This was so beautiful and sweet and a little sad. A total love letter to libraries and reading and my heart is full.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Lost Library" by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. The authors did a fantastic job of weaving together a captivating and mysterious story that kept me engaged from beginning to end. The characters were well-developed and relatable, and I found myself becoming emotionally invested in their journey to uncover the secrets of the lost library.
The writing style of Stead and Mass is beautiful and lyrical, drawing me into the world of the story and making it feel vivid and real. I particularly enjoyed the way the authors explored themes of friendship, loyalty, and the power of storytelling throughout the book. These themes added depth and meaning to the plot, making it more than just a simple mystery.
One of the aspects of "The Lost Library" that I found particularly intriguing was the way in which the authors blended elements of fantasy and reality. The story had a dreamlike quality to it that kept me guessing and wondering what would happen next. While some parts of the plot were a bit predictable, overall I found the book to be a delightful and thought-provoking read.
Overall, I would highly recommend "The Lost Library" to fans of middle-grade fiction who enjoy stories that are equal parts enchanting and thought-provoking. With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and beautiful writing style, this book is sure to captivate readers of all ages. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Lost Library is a wonderfully engaging young reader adventure by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass. Released 29th Aug 2023 by Macmillan on their Feiwel & Friends imprint, it's 224 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, mass market paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

Libraries are so vital. Learning to read and finding refuge in the library seems to be a common denominator for virtually *all* lifelong readers. This is a warm and sweetly nostalgic story about books, living authentically, libraries, and growing up. It's told in alternating PoV between Mortimer, (a polydactyl genius cat), Al (a ghost), and Evan (a kid moving up to middle school from primary school and who isn't entirely ok with the situation yet).

Chapters are clearly marked in the headings, so there's no confusion about who's talking. There's a great deal of whimsy and gentle humor and the prose is so appealing and simply written that it'll be enjoyable by all ages. This would be a good one for a classroom circle (Lexile 640L) or bedtime read.

The audiobook has a run time of 4 hours and 15 minutes and is capably narrated by an ensemble cast. They do a good job of delineating their respective characters and the sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four stars for both the print story and the audiobook.

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

This book was so cute! I loved how everything tied together at the end. Mortimer was probably my favorite character and I found myself wishing that the humans could understand him. Overall, a great mystery for kids!

I think I could recommend this book to anyone! The narrator of the audiobook was also so soothing to listen to. A book about books for book lovers and all kinds of readers. With thanks to NetGalley for both the ebook and audiobook editions for review.

What a sweet sweet book. It made my heart feel so warm. I loved Evan, he is written so beautifully. The story felt magical. I could see this easily being a favorite reread of so many kids.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Both my daughter and I liked this story - however, we felt the plot and story were really slow and didn’t keep our attention long term.

I admit, when I heard that Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass had teamed up to write a book about a library, I was all in. Then I saw the blurb, "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)." So I knew I had to read it.

The way in which Al, Evan, and Mortimer tell the story lets the reader try to puzzle out what is going on - just as Evan is trying to do. Where did the Little Free Library come from? Why are there books from the town library that burned down years ago? How did they survive the fire? Why is the name of Evan's father on one of the checkout cards; why is it the only name on the card? Al's relationship with the other ghosts in town, even the memories of Mortimer the cat's life in the library before its destruction all play a part in the larger mystery of what is going on in their town.

This is a great story about the power of books, about coming to terms with choices you have made, and about growing up and finding out that your parents were kids once who also had to grow up. Full of searching for answers, connecting with family, and seeing how the past shapes the present, readers will love this delightful tale.

This novel was absolutely delightful as well as beautifully tragic. I loved every page. If you like different point of view novels: this is the novel for you! If you love libraries, this book is for you! If you like collecting clues as you read, this novel is for you. If the cover doesn't draw you in, this review should.

In a small town, a library burned down years before and never was rebuilt. Some perished in the library and some survived. No one knows how the fire started though. When a mysterious little library box pops up overnight with books from the old library in it, the town is all abuzz on where it came from and what it contains. Mortimer knows it's his duty as the library cat to guard his books. Evan, age 11, passes the free little library box and immediately borrows two books. Those two books lead Evan on a knowledge quest: why did his dad check out the one book so much and who is the person who checked out the other book? Could they be connected to the library fire?

There are so many sage sayings and so much wise wisdom imparted in this novel. I loved how the power of stories shines through in multiple ways in this brilliant masterpiece. If you need a heart warming homage to libraries, librarians and books... this is the novel for you!

I loved this little small town mystery. I especially loved how the book itself breaks down a mystery novel in a way for younger readers to understand. I thought this book was fun. It also showed a representation for real life childhood anxieties and fears which I believe can assist children in their own anxieties, like starting middle school! I loved the multiple POVs. Whenever I see a little free library now I smile and promise I’ll come back with a few books. I’d recommend this book to young readers looking for a mystery! It was informative and fun which is a great combo for middle grade lit!

<i>Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

This was a sweet, heartwarming middle grade novel. I enjoyed the mystery element to it and the multiple point of views. Although this is definitely on the younger side of middle grade fiction, I do think some of emotional aspects of the book could have been explored a bit more. There were some sad elements to the plot, but I didn't feel the spark of emotion that I usually feel with middle grade. But it was still entertaining and cute.

The Lost Library is one of favorite books from 2023. It's heart warming with surprising twists along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy of The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. This is such a wonderful middle grade story!

The day Evan noticed the free little library guarded by the big orange cat was the day his life changed. When he dared take home two books from the free little library, the doors guarding community secrets began squeaking open. The books in the free little library were originally from the town library that had burned and tragically killed several community members, including the librarian. The library assistant, Al, feels like a ghost herself as she cares for spirits not yet departed from this world, and tries to figure out her place in the community while grieving her long ago losses. Evan, too, is trying to find his place in the community, and the books, the cat, the and Al also help him answer questions about his family's past.

Stead and Mass team together again to produce a book brimming with fantasy and "what if's." This book is a something of a juxtaposition for me - it is full of adventure, but slower-moving. It is fantasy, but realistically relatable. Two stellar authors whose worker is in the vein of Erin Entrada Kelly.

A beautiful middle grade mystery that is like reading a love letter to libraries! A ghost librarian, a cat who guards the free-library, and all the books. Loved this story! Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass are automatic reads!

This is the sweetest book. I must admit I did not think about how the 'ghosts' where living until I found out how they were. This book is about love, loss and how you can live again. Highly recommend it.

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass is a magical telling about a free library that appears one night in a small town that has lost it's library to a fire. Evan and Rafe, two young boys, take on the mystery of finding out more about the library and the books that are added on as people notice what is going on. With a ghost story, a live cat and two inquisitive boys, this is an excellent book for any child.

Reading this book as an adult, the final twists seem pretty clear relatively early on. These secrets are well seeded in the first half of the plot. But that's okay. This is not really a mystery. Not beyond the surface elements. This is a story about kids at a point of transition, about examining the larger world for the first time, fearing the future but recognizing it's inevitability. Its about trauma and the things that break us. And the things that make us whole again. It is populated by compelling, complex characters who are believable. It's a charming, quick read that holds up to repeats.

This is a book written by great authors, who know how to tell a story well. Engaging and somewhat mysterious, this will appeal to a wide audience with likable characters and a strong plot.