Evan, Rafe, Mortimer, and AL on their journey of discovery, they're reminded of the magic that can be found within the pages of a book and the bonds that form when exploring life's mysteries together. This heartwarming, cat-infused adventure is a must-read for anyone who adores a blend of mystery, friendship, and the enchanting world of literature.

A book about a library sign me up immediately. This story follows Evan, his family, and friends and a grumpy old orange cat. Evan is heading into middle school and very worried but more worried about the mystery behind the library fire.

When a free little library shows up and he takes some books out the mystery unfolds for him but can he figure out who started the fire and why?

This was a cute middle grade mystery-fantasy. I read it rather quickly because I just couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

As I read about Evan, his life, and his library I had so many memories of my own times at my local library as a kid. I loved that there were multiple POV’s but I will say there were a couple of times that I got a little confused but it only lasted a paragraph or two.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan children’s publishing group for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely delightful in so many ways! This is a perfect young readers story: full of mystery, friendship and talking animals! And of course, the lasting love of books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

What a cozy little middle grade mystery! It was absolutely sweet and completely endearing. I’ve never read a Wendy mass book before this, but I do love the way Rebecca Stead weaves that little bit of magical realism into her stories. Parts of this story felt like it would appeal more to the younger side of middle grade…however, I think May bibliophile can appreciate what a little library can bring to a community and what libraries can mean and do for us readers.

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass is a children’s fiction story that would appeal mostly to middle grades. The Lost Library follows a mysterious little library which is guarded by a cat. When an eleven year old boy Evan decides two books from the shelves his life begins to change as Evan and his friend Rafe learn that the there is an old link between the book and a mystery past event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. After this discovery the boys begin to ask questions where the answers will change the future of the town and the boys themselves.
This book is told from three different perspectives - a ghost librarian cat, an orange cat, and a 5th grade boy - as they learn more about the mysterious fire that took the little towns library. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was very realistic and was very easy to relate to with just the right amount of fantasy and magic. In addition to this, there was also the ideas of found families and the importance of libraries and communities.
The Lost Library is a great book for middle grades and possible upper elementary schoolers who enjoy books and libraries.

I really enjoyed this book! It was filled with magic, from the start to the finish and I really loved how the story unfolded and the message it told. I totally recommend it to you!

"The Lost Library" focuses on three integral characters in the small town of Martinville that's connected to the mystery of the library fire: Mortimer the cat that's overseeing the little free library, Al the ghost librarian, and Evan the human boy. Before he matriculates as a middle school student, Evan spends his last few days of 5th grade unravelling the mystery behind the cause of a library engulfed in flames years ago. As he explores the salvaged library books found in the little free library and slowly uncover clues in this mystery adventure, Al and Mortimer become the added perspectives on what exactly happened on the day of the library fire.

A timeless story that amplifies the power of community simply through pages and pages of books. With the bulk of the narrative filled with books and libraries, it does tie to how the presence of librarians can bring a formidable effect to kids on how they put empathy towards others, even animals. Middle-grade readers will be delighted to read this whimsical mystery that evokes the ongoing message on how books can bring people and families together.

I was so happy to receive a copy of "The Lost Library" by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. I love their collaboration for "Bob" and use it as a read aloud in my 3rd grade classroom.

"The Lost Library" is quite simply perfection. Mystery, ghosts, books, a library, friendship, a cat, mice- I devoured it. I highly recommend this book.

This book is a delight! Reminiscent of mysteries such as the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew, it is written with sweet, loveable characters and beautiful language.

The sudden appearance of a little free library, a beautiful old orange cat and elusive town history; this is the story of three ghosts living in the local History Museum. Evan stumbles on the free library and finds two books that belonged in the old, mysterious library. Museum ghosts Al, Ms. Scoggin and Mr. Brock (Al has to hide when tours come through because she is not really as good at invisibility as the other two). Al is the one who keeps the house running, keeps the applesauce made, the cheese cabinet clear of mice; and yes, ghosts CAN eat and sleep!

5th graders Evan and his best friend Rafe set out to discover the site of the old library and solve mystery of the devastating fire that destroyed it. Evan soon discovers that all is not as it seems, and he is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

A lovely MG book about the power of libraries told from the perspective of Evan and Mortimer/Goldie the cat. Throw in some librarian ghosts and a mysterious fire, a free little library and you have a quick and fun read in your hands. Can't wait to get a copy of this into my students hands!

A story about a small town, a library that daughter fire over 20 years prior, a little free library that appears out of no where watched over by a big orange cat, an eleven year old boy who picks up two books and then finds himself involved in solving the mystery of the library fire.

A lovely mystery, a ghost story that isn’t scary. The characters are engaging and I’m a sucker for a good library cat.

Maybe I am biased, but as a librarian, cat lover, and book lover, this book was such a delight!

Told from the point of view of a ghost librarian, cat, and a book-loving child, The Lost Library explores a small town and the mystery surrounding a fire that destroyed the town's library, and a little free library that popped up in its place.

This book does something that I love in fantasy novels, taking the real world and just blending a little but of magic into it. It's this type of set up that makes hopeful people like myself think that maybe, just maybe, magic could exist in our world too. I could easily see a child, whom this book is aimed after, getting sucked into this cute little mystery. While as an adult, I could see where some plot lines were going at times, children could easily get wrapped up in the mystery and keep them guessing at what will happen next.

This was just such a fun, short little read. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun fantasy book!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

First, thank you to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

A house with ghosts, a cat, and a young boy who discovers his father's name in many of the library books found at the little library, opened with the remains of the town library, which burned down years ago.

The interest level is there and there is enough going on to keep us interested. The use of ghosts, or are they ghosts?, was great fun.

While I enjoyed the book, it did feel like something was missing. The ideal audience would be 3rd or 4th graders, as our young boys are finishing up the 5th grade. I could also see this being of interest to some reluctant 5th graders.

This book was really cute and sweet! I liked the different POVs, and the variety of chapter lengths.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I thought this was a really sweet and charming middle grade novel. I grew up reading both Stead and Mass so it was cool to see them come together for a story like this! It definitely reads on the younger side of middle grade, but I also felt like there were some parts to the story that were quite vague or ambiguous, which seemed contrary to the younger writing style. Particularly regarding the ending, it felt a bit rushed and overly obscure, though I still think it was a cute and worthwhile read overall, especially for that younger middle grade audience.

This was a cute story about a Little Free Library, a cat, some ghosts, and a boy trying to solve a mystery.

Evan knows that the old library burned down many years ago, but no one will talk about how it happened. When a Little Free Library pops up in town with the last of the surviving books from the fire, Evan and his friend Rafe decide to try to solve the mystery.

Told in alternating perspectives between Evan, Mortimer the Library Cat, and AL - one of the librarians from the burned-down library, the story weaves together and the mystery unravels. It was a little bit predictable, but that could just be that I'm an adult and not the target audience. I think a bookish child would thoroughly enjoy this story.

The Lost Library is an enchanting story of a Little Free Library, a cat, a mysterious fire, and a community in need of some hope.

A Little Free Library appears one day in the town of Martinville. A big orange cat lounges around the Library, seemingly guarding it.

Evan, an 11 year boy, picks two books at random, and discovers a mystery. The town library burned down many years before, and no one likes to talk about it. Evan and his friends figure out that the same person had checked out several of the books in the Little Free Library from the Martinville Library the day it burned down. They are determined to find out where he is and what happened that day.

There are three narrators - Evan, the cat, Mortimer, and AL, the deceased assistant librarian. This book is heartwarming and so enjoyable, even if the mysteries are easy to solve (for an adult at least). The authors do a fantastic job of sharing their love of books, libraries and those who find refuge in them.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Much like Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass's previous collaboration, BOB, this is a warm hug of a book, a love letter to readers and libraries (and cats, too). The mystery at the center of the story is not quite as compelling as the characters that are attempting to unravel it, and the final reveal is a stretch even when the audience has already accepted ghosts and cats that understand English. Regardless, young readers will surely enjoy this, particularly in a book club setting.