Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Thing 1)

We read Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. It's about a boy named Kyle Keeley who loves games: board games, video games, any kind. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, is the most famous game maker in the world. So when he finds out that Mr. Lemoncello is the one behind the building of the new town library lock-in event, he knows he just has to enter. Kyle is one of the lucky twelve kids that get to go to the library and participate in the game that Mr. Lemoncello has created. The game is simple: Be the first one to escape the library and win tons of games, all designed by Mr. Lemoncello.

What I liked: I loved the whole concept. The plot was unique and the riddles weren't so tricky that they baffled me to the point where I felt exhausted, but they were just hard enough that I felt energized to figure them out myself. Mr. Lemoncello was hilarious, and after meeting the author at a local book event, it was pretty obvious that he based the character after himself.

What I didn't like: The characters were pretty cliched. You had your jocks, your video game heads, your bookworms, your awkward nerds, the rich snobs, the ditzy cheerleaders, etc. Admittedly, Haley Daley didn't fit the stereotypical cheerleader mold in the end. She actually proved to be very clever and crucial to the plot.

I give this book

. (My actual rating would be 4.5, but I can't give halves with the star graphics). It's a great family read for kids of all ages. If you love games and riddles, this book is for you!