Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein

Reviewed by Lori

Title: Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics

 Series:  Mr. Lemoncello's Library - Vol. 2

Author: Chris Grabenstein

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 136325

Description:  In this sequel, Kyle and his teammates compete with groups from all over America in the first-ever Library Olympiad, hosted by Mr. Lemoncello.

Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It

Why I Read It:  Read Aloud Selection and loved the first book.

Notes:  Kyle Keeley and his friends love Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.  But it turns out that other kids around the country think it isn’t fair that they didn’t have a turn to escape Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.  So in response, Mr. Lemoncello creates the first ever library olympics! Children around the country compete in games to be chosen to represent their district.  Soon one competitor seems to stand out – a one Marjory Muldauer – who believes libraries should be libraries qua libraries, not mini amusement parks like Mr. Lemoncello’s.  And it turns out that not everyone in town is happy to have such a fantastic library either– particularly Charles Chiltington and his mother. Soon they begin a campaign to remove Mr. Lemoncello and install a board of directors who will determine the materials that should be available for the malleable minds of children.  If Kyle and his friends don’t win the library olympics it may spell the end of Mr. Lemoncello’s Library as they know and love it. And worse, one of the library Olympians is cheating - stealing books from the library. So, it’s up to Kyle, Sierra, Akimi, and Miguel, to save their new beloved library. They may even get help from a few unexpected sources!  I really enjoyed this book. I’m a fan of puzzles and games and libraries for that matter – and this book makes you feel like you want to go visit your own library. I appreciate, as a read aloud, that the chapters in this book aren’t very long. And I love the idea that friendly competition is able to bring people together.

Recommended Readers: Grade 3 and up. Including adults looking for a fun read!

Themes: Libraries, Friendship, Knowledge, Cheating, Banned Books, Competition, Olympics, Skill Sets, Reading, Puzzles and Games

Cross-Genre Links:
Sports: Olympic games
Processing Information: Solving Puzzles
History: Research your local library
STEAM: Paper Airplanes
Literature: Banned Books

Inquiries and Activities:

  • Why does Mr. Lemoncello create the first Library Olympiad? 
  • If you were going to compete what would be your strongest skill? 
  • Are you a reader? A game-player? Knowledgeable?
  • In groups choose one of the banned books that is mentioned in the text and present it to the class.  Introduce the book, the author, the time period when it was written, why it was banned, and whether you agree.
  • Should books ever be banned? Why or why not? 
  • How are Charles Chiltington and Marjory Muldauer similar and how are they different?
  • What mistakes does Kyle make and how do they affect the team’s chance of winning?  Is it fair to place the responsibility of a team on one member? What happens when one team member takes over?
  • Take some time to visit your own library!

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