The Lost Library

by Rebecca Stead, Wendy Mass

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

The dynamic duo of Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass is back in action. The Lost Library is a love letter to books and the libraries (and bookstores) that house their magic.

Now a New York Times bestseller and a #1 Indie Bestseller, readers won't want to miss this story of a little free library guarded by a cat, and a boy who takes on the mystery it keeps.

A TODAY SHOW Kids' Read Pick! * The Amazon #1 Best Book for Kids * "A celebration of the power of a good story and librarians." —Jeff Kinney, bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.

Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.

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).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250838834
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	02/25/2025
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Rebecca Stead is the New York Times–bestselling author of When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy, First Light, Goodbye Stranger, and The List of Things That Will Not Change. Her books have been awarded the Newbery Medal, the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Fiction, and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Rebecca lives in New York City, where she is always on the lookout for her next story idea.

Wendy Mass is the New York Times–bestselling author of the Willow Falls and Candymakers series and thirty more novels. Her first was the Schneider Family Book Award winner A Mango-Shaped Space and her latest is Lo and Behold.. She and her family live in New Jersey.

Together Rebecca and Wendy wrote Bob, which took them seven years but they loved every minute of it.

Editorial Reviews

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

A TODAY SHOW Kids' Read Pick!

#1 INDIE BESTSELLER!

The Amazon #1 Best Kids' Book

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

#1 Bestseller, New England and Southern Independent Booksellers Associations (NEBA & SIBA)

"A celebration of the power of a good story and librarians." —TODAY Show pick by Jeff Kinney, bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

"When a makeshift Little Free Library appears on the town green, almost 20 years after the mysterious fire that burned down the town library, the people of Martinville are drawn together once more to not just solve the mystery of the fire but also to decide what it means for their own fates. Mass and Stead employ a rich cast of characters—including ghost librarians, graduating fifth-graders, mice, and a cat—to dive into the heart of Martinville. ... Full of heart, sly narration, and Stead’s expected air of mystery, this is well suited for lovers of books and libraries and novels featuring ensemble casts." —Booklist

"An entertaining, lightly fantastical and supernatural love letter to books, librarians, and Little Free Libraries.... Readers will come away feeling inspired."--The Horn Book Magazine

"A boy who visits a little free library gets more than he bargained for when he becomes a sleuth caught up in the middle of his town’s most enduring mystery.... A page-turner with striking characters and a satisfying puzzle at its heart." —Kirkus Reviews


"The Lost Library’s whimsical simplicity is a delight. It is subtly magical, sweetly optimistic and above all, kind. The Lost Library reminds us that each book contains an entire universe, and the next one you step inside of could be the one that changes everything. The next time one of its readers walks past a little free library, they might just stop to look inside." --BookPage

From the Publisher

2023-06-08
A boy who visits a little free library gets more than he bargained for when he becomes a sleuth caught up in the middle of his town’s most enduring mystery.

Ever since a tragic fire destroyed the Martinville Library, the town has been left without a place to borrow books. That is, until a little free library suddenly pops up, guarded by a fluffy orange cat named Mortimer. Fifth grader Evan McClelland selects two books from its shelves. Inside them he finds puzzling clues that lead him to chase down the real story behind the library fire. The book is told from multiple perspectives, including those of Evan, Mortimer, and ghost librarian Al, who perished in the blaze and is responsible for the upkeep of the little free library. Evan’s tenacious and curious character is relatable. His relationship with likable best friend Rafe, a brave, kind boy with overprotective parents, is easily one of the most endearing parts of the story. The puzzle over the library fire, a secret involving Evan’s family, a popular writer’s connection to Martinville, and the supernatural elements are presented in ways that are just right for middle-grade readers. The pacing is strong, and the twists and turns are satisfying even if perceptive readers may catch hints of the ultimate truth along the way. Physical descriptions of the human characters are largely absent.

A page-turner with striking characters and a satisfying puzzle at its heart. (Mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews