I am so happy that NetGalley and the publisher gave me access to this ARC! I am not normally a fan of science fiction, the sub-genre of dystopian novels are the most palatable for me. This book was excellent!! Far into the future a blight hit the earth and all trees and plants can be made into paper were destroyed. No books had existed for a hundred years or more. In a kid-friendly Indiana Jones type adventure, an underground group has been searching for the “Lost Library”. This is a rumored depository of all of the books from before the Blight. For years these group members have been searching for it. You’ll have to read it to find out what happens and how it happens. For a non-sci-fi reader, I loved this book and I think you will too!

My son and I enjoyed reading this book together. It was a fun adventure right from the beginning and we will likely pick up a print copy for a reread!

The Legend Of The Last Library is a fantastic dystopian novel about a world with no books and no written word, as an event called the blight. An enormous swarming of bugs forced the world to destroy all books. Children have no idea how to read or write unless their parents or grandparents force them to learn this skill, as our MC Juni grandfather has. Children still learn, but everything is uplinked, and some of the most precious books have been wiped from existence. I loved the book references throughout the story. I was shocked when Juni did not recognize identifiable characters like Aslan from Chronicles of Narnia or that she could have been named after a book character. The impactful message of how important books and the written word are echoes throughout this fantastic tale. The story is left open about whether the author will continue the story or if we have one book for this world. I, for one, want more stories.

Super fun! I thought this was such a unique fantasy and it was a fun book. I will probably use it as a read aloud with my fourth grade class this school year!

As a book loving family, we absolutely adored this story. There was something in it to please every member of our reading group from 7 to over 70.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world after the Blight (where insects ravaged all of the plants), paper is a rare and valuable commodity. Juni and her friends regularly go plifting in some of the abandoned areas to look for items to sell. It's just Juni and her Grandpa Edgar after her parents died in a tragic accident when she was younger. Juni is hopeful that one day she will able to come across enough paper to pay for her grandfather's medical bills. Juni discovers a nondescript piece of plastic with a familiar looking logo on it only to discover that it matches the logo on a box that appeared at their house after her parents died. Upon opening the box, Juni discovers that there is a library that curators compiled to preserve the books and protect them. Juni ends up on a mission outside of her wildest dreams to find the last library before the megacorporation that replaced the government after the Blight. Will Juni and her friends succeed or will those books be lost forever? A great middle grades book that is full of adventure.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In the dystopian future described in THE LEGEND OF THE LAST LIBRARY, paper has been all but eradicated after the Blight, a massive insect infestation. making it extremely valuable. As a result, it is extremely valuable. Libraries and books have disappeared, and all information is filtered through technology controlled by a corporation. Thirteen-year-old Juni is the daughter of a pair of archeologists who died years before in a search for the last library and now lives with her grandfather. She is a plifter, searching rundown buildings with her friend Doler to find remaining paper that can be traded for credits to pay for bills and her grandfather’s medical care. When she finds a plastic card with an unusual symbol on it, she unwittingly sets in motion a series of events that lead her to her own risky search to find the last remaining library and potentially release its hidden contents once again.

The dystopian future world is well developed, and readers will enjoy recognizing the current technology that plays a role in the book as a relic from long ago. There is plenty of action, adventure, and suspense to keep readers engaged as Juni pieces together the meaning behind the plastic card. The good vs. evil narrative that is quickly set up between Juni and those who are controlling the flow of information will have fans of books and libraries cheering for her success.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of the book to read.

The Legend of the Last Library is a children’s novel written by Frank L. Cole.

Summary: Paper is like gold in the dystopian future-so rare and valuable, that a single find could make all your dreams come true.

All Juni wants to do is scavenge enough paper to help pay for her grandfather’s medical bills, and maybe help them get ahead just a little.

But when she is approached by a strange boy that talks about conspiracy theories and her long-dead parents, she can’t help but be intrigued, and soon she’s just as involved as her parents were in the search for the last library.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. I always like it when an author creates an entirely different world to fall in to, and this author did a wonderful job creating a dystopian future-one without paper, with acid storms, ominous enemies, and the possibility of buried treasure.

I thought the unique technology created for this book juxtaposed with the ancient technology from the past (our present), was fun to read about, and as a lover of books, it was quite the thought that someday they could disappear forever!

I did find it a little too convenient how quickly Juni could get involved in a mystery and solve it, but otherwise, I thought it was a fun read.

I would like to thank Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
In a dystopian future, thirteen-year-old orphan Juniper (Juni) lives with her ailing grandfather after the death of her parents. Everything is controlled by the Novexus Corp, from education to healthcare to food. The Blight has killed off the trees so any scrap of paper will fetch a premium reward. Juni and her friend, Doler, travel outside the so-called “safe zone” for “plifting,” an expedition to find paper. In a building where her parents died, Juni finds a piece of paper along with a small plastic rectangle. Quaze, the older girl leading the plifting, steals the piece of paper from Juni and abandons her Doler and Juni when Novexus’ robotic dogs find them. With the help of Kobyn and his real dog Lewis (who were already in the building), Juni and Doler are able to make their escape. Juni keeps the plastic which turns out to be a library card that will open the strange box in Grandpa’s closet. This is the link to the Last Library that leads Juni on an adventure to finish what her parents started.
I enjoyed this book! It is fast-paced and full of adventure and danger! I would definitely recommend this middle grade book for readers grade 4 and up!
#TheLegendOfTheLastLibrary #NetGalley

A dystopian story great for elementary and middle schoolers. Juniper Knox finds herself in an adventure unraveling lot of secrets. A action story that shares the power to read, with family and friendship.

I dropped every book I planned to read when I started reading this middle grade book entitled 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙇𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 by @franklcolewrites because I became really engrossed in this Dystopian world that the author has created.

𝘐𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘦,
𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥.

Almost a hundred years after the 'Blight' when insects destroyed the trees, paper became rare, and people became reliant on technology managed by Novexus Corporation.

We find 13 year old Juniper Knox sneak into abandoned buildings to paper lift. Scoring pure papers could earn her credits to support the medical expenses of her grandfather. Imagine the value of finding an entire book.

While kids in Syphon City grew up learning through 'Syncron' - a digital earpiece, Juni's grandpa taught her to read with his reliable ancient e-reader.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

A discovery of a book started the adventure of Juni and friends that will lead them to finding The Last Library that will ultimately change their lives forever.

"𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨,"... "𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯. 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰."

"𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘭. 𝘕𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘥."

This book tells a powerful story about the power of books and how they can shape us. It explores how reading books offer hope, escape, and a sense of purpose, and pictures out how an idea can create or destroy depending on the hands of its creator.

This is definitely a 5⭐ read!

I am still figuring out what the secret message is in this book followingntje ISBN numbers in every chapter. What a fun element to add to this wonderful book!

Thank you @netgalley @shadowmountainpub for this eARC!

Based on the title I was not expecting a dystopian type novel, so I had to quickly readjust my expectations.

I found myself easily immersed in this world where a Blight had destroyed all of the plants and crops, and the only way to stop it was to destroy ALL books and paper. Now the only information that people have is through their electronic Syncrons. Much like Rey in Star Wars The Force Awakens, Juni and her friends go searching and scrounging for paper which is highly valuable and can be traded for credits. On one of their searches they encounter an unexpected ally who helps them escape. This chance meeting puts them on a path to search for a hidden library they never even knew existed.

This story is very timely and relevant as it explores the question of who controls the information we receive, and is it truly best if we solely rely on digital information sources rather than hard copies. Are these digital versions alterable? Are they true to the original? Are we really being allowed to see the whole picture? This book will lead to some great discussions in middle school classrooms.

Well written story about the importance of physical books and becoming too dependent on technology. The book will
Be a hit with middle grade readers that enjoy fantasy, adventure, and dystopian stories.

This was a great book. It has high intensity and moves really fast.
I liked this futurist look at libraries being gone but paper being worth so much. Juni's parents hid the last library from her, but knew that she would find out about it eventually, with the box and the message inside.
I liked that once Juni new she couldn't not go looking for it.
I was very intrigued about the storage of the books and the discovery in the end.
I liked Juni's grandfather and Ms Gupta next door and how she really looked out for Juni and her grandfather.
I felt there were a few things that could have been fleshed out more but I think middle graders won't mind.
A fun adventure book!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

I found The Legend of the Lost Library to be a really fun read and I enjoyed immensely. I mean seriously, if you love books you probably love libraries, and if you love books and libraries you're going to love this book!

As a middle school special education teacher, I made it my summer break goal to read more middle grade books. I love to recommend books to other people in general but I always come up short when it comes time to recommend them to my students. I originally requested The Legend of the Last Library as it reminded me of City of Ember- my favorite book in fourth grade! So, imagine my delight when City of Ember was called out about half way through. The Legend of the Last Library was a phenomenal read. The first 5 chapters start right out in an action scene that was used to do some background knowledge and world building in a way that pulled my interest into the story I was about to enter right away. Typically, I avoid the scifi/fantasy genre as I am not a fan of world building but in this case, I wish we would have gotten more; even 10-15 more pages of information would have pushed this to be a 5 star read for me. In this fast paced story we follow Juniper (Juni) Knox as she stumbles into the actual truth of everything she has ever known. Her parents were archaeologists (or were they) that died when she was little. Shortly after their death, she receives a mysterious box that is mostly ignored for the next 6 years until a piece of plastic with a strange symbol opens the box, and Juni’s eyes. I will be recommending this to everyone I know. Long live libraries.

What worked:
The most curious thing about this dystopian story is how paper has become so valuable. Juni and her best friend Doler frequently search old, crumbling buildings looking for paper, this is called plifting, and the opening chapter finds them in Harker’s Village, an off-limits area. The Blight wiped out all trees a hundred years ago but it’s still unclear why paper is so important. Pollution renders the environment inadequate for growing new trees but technology provides communication and entertainment for everyone. Readers may wonder if the paper itself has value to Novexus or if it’s more about what might be printed on it. Or, does O’Donnell have a devious plan for paper that the rest of Novexus knows nothing about?
The synopsis identifies Quaze as a friend but that’s an iffy description. She takes possession of the one piece of paper Juni finds and they almost come to blows over a plastic card. Quaze strikes a deal with O’Donnell that doesn’t include Juni or Doler so it’s clear Quaze only cares about herself. On the other hand, Doler stands over six feet tall and honors his loyalty to Juni. He’s also nervous and paranoid all the time so he adds levity and unpredictability to the story. Juni encounters another boy named Kobyn and he seems to know a lot about the plastic card, the locked box in her grandfather’s closet, and her parents’ activities before they died. He tells her about a rumored Last Library her parents were trying to find but this is the first time she’s ever heard about it. Kobyn makes comments that imply he’s working with others but readers are left to wonder what he might be hiding.
Juni and other citizens are able to enjoy books by downloading them using their Syncrons. However, no one is aware these books are abridged versions and Juni only discovers this fact when she gets her hands on a real, hard copy of one. Readers may connect with her reaction when Juni marvels at how the author’s descriptions allow her to become immersed in the story. She’s so engrossed that she’s surprised to realize several hours have passed. How many young readers have had similar experiences with their own books? Perhaps reading this book will have the same effect.
What didn’t work as well:
There are minor details in the story that may, or may not, bother young readers. What value are tiny scraps of paper? It’s not clear if Juni actually makes any money and how are they able to pay for her grandfather’s expensive medical care? The characters plan to do something with the library near the end but it’s unclear how they can do it and keep the thirty million printed items secret from Novexus. How could the Last Library have been constructed in the first place without anyone knowing? Again, there may be moments when something bothers young readers but it shouldn’t be enough to detract from enjoying the story.
The final verdict:
The author creates an original view of a future world where a major company has taken control of society. Lovers of reading will root for Juni as she tries to save the only remaining printed words left in the world. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy dystopian stories and adventure and I recommend you give it a shot.

As a lover of books and the an avid reader I was excited to see how Frank Cole would convince his audience of the importance of the written word. He did not disappoint.
In a world where paper is worth more than gold and plastic is the most abundant material, society is tightly controlled by a totalitarian government. After a catastrophic event known as "the Blight," disrupted ecosystems, the government took control of all essential resources, including electricity and food supplies. With the rise of digital information, libraries have become relics of the past, and the government strictly curates the knowledge that people can access. Education is limited to what the authorities deem necessary, suppressing any information that could spark rebellion or curiosity about the world before the Blight.
In this bleak setting lives Juni, a determined and resourceful girl. Her life takes a dramatic turn when her grandfather becomes ill and the medicine needed to keep him alive is in short supply.. Juni accidentally stumbles upon the key to the Last Library. Finding this library may be the solution she is looking for.
Emboldened by the hope of saving her grandfather, Juni embarks on a perilous journey to find the library. Along the way, she faces numerous obstacles, including government patrols, hostile enemies and the challenges of a world where paper is a rare and precious commodity. As she gets closer to her goal, Juni uncovers secrets about the Blight, the government's true intentions, and the hidden history of her world. Ultimately, finding the lost library becomes not only a quest to save her grandfather but also a mission to uncover the truth and ignite a spark of knowledge and hope in a society starved of both.
This book is the perfect middle grades book for young readers who enjoy adventure, twists and turns and need to understand the power of te written word. Frank weaves in stories from our childhood throughout the book. He also leaves his readers with a scavenger hunt hidden amongst the pages. The book is well written and will leave you hungry for your next read. After all, "the Library isn't a gift, it is a reward."

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

This is an interesting foray into middle grade dystopia, which there isn't a huge bounty of. The concept is that there was a massive insect infestation and it killed off all of the trees. Additionally, the bugs were eating paper so all paper had to be burned. Now kids are plifting paper to sell for spare change. June finds an item that sets the story rolling and unintentionally uncovers "the last library" and discovers that it is tied to her parents' death. Of course there is a mega corporation, Novexus, who doesn't want her to find this library.

Pros - Interesting look at the power of technology and how it monitors us even when we don't think about it. Novexus is also the "big bad" who tries to control the information that everyone receives and blots out parts of history that cause it to look like anything other than the amazing company that saved everyone.

Cons - There were moments where the "world" was not built out enough to make it feel real. Perhaps this is the adult in me, but I just didn't understand how they really got to this point and the whole plifting and beginning part of the story was confusing. I would have loved to see the story fleshed out more.

This was a surprise hit for me. I really like the protagonist and her collection of compatriots, as well as the storyline of a hidden library in a culture where books are banned. The story unfolded well and, while there could have been a few more details here and there (it is a YA book and I'm a grown-up, so I might be more particular here), it was really well told. I also like the ISBN Easter Egg as well (most clever).