The Lost Library by Jess McGeachin

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Lost Library by Jess McGeachin Sarah Sahn McGeachin, Jess The Lost Library; written and illus. by Jess McGeachin. Viking, 2022 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593351338 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593351345 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs When Oliver moves to a new house, he makes an exciting discovery in his bedroom closet: a magical book that asks to be returned to a place called the Lost Library. His mom is too busy unpacking to help him figure out where such a library might be, but Oliver’s new neighbor Rosie has an idea, and the two head off to the public library. When Oliver drops the book into the returns slot, the two children plummet [End Page 92] into a secret library beneath their feet, where shelves of books give way to seas and forests, and eventually to the Bookshelf Dragon, who does not like being woken up. Intrepid adventurer Rosie takes the lead, finding a book to soothe the dragon and getting herself and overly cautious Oliver home. McGeachin’s digital illustrations create an appealing cartoon landscape for redheaded, bespectacled Oliver and brown-skinned, coily-haired Rosie to journey through. Arched bookcases, deep blue and purple hues, and full-bleed spreads create a sense of the fantastical that’s just scary enough to be exciting, while plenty of reassuring touches indicate Oliver and Rosie’s eventual, safe escape. Their adventure would make an enthralling storytime, and a final note from Ms. Hardback the librarian, peeking out from a library checkout card pocket, alerts the reader to a hidden pictures game that invites independent revisiting. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois