This mystery book was adorable for middle graders. I good way to introduce mystery to a young audience.

When Evan finds a Little Free Library he learns his dad used to borrow the books from an old library that burned down. Funnily enough, so did a mystery writer the day it burned.

So now Evan and his friend get to try and solve the mystery of library and what really happened.

The Lost Library is an absolute treat for middle-grade readers, and it stole my heart from the very first page. With its charming characters and multiple perspectives, this book effortlessly pulled me into its magical world.

Evan, the determined protagonist who is about to graduate elementary school. His unwavering determination to uncover the town's secret had me fully engaged. As the ones he loves get tangled up in the mystery, the stakes become even higher, and I couldn't help but root for him every step of the way. Rafe, Evan's best friend, added a delightful touch as the loyal sidekick who bends the rules to help out. I found myself smiling at their heartwarming friendship and cheering for their teamwork.

Al, the ghost librarian from the history house, brought a touch of nostalgia to the story. Through Al's storytelling, I was transported to a past era, uncovering the tragic fate of the library that was lost to flames. It added an intriguing layer to the narrative, keeping me captivated throughout.

And let's not forget Mortimer, the enigmatic library cat! The little free library that appeared overnight became his sacred domain, and I couldn't help but be enchanted by his presence and the mysteries he guarded.

Authors Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass have once again created a remarkable tale with The Lost Library. It's a timeless story that celebrates the power of books, the importance of staying true to oneself, and the bond between friends. Their writing effortlessly whisked me away on an unforgettable adventure, and I couldn't be more grateful for the experience.

If you're looking for a heartwarming and magical middle-grade read, look no further than The Lost Library. It's a book that will leave you with a smile on your face, a renewed appreciation for the power of stories, and a desire to explore your own favorite books with a newfound sense of wonder. The audio of this book fit so well with the characters and helped push the story along in moments of lulls.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of this book.

Oh, how I loved this book! Indeed a book for all ages of book and library lovers. Stead and Mass blend three perspectives to tell this sweet story - a cat's, a ghost's and Evan's, a young boy on the cusp of middle school. And it all starts with one of those little free libraries that just shows up in a town without a library. Twenty years ago, that library burned to the ground and was never rebuilt. Evan and his friend Rafe try to discover how the library burned down and Evan tries to understand his mysterious father who never wants to talk about that time period.
I listened to the audio version of this book and it was very well done with multiple readers. I definitely will be buying a paper copy of this middle-grade reader for my school library and I can't wait to read it to the grade three class.

Name of Book: The Lost Library
Author: Rebecca Snead and Wendy Mass
Narrators; Christophen Gebauer, Jennifer Blom, and Rob Direks
Genre: Middle School Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Macmillan Audio/ Macmillan Young Listeners
Pub Date: August 29, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars!
Pages: 320

This is my third Rebecca Snead. I read and loved book "Goodbye Stranger" my comment regarding that story was that 'I love Love Loved it!' I was excited to share it with my middle school granddaughter.
As a Guidance Counselor I like to read Middle School stories as it is such fun to recommend a great story to students!

This story is told from the POVs of Mortimer the six toed cat, Evan the human boy, and Al the ghost of the assistant Librarian at the Martinsville’s Library.
BTW: The three narrators did a fab job in performing their character.
.

Evan is eleven years old and has just finished his last year of elementary school but isn’t looking forward to going to middle school. However one morning he wakes up and finds a new little free library that seems to have just appeared overnight in his little town and is guarded by a large orange cat).
Little Free Libraries” are very popular here in the US and perhaps other countries as well, ~
take a book and leave a book~
Here is the link if you want to start your own https://littlefreelibrary.org/ !

Evan is excited and picks two books. He opened his books and saw that they both had a Library check-out card ~ actually all the books have a library check-out card and were returned on November 5, 1999 the same day the Martinsville Library burnt down. Hmm
Evan asks his father why the Library was never rebuilt and he as well as everyone else seems to avoid answering that answering. Hmmm!

I am a mystery fan~ the book how to write a Mystery novel was great. I of course, know the Protagonist and I am aware of the Antagonist but didn’t know that is what he/she is called.
I just love books and found heartwarming story totally enjoyable.
Story incorporated the power of libraries via some fantasy.
I loved all the characters including the mice!

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners Books for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Day scheduled for August 29, 2023.

What a wonderful (audio) book! It is filled with such love for libraries, librarians and all things book. I have read Wendy Mass before and always loved her writing and this was no exception. She has a really amazing way of slowly revealing a story through subtle twists and turns that I really enjoy and that was part of the reason I loved this book too.

Mortimer was my favourite character. I just wanted to give him a hug, maybe even a bit too tight but he would be okay with it I’m sure. He will stick with me I’m sure. Al was also wonderful. I particularly enjoyed the choice of narrator in the audio book and thought their choice of tone and inflection really brought the character to life. She had such a haunted and sad vibe that was perfect for the ghostly narrator. Her reveal at the end I may have seen coming but still enjoyed it nonetheless. Evan was also a delightful narrator in this story. His imaginary cape turned detective hat was such a fun touch and I enjoyed him working his way through a book about how to write a mystery as he peeled back the mysteries in the story.

Definitely a heartwarming and wonderful read (or listen) that I would highly recommend. I will definitely come back some time and revisit these characters too. I also very much want to build my own little library to share with the neighbourhood now as well.

I received an early audio book copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this easy and quick short book. Would recommend to 3rd-5th graders. Its an easy read without a lot of complex vocabulary words.

When Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass team up something magic always happens. THE LOST LIBRARY has just as much heart as the duo's BOB (though I admit that one is still my favorite, because how could anyone ever top Bob in his chicken suit). Mortimer the cat was my favorite character and basically stole the show for me, but I also really loved Al and the cranky librarian and Evan. There are so many wonderful details packed in this book and the writing is like a warm blanket you can pull around yourself at the end of a long day. By the end I was wishing for a Little Free Library of my own with an orange tabby cat perched below and a bevy of curious mice sniffing at the doors. This was the perfect start to my July reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC of the book for review. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely delightful J-fiction! Perfect for younger readers who are fans of books, libraries, animals and mysteries…and all of those, all rolled into one.

I really loved this story! It had surprising depth for a children's novel and the characters were charming and unforgettable. The element of mystery was really fun, and my heart ached for Al during the story! I would absolutely recommend this to middle grade aged students, but it would be a fun read along for parents too! Also I LOVE a little free library and bookish books, so this was right up my alley!

I thought the audiobook was VERY well done, and loved the cast!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review!

When the author says, it's going to make sense...hang in there (or something to this effect), I'm out!
Just make it make sense. Authors build suspense often while crafting a story that still makes sense and makes me want to keep reading. Undeveloped characters and an unclear storyline both lead me to a different book.

There are several points of vies in this story and it helps that different people read them. It can be a little hard to follow at the beginning. This is a redemption story and a mystery. The writing is poetic and some of the characters are not what you believe. it all comes together and makes sense in the end.

This was such a cute book. I listened to this with my kids on a recent road trip and we all loved it. We yelled when we figured out the truth about Al and HG Higgins, cried tears when we learned Petunia’s true fate, and gasped when we discovered who was responsible for the loss of the library.

A cute, quick read, would definitely recommend for young readers.

I very rarely give 5-stars, but this one is one of the best children's book I've read in a while. Of course, I am a retired librarian, so I love books about libraries - even lost ones. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was excellent. How the town library burned down years before Evan was born is still a mystery. Evan puts on his imaginary Sherlock Holmes hat and investigates.

If your cover promises a little library, guarded by a cat and narrated by a ghost librarian, I will probably pick it up.

This middle-grade book has a mystery to solve. Family secrets are exposed. And the resolution was like a big hug and leaves you with a smile.

This is a cute cozy mystery for kids, complete with helpful animals, friendly ghosts, and lots of books. The cast of narrators are pleasant to listen to and the book is broken up into obvious sections for younger people to easily follow along. Within the story there is an instructional book on how to write a mystery and one of the main character (along with the readers) learns about mystery books, clues, protagonists, surprise endings, etc. It introduces young readers to the genre of mystery without being to obvious about its instructional intent. I’d recommend this to any 5-10 year old in my life.

This story was so cool, my young readers will enjoy this too. Small town story mystery that mends itself, all circulating around a little free library. Perspectives from a few characters including mice, a library cat, two friends, and a few mysterious town members that only get explained as the story unfolds.

#arc
#netgalley
#thelostlibrary

A fun middle grade read with mystery, ghosts, a cat, and a library! Kids will have fun solving the mystery along side of the main character.

This children's book is perfect for fans of Hardy Boys

Evan off chance stumbled upon 2 weathered books in a nearby Little Free Library that appeared out of nowhere in quaint small town Martinville, he embarked on a " sleuthing " mission to track down the last borrower of one of the books who became a famous author and his connection to town's library fire. The truth hits close to home for Evan

Readers will love this feel-good, happy-ending mystery, expertly narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Jennifer Blom, and Rob Dircks. I loved the multiple perspectives and narrators. There are some fantastic twists in this story that close readers may be able to predict. It is full of book love, but also demonstrates the importance of libraries and librarians. I loved seeing the community come together around a little free library years after their local library burned down years ago due to an unsolved mystery. With friendly ghosts, persistent mice, and a cat who watches over a tiny library, there is much to love in this sweet, bookish story! Thanks to NetGalley for the audio-galley!

This was another wonderful book from Stead and my first intro to Wendy Maas. I felt like this one had the same feel as Steads When you Reach Me, such a well written story with touches of humor, Mortimer the cat was very entertaining. Plus you have a ghostly librarianand a mystery that Evan and Rafe need to solve.

This book was a wonderful story I enjoyed it very much and look forward to buying it for my library!

Narrated by Christopher Gebauer; Jennifer Blom & Rob Dircks, all the narration in this one was fabulous!!! (multi-voice or middle grade Audie worthy)

4 stars

I received this book from the publisher Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review!