Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After orphaned 11-year-old Rowan Fitzgerald is caught in a campus bell tower past curfew, she's kicked out of a fifth boarding school. The truth about what happened that night, however, seems unbelievable, even to her: she was confronted by a strange man in a top hat and coattails who inquired about her entry card to the Library of Curiosities, a gift that she received from the library's owner, her estranged grandfather, Cillian. Reuniting with Cillian in Glassby Bay, Calif., following her expulsion, Rowan finds in his library myriad magical items for checkout. As she settles into a library internship, she wonders more about her parents, their deaths years ago, and why the other staffers are keeping secrets about a mysterious entity named Silverjack and an item called the Everheart. When objects are stolen from the library and Rowan is blamed, she must apprehend the real thief if she wants to stay in her precious new home. Brash and impetuous Rowan drives the linear plot, while evocative prose by Lundquist (The Carnival of Wishes & Dreams) imbues the magical setting with personified charm in a cozy and enchanting adventure. The Fitzgeralds read as white. Ages 8--12. Agent: Adria Goetz, KT Literary. (July)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Expelled from yet another boarding school, intrepid almost-twelve-year-old Rowan interns at her grandfather's Library of Curiosities where she must solve a mystery involving stolen enchanted objects, a hidden item, family secrets, and her parents' deaths to clear her name. Along the way, she forms new friendships and navigates tensions with the enigmatic magician Silverjack. This middle-grade novel offers a compelling blend of adventure, intrigue, humor, and self-discovery. A delightful exploration of family and the magic of curiosity. (c) Copyright 2025. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Expelled from boarding school for the fifth time, middle schooler Rowan moves in with her grandfather, where she trains as an intern at the Library of Curiosities. Rowan Fitzgerald, almost 12, bends the rules--but she usually has a reasonable excuse and good intentions. Lonely Rowan just wants to fit in. Her latest expulsion coincides with her guardian grandfather's invitation to spend Thanksgiving at Fitzgerald Manor in Glassby Bay in Northern California. He tells her, "The time has come for you to understand your heritage." The massive home includes three wings with staff and family living quarters, a ballroom, bowling alley, movie theater, cafe, mysterious fourth floor (that's strictly off limits!), and the Library of Curiosities, which contains enchanted objects for borrowing, from the harmless (a spoon that makes everything taste delicious) to the ominous (the mysterious "rare curiosity" known as the Everheart). Rowan, who's Irish American, makes friends with Henry Choi and Lara Hernandez, fellow middle schoolers and residents of Fitzgerald Manor and the other two members of the inaugural Library Youth Internship Program. When curiosities start to disappear and Rowan becomes a suspect, she must figure out what's going on. Short, exciting chapters laced with humor and a rich vocabulary showcase characters such as the menacing magician Silverjack and the sarcastic talking cat Mr. Fluffypants. Occasional flashback chapters fill in events from before Rowan's parents drowned. Rowan's suggestions for nonmagical solutions to problems remind readers that they can achieve their own goals. Inventive and worthwhile.(Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
