The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

The Lost Library is thin on theme, but warm hearted and family-friendly.

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. Feiwel and Friends, 2023, 215 pages

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 6-10 as a read-aloud, 8-12 for independent readers.

Evan is nervous about ending 5^th grade (which he enjoys) and starting middle school (which is the great unknown). The little library that pops up in his small town is a welcome distraction, because Evan loves books, and the town library that burned down years ago has never been rebuilt. But wait—why are so many books in the little library relics from the old one, with the same checkout dates to the same person? And why does that person have the same name as one of Evan’s favorite mystery writers? And why is the library guarded by a large and lazy ginger cat? Evan’s best friend Rafe eagerly joins in finding answers to these intriguing questions, and their search will involve a cat, some mice, and a handful of ghosts.

The Lost Library celebrates the peculiar joys of reading, for “books don’t get used up. Books got powered by the reader, didn’t they? They could be read again and again.” It’s a sweet and gently humorous story with strong family relationships, some lovely poetry . . . and ghosts. Certain plot elements don’t add up, and the novel lacks a sense of eternal values—the jacket copy says something about owning your truth and choosing the life you want, trendy themes that aren’t explicit in the narrative (and don’t hold up in the real world). There’s still a pleasant story good for a cozy read-aloud.

Overall Rating: 4

• Worldview/moral value: 3.5
• Artistic/literary value: 4.25

Read more about our ratings here.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

Reviews: More library books! The Lost Books series, The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library, Library’s Most Wanted, and Love in the Library (which has stirred up a bit of controversy lately).

Reflection: Gladys Hunt on Library Blessings.