The public library in Kyle's hometown is reopening following extensive renovations, and he and several of his friends have somehow been lucky enough to win an essay contest granting them an overnight sneak preview before the official grand opening. They are wowed by the cutting-edge, interactive technology, games, books and imaginative architecture. The following morning, just as they think they're about to go home, they learn their adventure has only just begun: hidden throughout the building are clues which lead to the library's secret exit — and they have 24 hours to locate it.

I selected this to fulfill 'a middle grade mystery' in the Read Harder challenge, mostly because my daughter had just read it and thought it was great. It was a pretty fun, silly read, perfect for 4th/5th graders, and as a library user and employee myself I'm going to give it extra points for a) library setting, b) incorporating real library classification into the puzzles, and c) including an automated materials handling system.

Kyle Keely loves games, especially games created by world-famous Mr. Lemoncello, so he is thrilled to earn a trip to a lock-in at the new library built by Mr. Lemoncello. What starts as a fun, lock-in full of games, turns into an epic race to be the first kid to escape from the library. With its references to beloved children's books, fun puzzles and games, and themes of teamwork and good sportsmanship, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a delight!

Twelve, twelve-year-olds are chosen to participate in a lock-in at the new library built by Mr. Lemoncello, an all-game genius. However, this new game's trick, made specifically for these kids, is figuring out how to escape the library.

This book truly is entertaining! It is full of trivia, board game madness, and competition, which is surrounded by books. It made the mystery very light-hearted and makes the reader try to figure things out on their own.

I must say I enjoyed very much how developed all of the characters were. For example, Charles Chiltington, the acts like a know-it-all, makes you feel annoyed. Literally, whenever he said something, I would roll my eyes because you almost wish he would stop talking. :D Or, how Haley Daley was pretty smart but hid it because she was Miss. Popular.

The library itself sounded so cool! There were many tall shelves filled with books, a café downstairs, robots who shelf books (well, that might be a little creepy), and so much more. Let’s just say that this is a place every bookworm would want to exist.

I enjoyed the slight suspense towards the end. Like how Kyle Keeley, the main character and protagonist, almost got eliminated from the game because…wait, I can’t say that! Goodness, I better wrap this review up before making you not want to read the book because I’ve said things. :D

All in all, I think any book lover or obsessed board gamer would enjoy this book! I am a bit of both, so this certainly satisfied my book craving! And, it’s exciting that there are (at least so far) 4 other books. You are definitely going to be in for a whimsical treat!

The story was awesome. Well written and entertaining to read to our 6 year old. Cautionary note, there is a lot of name calling and condescending comments made by the characters. You can simply skip over those words/phrases and it doesn't impact the story AT ALL! (Wish writers could realize that)

We listened to the audiobook on a road trip and my kids (age 7 and 9) were engrossed the entire time. Another young reader indicated disappointment that the main character wasn't all that much of a reader, but we found that one of the points of the book was that he gained an appreciation for reading and libraries because of the challenge. The book was full of suspense and puzzles, but no violence or danger, so it was perfect for my younger kids. Best of all, it's all about what a wonderful resource libraries are, and how you can learn to use them, which is a great lesson hidden among all the engaging puzzles.

Kyle, the youngest of three brothers, embarks on an adventure full of puzzles where he must decide to work together with his teammates or work on his own in order to win. I completed the puzzle at the back of the book and emailed the author. I received an incredibly friendly and quick response. Any upper elementary school student would love this book as a read-aloud or simply if they are into puzzles.

A literature-loving puzzler/adventure that keeps the pages turning and the creative juices flowing in an intentionally Wonka-like trip through multimedia.

An awesome book for kids who love puzzles and mystery. This book has many strong characters such as Sierra, the shy bookworm, Kyle, the gamer, Miguel, the head library aide, and others. The characters are well developed and the concept is very interesting. You'll love this book if you like book scavenger.

Although mainly a suspenseful mystery, with clues placed in library books or from the book titles themselves, the characters are distinctive and have engaging relationships.

An entertaining and humorous story about children trying to win a library challenge that is based upon books, games, and riddles. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!