Fantastic graphic novel for middle grade readers! This novel takes place in a library where a brother and sister bring their father’s prized possession Dracula book to see the cost of it at their library. Well…the book kind of walks off and they lose it!!

Books in this library come to life and can actually escape the pages! From “The Invisible Man” to “Peter Pan” and so many more, this graphic novel seems like it also comes to life right before your eyes!

This book is to be released on July 30, 2024. This is Christopher Lincoln’s debut graphic novel that will be released when he is 71 years old! Just an amazing book that will be great for all children or adults with curious minds and who also love the atmosphere of the library!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reading copy! It was such an incredible experience reading this one!!

The Night Librarian is a fun adventure story graphic novel for middle grade readers by Christopher Lincoln. Due out 30th July 2024 from Penguin Random House on their Young Readers' imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.

This is an engaging and fun illustrated adventure (Lexile 430L). It's not derivative, but there are definite vibes of Night at the Museum and The Land of Stories, with a little soupcon of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. It's set in NYC with twins Page and Turner (*snork*) whose absentee parents and AWOL nanny leave them alone to get up to shenanigans. Which they do, in spades. Books come alive and characters escape in the real magic happening under the NYPL.

They are recruited by one of the Night Librarians (the LAST night librarian, because of budget cuts) to help get the creatures/characters back in the books where they belong.

There are numerous book title tie-ins (Treasure Island, Dracula, Jack and the Beanstalk, and others), and the art is clever and well rendered in color throughout.

Four stars. This would be an excellent public or school library acquisition, for the home library, and for anyone who has ever understood that libraries are real magic.

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

The Night Librarian was not as 'Night at the Musuem(y)' as I wished it would have been. And I wasn't s big fan of the art style. But I do think many middle-graders will enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dial Books for providing me with a review copy.

Super cute. Wholesome. I’d have loved it as a little kid. I’d highly recommend to anyone who has a small bookworm in their life that likes a fantastical adventure story.

This is probably going to be my most recommended book for purchase and reading this year! The Night Librarian follows a set of twins as they go to the library with a first edition, first print copy of Dracula that belongs to their absent father. Their book seemingly disappears and they begin to notice odd things at the library, which is ultimately a result of things being released from the books at night. There are many twists and turns, many characters of treasured tales from childhoods, and many more classic quotes throughout. A book that really shows how books come alive. We have already preordered a copy for my library, and I will likely be purchasing a copy for my family in the near future as well.

Not only did this book have a fun illustration style, but I was so excited to see it was about the NYPL. The setting alone should have made it a no-brainer for me, however, despite the fun concept I didn't like the story as much as I expected. This was partly because some of the characters just weren't likable to me. I wish there was more resolution between Page, Turner, and their parents--though I did enjoy the relationships the kids forged with the starring book characters. I wonder if there will be a follow up where we learn more about the other Night Librarians?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book would make any book loving kid happy beyond belief. Who would not love going to a library where characters come to life from their favorite books? I just can’t get enough of this book, and I love how it highlights so many amazing classic characters in such a positive light. I hope that readers fall in love with this book as much as I did. I can’t wait to recommend it.
Thank you to Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, Dial Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Graphic novels are a different beast in both the reading and the writing. This book is a FANTASTIC concept and that sucked me right in but I found my mind wandering because the drawings were not adding the details my mind was, making this a disjointed reading experience. The characters bring up showing instead of telling but so much of the plot took place within the dialogue, resulting in being told.

I think there is so much potential here. I am always looking for new graphic novels but they have to be something that will be popular in elementary school and this misses that mark. I look forward to reading Christopher Lincoln's later works, as I think he will develop into a great graphic author.

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC!

Christopher Lincoln’s THE NIGHT LIBRARIAN is a celebration of the magic of books. Twins Page and Turner lose their dad’s first edition copy of DRACULA in the New York Public Library, leading them to an adventure with the night librarian, Ms. Literati, and an assortment of classic book characters who’ve escaped from their books & are wreaking havoc on the library after hours. Page and Turner learn to lean on each other as they race to find the root of the literary chaos.
Fantasy, famous fictional characters, and family collide in this graphic novel filled with adventure, action, and humor. This creative tale is a perfect read for book lovers and epic adventure seekers alike.

There were lots of things I liked about this book: the concept of a night librarian who manages the pressures that can build u inside of books, the characters from books who appear at the library, the scenery, the quotes. However, I didn't like the parents of Page and Turner, who are guilty of abandonment. I thought the book was a little too long. I was bored at times, when what I wanted was childhood wonder that at times was missing.

Twins Page and Turner Reed practically live at the New York City public library. They think they know all of the nooks and crannies of the library, the rare books department, the microform reading room, even the best places to read. That is until the lose their dad’s most valuable book, meet the Night Librarian, and find themselves on an epic adventure to save the library. I was excited to dive into this book because I’m a fan of the Night at the Museum movies and this book definitely shares similar DNA. I loved the references to classics like Peter Pan and Through the Looking Glass, but some of the stories, like the H.G. Wells novels or Treasure Island, may be less familiar to a young, modern audience. There is a lot of potential in this world, and I hope to see future books in this series find a stronger footing and ideally make connections to texts that will be more familiar to the typical young person.

The best part of this book was the mixture of all the different literature characters. Though at times I found myself lost at exactly what was going on.

This book is exactly what it is described as: a mash-up of Night at the Museum and Land of Stories. Because of that, I wasn't fully sure if I should expect an original story, or just a rehashing of stories we've already heard, but set in a library. However, I think the author did a nice job of tailoring the story to the setting, and I appreciated the variety of books that were included and referenced in this story, as well as the fact that the author wrote tiny synopses of the books for those readers who might be unfamiliar with them. I also liked the book puns sprinkled throughout, such as the main characters' names being Page, Turner, and Mrs. Literati. Overall, I think this is a book that will definitely appeal to book-lovers as well as lovers of adventure.

This is a fun graphic novel with lots of books and love for libraries.
We get a night at the New York Public library and meet lots of book characters along the way.
Kids will like this one a lot.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group, Dial Books, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this fun book. This story is exactly like the Night at the Museum, only taking place in my favourite place in all of NYC — the New York Public Library. Full of great, well-developed characters, non-stop action, adventure, and lots of imagination. Awesome graphics bring the story to life. Can’t wait to share it with my students!

I wanted to love this book; it had a promising premise. Unfortunately, the story dragged, and I had a hard time sticking with it to the end. Less-than-likable main characters and a plot that gets lost with too-frequent book character cameos made this book a disappointment.

This is a splendid story featuring the library beloved by literature aficionados near and far. Young readers will delight in the characters' journey - and in their sharp sibling back-and-forth - and adults will revel in the playful references to their favorite classics.

The Night Librarian is such a fun book. Twins Page and Turner lose their father’s book at the New York Public Library. Somehow the book disappeared. It turns out odd things happen at the Library. Sometimes characters escape their books and sometimes they need to be briefly released as the power they hold in the library builds to a point that may be dangerous. It’s the Night Librarian’s job to keep the characters under control. Page and Turner have an overnight adventure searching for the book, the Invisible Man and hanging out with legendary characters like Alice in Wonderland and Jim Hawkins. There are great characters and quotes from classic novels. The graphic novel also has great illustrations.

** “Magic builds in books. Not surprising, they’re packed with dreams, hopes, and inspiration.” **

Christopher Lincoln delivers a fun story in graphic novel form with “The Night Librarian,” a story of overcoming fears and becoming a hero.

Feeling neglected by their parents, twins Turner and Page Reed find solace in the New York Public Library. But when their dad’s rare copy of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” goes missing during a visit, they find themselves in an unique and mysterious situation — experiencing the role of the Night Librarian in the under area of the building.

When books’ characters tire of being in their own stories (“Imagine living the same scene over and over again for eternity. No wonder characters want to escape”), they leave their books and enter the library. The Night Librarian’s job is to contain them and the damage they can create.

Can Page and Turner work past their differences and use their strengths to save the library? And will they find their father’s valuable book?

Lincoln creates and designs a fun experience with a fun story and illustrations featuring muted colors with color assistance by Bonaia Rosado. He delves into some classic literary characters, as well as Page and Turner who were a bit obnoxious, but eventually learned to use teamwork — with themselves and with their literary friends — to solve a problem and save the library.

He also fills “The Night Librarian,” which is due out July 30, with some good themes, like there’s always a price to pay with magic; words can hurt or build up; the need to feel appreciated; and overcoming one’s fears to become a hero.

Four stars out of five.

Dial Books provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Absolutely adorable! Gave me Night at the Musuem vibes. I preordered for my 8 year old who loves graphic novels and also loves Night at the Musuem. I loved all the literary references and quotes that were worked in. I will be adding a copy to my classroom library and perhaps using it as a read aloud for my 4th and grade students this year.