Adorable, a perfect heartfelt middle grade story. I love Rebecca Stead and was a fan of Wendy Mass when I was a middle grade reader myself, so I expected to enjoy this and was not let down!

The Lost Library is a sweet story surrounding a "Little Free Library" in a small town with multiple POVs, including that of a cat and a "ghost". I was so impressed by this book. It was wholesome, clean, and overall a wonderful story about kindness and service to others, the love of books, and working together as a community. There are a few things throughout that I feel like didn't quite come around to an answer, but it left me thinking about the book longer than I normally would and honestly, kept my imagination going so I was ok with it. It is so hard to find clean books for middle age kids these days so this was definitely a nice surprise.

I appreciate NetGalley allowing me the chance to receive the audiobook ARC and will definitely be purchasing this one for my kids when it is released.

Mortimer's one job is to protect the library. Unfortunately for the yellow tabby, all that's left of it is a single book cart. When the ghost of a former assistant librarian turns the old cart into a little free library, Mortimer knows he must protect this better than the old library. Evan, a lad just finishing elementary school, is enchanted by the little library cupboard and takes home a book, where he's astonished to find his dad's name stamped over and over in the checkout log. There's a mystery afoot, and Evan is determined to find out what really happened the night of the fire.

This is truly a charming book that lives up to its cover. I usually prefer something with a bit faster pacing, but the clever twists and vibrant point of view narrators slowly caught me until I was eagerly turning pages, attempting to solve the mystery for myself. I generally enjoy books about books, and I'm delighted that I can add this one to my collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook via NetGalley.
This was a cute little middle grade story. I really enjoyed the multiple point-of-view chapters from the different characters, especially the cat's perspective. The narrators did a wonderful job in the audio production and it really helped distinguish the multiple characters, which will be helpful for the middle grade target audience.
The story was really sweet and if you have a connection to your childhood library, I think this book will resonate with adult readers. For children who love mysteries, I think they will have a fun time with this.
My only critique is that the journey for Even to find the answers he was searching to find could have been executed better. The story seemed stagnant at times, but not enough for me to not enjoy the book.
Ultimately about the power of community and a love of books, I think it's a great read for both children and adults to connect with.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Cute quick audiobook about a small neighborhood library, a smart cat, some ghosts and an old mystery.

Enjoyable narration by Christopher Gebauer, Jennifer Blom, and Rob Dircks.

Evan is finishing his last year of elementary school and is finding it hard to be excited about the upcoming change to middle school. He and his friend Rafe find a new and mysterious Little Free Library in their town, and soon Evan discovers a mystery – there seems to be several connections between the books and when he asks any grownups about it, no one wants to discuss it. Taking matters into his own hands, Evan does his best to solve the mystery of the books and the town’s old library.

This story is told from the POVs of Mortimer the cat, Evan the human boy, and Al the ghost. It started off a little oddly, with Al being an almost omniscient narrator and breaking the fourth wall. But that was sorted out near the beginning of the book, coming together in an understandable way as the story continues. I liked how the three POVs merged and the unique perspectives they offered on this tale, though the work did feel a little disjointed during its first portion.

There are several mysteries that make up this story. They were all predictable from the first portion of the book aside from one. I’m not sure if this would be the case for younger readers, but the clues/hints/foreshadowing were too obvious to keep these things from staying mysteries. Despite that, the characters and the story were well written. I loved the concept and how it centered around a Little Free Library (common throughout the U.S.), as well as the charming exploration of how a love of reading can unite people.

The audiobook has a different narrator for each POV, which made it a real treat to listen to. This story about guilt, holding onto the past, and community was well written and heartwarming, and would be lovely for younger and older readers alike. It feels like quite a unique read for a Middle Grade book, which I also liked. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published August 29, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Cats, Libraries, and a big mystery - the ingredients to a captivating Middle Grade story that will have you wondering up until the very end. Solid storyline and a surprise that I didn't see coming.

💭Thoughts:
This is an adorable middle grade book. The story is told through multiple POVs. My favorite being Mortimer, the fat orange cat. I think young readers will enjoy solving the fun mystery and learning about what happened in this small town’s history. The inclusion of the little library to help tell the story was cute. If you’ve been following me long, you know I love little libraries. The narration was great and really brought the three main POVs to life.

I definitely recommend this fun and engaging book to young readers and readers who enjoy middle grade adventures.

This is absolutely adorable. The narrators were wonderful and the story was wholesome and cute. I love all the investigating our boys did.
I love the ghosts too. Librarians trapped as ghosts forever! You cannot top it.

The collaboration between Stead and Mass is a mesmerizing read. Engaging, mysterious, and filled with all things book lovers want in a mystery the Lost Library is perfect for middle grade readers. Narrated by three compelling characters- a cat, a librarian and a curious boy- the story comes together perfectly as each character reveals more to the mystery. A delightful and wonderfully narrated tale!

The sudden appearance of a little free library in a small town leads to the unraveling of another mystery in this gentle tale from Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass.

The story is told from three points-of-view—Mortimer, the polydactyl cat, Al, the librarian behind the little free library, and Evan, a fifth grader who dons his invisible detective hat and is determined to solve the mystery. These perspectives are charmingly captured by the narration of Christopher Gebauer, Jennifer Blom, and Rob Dircks.

Mortimer and his repeated attempts to communicate with the humans were my favorite part of the story, but I also found myself cheering on Al, as she comes to terms with what happened in the past, and Evan, as he works to solve the mystery and to muster the bravery to start middle school the following school year.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

There is everything you could want in this audiobook meant for 4-7th graders. There are ghosts, cats and mice, books and libraries and a mystery to solve that will engage not only the young people listening but perhaps the adults will enjoy coming along for the adventure, as well.
Evan is eleven and about to be promoted to middle school status along with his closest friend, Rafe. By chance a Little Free Library pops up and Evan picks out a couple of books that start the investigation into what happened in their town many years prior. Though Evan's father is the town exterminator of mice (not really) he is uninterested in pursuing or helping Evan learn what happened years past. Frustrated and hurt by his father's unwillingness to talk with him about the big town secret, Evan and Rafe set about finding the truth for themselves.
At the same time, ghosts, readers, cats and mice hold all the secrets.

A lovely story and entertaining narration for the entire family.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners and Netgalley for access to an early audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

THE LOST LIBRARY is a wonderful tale full of mystery, friendship, and an abiding love of books and libraries. Told in multiple POVs, this is a story that takes humans and animals alike to tell. It's a perfect introduction to mysteries for MG readers, with plenty of fun and interesting twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the end!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to the Arc.

I tried but I just couldn't get into this. I listened to the whole audiobook waiting for it to grab me, but that never happened. It's a bummer because I was in the mood for a cute and cozy middle grade, but this didn't hit the spot for me. I don't think it was necessarily a bad book, but more so not a book for me.

This was a really enjoyable read!

In „The Lost Library“ by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass we follow a cast of characters in a small town. As the young boy Evan finds a mysterious book in the newly appeared little library guarded by a cat, he is set on a journey to unravel the towns big mystery. Meanwhile we also get a glimpse into the lives of the cat guardian and a found family of ghosts.

I really liked the different points of view in this book. They expanded the world in a meaningful way and played well into the mystery aspect of the book. At the beginning of the book the POV chapters are very short and we are briefly introduced to all of the characters. This lessens as the book goes on and makes it easier to get immersed into the story.
I had the pleasure of listening to the book as an audiobook and it really helped me to distinguish the different personalities. It’s a full cast production and the quality is amazing!

Furthermore I loved the writing style. It’s one of those middle-grade books that has so many quotes that also resonate with older readers without sounding too grown up. The conversations around the impact of reading and grief where wonderfully implemented into the plot and I would love to read more from the author duo!

The part I didn’t like so much was the resolution of the mystery. I was engaged to find out what happened throughout the book but the way the last clue was presented just wasn’t my cup of tea.

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher MacMillan Audio for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Rebecca Stead, Wendy Mass, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an eaudiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this novel! The characters were all likeable, the plot intriguing. I do feel, though, that the storytelling could perhaps have been executed better, particularly concerning point of view---were all of them truly necessary? And do NOT break the fourth wall (chapter three)!

Also I didn't care for the reveal of Al's secret; I just don't believe it could have been possible for 20 years. I'm also not sure I understand why only one book was signed out by HG Higgins. Maybe I wasn't paying attention when that was explained. Also was it explained why that photo was in the book? Not everything adds up in my brain, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of Mortimer's and Evan's arcs. The mice could have had a bit more personality, but they were cute and entertaining enough.

The narrators, Christopher Gebauer, Jennifer Blom, and Rob Dircks were all excellent.

Overall, it's a wonderful tale for children who love mysteries and need a sympathetic protagonist to relate to. Older teenagers and adults might get too distracted by the details that don't quite make sense, but could still enjoy it, as I did.

With a premise based around a mystery and a little free library, I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, despite an interesting premise, well-written prose, and a clear love of books, this one fell flat for me.

It is not a bad piece of work by any means, and could very well be someone else’s cup of tea! The story is told through three alternating points of view, and the audiobook is well narrated by three individuals—helping to give each of our protagonists a distinct voice. Unfortunately, I was never that invested in the central mystery or the characters, which took away from my enjoyment of the book. However, I did appreciate the writing style itself, and the many points at which it read like a love letter to libraries and the power of stories.

This story is beyond in magical… perfect to cozy up to with a warm cup of tea or cocoa and get lost in…

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.

Told through multiple POV. Evan, Mortimer the cat oh and I can’t forget to mention the librarian ghosts. I think this one is such a page turner with quick chapters that keep the reader wanting to read just one. Great takeaways of the power of libraries, the magic in books and a strong sense of community!

I received an ALC from Feiwel Friends and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this quick and cute story. I thought the narration was very well done. I think this would be a great book for any elementary or middle schooler. I enjoyed the story and plot. The narrator's voice was engaging and fun. Overall, really enjoyed listening to this one.

Synopsis: When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.

Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.

Told in turn by a ghost librarian named Al, an aging (but beautiful) cat named Mortimer, and Evan himself, The Lost Library is a timeless story from award-winning authors Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. It’s about owning your truth, choosing the life you want, and the power of a good book (and, of course, the librarian who gave it to you).


Read if you enjoy:
Animals
Books
Middle Grade Reads
Mystery

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

I don't care how old you are, this middle-grade fantasy was absolute perfection. It made me smile, laugh, tear up....it was incredible. It warmed my heart and made me feel cozy and happy and just....it reminded me more about the joy of reading than anything has in a long time. This is the perfect little book for any age reader and I can't recommend it highly enough.

If you love books, cats, mice, and a cozy little mystery.....heck even if you don't, this is the book for you.