The Library of Curiosities by Jenny Lundquist

In The Library of Curiosities, an orphaned girl discovers her heritage as the latest of a curiosity-collecting dynasty.

The Library of Curiosities by Jenny Lundquist. Holiday House, 2025. 250 pages.

• Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12
• Recommended For: ages 8-15

On her twelfth birthday, Rowan Fitzgerald receives a welcome invitation to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her grandfather. Not that her relationship with Cillian Fitzgerald is especially warm—in fact, it barely exists. Since her parents drowned in a boating accident, Rowan has passed through a number of boarding schools because her grandfather can’t be bothered with her. Or so she thinks. So the invitation is a surprise, and it couldn’t have come at a better time, because she’s just been suspended—again. This time it was for climbing up to the bell tower with a borrowed telescope to observe a meteor shower. Busted by the school security officer, but not before Rowan meets a stranger in the bell tower, a gentleman in antiquated costume, carrying an umbrella, who seems to know who she is.

Her grandfather’s invitation comes with a library card to Cillian’s “Library of Curiosities—Where Wonder Awaits.” His brief note closes the invitation with “The time has come for you to understand your heritage. Prepare yourself.” That’s ominous, especially since Cillian seems no warmer toward her than he ever did. But then, there’s the library. Wonder indeed awaits, with “curiosities” like cameras that photograph two days into the future, pennies that grant wishes, self-watering water cans, message-carrying playing cards, and much more.

To her delight, Rowan learns she can spend the holiday as an intern, helping eager patrons check out the items. If she’s diligent and winsome, perhaps her grandfather will keep her on the job! She can almost forget about her heritage, except for certain overheard conversations. Also for coming under suspicion when certain items go missing. And most of all, the appearance of a man dressed in antiquated costume, always carrying an umbrella; a man who calls himself Silverjack and appears to have magical powers.

The setup is intriguing, the characters engaging, and the story just long enough. Mystery elements (Who is the thief? What really happened to Rowan’s parents?) make it more than a fantasy. The “curiosities” are clever and imaginative as well as crucial to the plot. The villain in this piece is not purely villainous but a man who was wronged in the past and doesn’t know how to forgive. This adds a layer of depth unusual in a light fantasy.

Considerations: none

Bottom Line: A fun, absorbing, not-too-long fantasy that even reluctant readers might enjoy.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• Reviews: Who knew libraries would be such rich material for fantasy? See our reviews of The Library of Unruly Treasures, The Legend of the Last Library, Library Girl, The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library, and The Lost Library.
• Reflection: We’re thrilled to have a collection of the late Gladys Hunt’s blog posts. You may be interested in her thoughts on libraries.
• Resource: We’re fans of libraries! We wrote a chapter about loving your library in our book, The Redeemed Reader. We also devoted an entire issue of our Redeemed Reader Quarterly magazine to the theme of “loving your library.”

You may purchase The Library of Curiosities from Amazon