The Lost Library

Rebecca Stead is one of my favourite current children's authors. She combines clever, twisty plots with warm, vulnerable characters, and The Lost Library wraps these ingredients in an appealing package with the love of books, a gifted cat, some ghosts and family secrets. I don't know Wendy Mass but she and Stead evidently work beautifully together.

The Lost Library is a perfect Christmas book for primary aged lovers of books and mysteries. It's lovely to see the little street library, which became so crucial during lockdowns, playing a central role in the story. I especially loved the character of AL (the Assistant Librarian) even if she did seem to have wandered in from a book of a previous century (or two). And there is a nice dig at helicopter parenting! The Lost Library is a delight.