Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Published by Random House Children's Books
2013
Ages 8-12
Shelf: Middle Grade


Opening Line: "This is how Kyle Keeley got grounded for a week." 

Favorite Quotes: "A library should be a know-place for know-bodies."

"Knowledge not shared remains unknown"

Blurb: It's been 12 years since Alexandriaville has had a functioning library.  Luigi Lemoncello, the world's most famous game maker, has just designed the most interactive, state-of-the art library new library for his hometown.  And to celebrate the grand opening, he has invited 12 lucky seventh graders to spend the night exploring its incredible rooms. Kyle Keeley, a lifelong gamer, becomes one of the lucky winners after his essay is selected by Mr. Lemoncello. But what was supposed to be a simple sleep over at the library, turns into an exciting scavenger hunt game where Keeley and a cast of characters have 24 hours to find a secret exit out of the building and win a superb prize.

Within its pages: 
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library takes its readers through a series of puzzles in a 24 hour scavenger hunt.  Prolific readers will love finding all the obvious, and not so obvious references to other books (classics and recently published), while puzzle solvers will salivate trying to get ahead of the characters and solve the mystery first.  Mr. Lemoncello continually makes literary puns and there's a puzzle at the end of the book that will make readers go back and analyze everything he ever said to connect it to specific books, like: "The Dewey decimal doors are now open, and, unlock Tuck, this game will not be everlasting."
And then there are the puzzles...all kinds of puzzles:

Shelf it!:
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library will appeal to all mystery-loving bookies out there.  It will remind you of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Mysterious Benedict Society.  The author's website includes games and a study guide with chapter questions.  For teachers and librarians, there are many ways to bring the book to life, like creating a scavenger hunt around the school. Now that we think of it, there is no reason why parents can't do the same at home...Who doesn't love a good scavenger hunt? And if it has to do with books, then...that just sounds like something a Bookie will definitely want to do.