Hidden Gems: Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library
A fellow teacher told me that Nickelodeon made a TV movie of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library. (I haven't seen it yet, but I heard it isn't like the book - surprise!) The novel was a Sunshine State book pick a few years back, and it was well-liked by students. Before I watch the movie, I decided to read the book again. Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library really is a Hidden Gem for both teachers and students.
The book's cover grabs people's attention with its bright colors and game pieces. However, the book is less focused on action and more focused on its characters.
A Summary of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Kyle Keeley really likes to play games. He and his brothers love to play the ones made by Mr. Lemoncello's Imagination Factory - video games, board games - any games. As the youngest brother, Kyle is constantly compared to his older brothers - but he is neither a bookworm or an athlete. He had no interest in the extra credit essay contest about the new library - until he learned that Mr. Lemoncello himself would be a judge. As a last ditch effort, he emailed his essay directly to the man himself. After all, the game isn't over until somebody wins.The twelve seventh grade winners were invited to stay overnight in the new library - and Kyle's was the last name announced. The students were surprised to learn that they could also be contestants in another contest - and the winner would star in Mr. Lemoncello's commercials. To win the prize, they would have to discover the hidden exit to the library.The rest of the story follows the eight students who chose to participate in the contest. Twists and turns happen as they slowly uncover clues to the mystery.
Teaching with Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library: Characters & Plot
Although it seems like this would be an action-packed book, it is really a character-driven story. Think of the mystery as more like solving a jigsaw puzzle - the students find one piece at a time rather than in a rush. As the students all know each other from school, some of them are friends and some don't really like each other. Their different personalities and strengths influence how they go about solving the puzzle. Grabenstein does a wonderful job at slowly revealing the characters and how they change while participating in the contest. Not every character is a hero - there is definitely a villain - which makes the story more engaging. Students could really have deep discussions about why they make the choices they do, as well as discuss what they should do!This book could also be used to discuss plot development. As there are so many characters, the plot follows multi-strand plot lines - the reader has to keep track of what the different groups of characters are doing in the library. Teachers could use a large piece of bulletin board paper to create a "timeline" and track what each player is doing. (Fairly early in the contest the students divide up into two teams, making the strands easier to follow.)Students could also track the plot by making lists of the clues that the characters uncover. The contest was developed with multiple ways to find the library's exit, and both the readers and players have to keep track of what they know and what they need to find out.I recommend Mr. Lemoncello's Library for 4th - 6th grades.
If you are looking for reading comprehension/journal response questions for Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library, I have a resource in my TPT store. It includes a question for every chapter, 3 literature circle ideas, and three after the book project ideas.