THE LIBRARY OF EVER, by Zeno Alexander, Imprint, April 30, 2019, Hardcover, $16.99 (ages 8-11)
Zeno Alexander’s The Library of Ever takes readers on multiple adventures that only a special library could offer.
With her parents off traveling the globe, Lenora is bored, bored, bored―until she discovers a secret doorway into the ultimate library. Mazelike and reality-bending, the library contains all the universe’s wisdom. Every book ever written, and every fact ever known, can be found within its walls. And Lenora becomes its newly appointed Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian.
She rockets to the stars, travels to a future filled with robots, and faces down a dark nothingness that wants to destroy all knowledge. To save the library, Lenora will have to test her limits and uncover secrets hidden among its shelves. —Synopsis provided by Imprint
I’m always on the lookout for middle-grade novels that can be enjoyed beyond the intended audience. Lenora is a plucky heroine that readers will immediately like. Lenora’s adventures are great fun and quick for those readers who enjoy reading in smaller bites.
Alexander’s writing immediately draws you in, and his pacing keeps the story moving forward. There’s not a lot of ebb and flow to the story, though, so if you’re looking for a more leisurely pace, this isn’t the book for you.
Because of its length and pacing, The Library of Ever is a smart option for reading aloud, with each adventure becoming a nighttime read in and of itself.
