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Summary
Summary
Before Mr. Lemoncello became everyone's favorite game maker, he was a kid who liked to roll the dice . . . Discover the origins of what James Patterson calls "the coolest library in the world" in this PREQUEL to the New York Times bestselling Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library.
Go back to the START and meet thirteen-year-old, PUZZLE-obsessed Luigi Lemoncello!
Luigi has a knack for games and puzzles. But sometimes it feels like the cards are stacked against him. UNTIL a carnival arrives in town and Luigi gets the CHANCE OF A LIFETIME-the opportunity to work for the world-famous Professor Marvelmous--a dazzling, banana-hat-wearing barker who puts the SHOW in SHOWMAN! When the carnival closes, Professor Marvelmous leaves behind a mysterious puzzle box along with a clue. A clue that will lead Luigi and his friends on a fantastical treasure hunt to a prize beyond anything they could imagine--if they can find it!
Can Luigi crack the codes and unlock the box's secrets? Will there be puzzles? Of course! Balloons? You bet! Will it be fun? Hello! It's a Lemon-cello! BONUS! Can YOU crack the hidden puzzle inside?!
Author Notes
Chris Grabenstein was born in Buffalo, New York on September 2, 1955. He studied journalism and theater at the University of Tennessee and then moved to New York City. For five years, he performed and won awards with some of the city's top Improvisational Comedy troupes. He wrote for Jim Henson's Muppets. In 1986, he and Ronny Venable wrote a TV movie for CBS called The Christmas Gift. He also worked as an advertising executive for close to twenty years.
He won the Anthony Award for best first mystery for his first adult mystery Tilt-a-Whirl. His other novels for adults include Mad Mouse, Whack-a-Mole, Hell Hole, Mind Scrambler and Rolling Thunder. He received another Anthony Award and four Agatha Awards for his work. His books for younger readers include Escape from Mr. Lemonchello's Library, The Island of Dr. Libris, the Treasure Hunters series, the Haunted Mystery series, the Riley Mack series, and the I Funny series written with James Patterson.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (2)
Kirkus Review
Luigi Lemoncello gets inspiration from a master showman. After writing five successful adventures starring legendary billionaire Prof. Lemoncello, Grabenstein looks back in time to 1968, when young Luigi, the seemingly talentless middle child in a large Italian American family, realizes that his love for puzzles and games is his personal gift. When the 13-year-old successfully solves the rebus puzzle and attracts more customers to the Balloon-centration booth at a summer carnival, barker Prof. Marvelmous offers him a job. Marvelmous becomes a mentor; his niece, Maggie, a friend. She and Luigi visit the library regularly, follow treasure hunts offered by a local radio station, and work together to discover the secrets of the elaborate puzzle box Marvelmous has created. The author offers hints and instructions for solving the puzzles and has left one more (plus his email address) for readers to solve on their own. The fast-paced narrative includes good reading suggestions, popular music from the '60s, and occasional solid advice. As in earlier books, there's stress on the importance of teamwork and empathy--young Luigi is as thoughtful and caring as a teenager as he is later as the donor of a splendid library and instigator of brain-teasing contests. Luigi's bullying blond nemesis, Chadwick Chiltington, is likely the father of Charles from previous series entries. Splendiferous--and sure to lead readers back to previous puzzle adventures. (excerpt from Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library) (Fiction. 8-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
In this prequel to a series dear to the hearts of game and puzzle fans--not to mention librarians--13-year-old Luigi L. Lemoncello confirms his calling to become the greatest game designer ever while picking up experience in putting on a grand show, fending off bullies, and making people happier. Hoping to help support his big, financially strapped family, middle child Luigi jumps at the chance to work with wise, genial, fast-talking barker Professor Marvelmous, who runs a booth at the summer carnival where prizes can be won by popping balloons and guessing the rebuses hidden behind them. Along with depicting numerous rebuses so that readers can have at them too, Grabenstein tucks connections to subsequent episodes into his tale, including taglines ("Knowledge not shared remains unknown") and characters like Luigi's inventive friend Chester Raymo and sneering nemesis Chad Chiltington. Also, in the course of following a series of clues left by Marvelmous to a life-changing reward for his beloved niece Maggie, Luigi invents a string of entertainments, from an author/title treasure hunt in his local library--using books that were popular in 1968 when all this is set (and mostly still are today)--to an early version of Wordle. An "awesometastic" lead-in likely to inspire a wave of revisits to the earlier books.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Mr. Lemoncello's Library was a New York Times best-seller, and fans of the blockbuster series will be thrilled to puzzle their way through the future famed game-maker's origin story.
Excerpts
Excerpts
1 It was the summer that changed Luigi L. Lemoncello's life. Which, of course, led to millions of other lives being changed. The events of that long-ago summer gave rise to families made closer by games played late into the night or on rainy vacation days. It also ushered in a magical factory, a spectacularly futuristic library, dazzling contests, an unquenchable quest for knowledge, stupendous surprises, and fantastic fun unlike any the world had ever seen or experienced. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. In 1968, Luigi had just turned thirteen. He was the sixth of the ten Lemoncello children. His older brothers and sisters were all super-serious, super-talented, straight-A students. Luigi, on the other hand, loved making up stories. He loved solving puzzles. And he really, really loved playing games. Everyone said he was, well, different. Maybe even peculiar. Definitely odd. On weekends, Luigi's father ran the projector at the Willoughby Bijou Theater on Main Street in Alexandriaville, Ohio. Whenever there was a Saturday matinee for kids, Mr. Lemoncello would sneak his children up to the projection booth with him. It was the only way the whole family could afford to see movies. For free. The Lemoncello kids would take turns peering through the small window next to the clacking movie projector. They'd each watch for a few minutes and then tell their brothers and sisters what had happened. "The millionaire was boxing with the bad guy," Luigi said after his turn at the window. And then he added his own spin. "That's when a kangaroo hopped into the ring!" he told his brothers and sisters. "A kangaroo?" exclaimed the youngest Lemoncello, Sofia. "Oh yes. And the kangaroo can really sing!" Luigi's sixteen-year-old brother, Fabio, motioned for Luigi to step aside. "It's my turn. You're being goofy." "No," said Sofia. "Let Luigi go again. He tells the best movies." But Fabio wasn't about to give up his turn. "Okay, now the guy who loves cars is singing a song about Detroit. . . ." Luigi pressed his ear to the wall. "DEE-TROIT! DEE-TROIT! DEEEEEEE-WOOOOO-WAAAA-TA-TA-TA-TA . . ." The movie soundtrack warbled to a stop. The Lemoncello kids, their eyes wide, swiveled to face their father. "The projector's jammed," said Luigi's father with a frustrated sigh. "I told Mr. Willoughby we should replace this clunker. Stand back, everybody. I need to make a splice." Mr. Lemoncello was very handy and could fix almost anything. He flicked up some light switches, shut down the clattering mechanical monster, and pulled both ends of the filmstrip out of its feed sprockets. While his father wrestled with the two enormous film reels, Luigi heard the audience downstairs. They were chanting and stomping their feet. "We want the movie!" "We want the movie!" Kids hurled boxes of popcorn. Sugar Babies and Sno-Caps bounced around the auditorium like spitballs. "Go down and tell them about the singing kangaroo," Sofia urged Luigi. "Huh?" Luigi was used to telling his family stories. And his friends. Sometimes the kids at school. But an auditorium filled with strangers? "Go," said Sofia. "Hurry!" "No!" hissed Luigi's oldest sister (and harshest critic), Mary. "Don't you dare embarrass us." The crowd below was chanting louder. Their foot stomps became a thundering herd of cattle. Mr. Lemoncello was nimble and quick with his hands, but he needed more time. "We want the movie!" "We want the movie!" Luigi looked over to Sofia. She smiled. "You can do it!" Luigi raced down the steep staircase from the projection booth, tore across the lobby, and slammed through the swinging double doors into the auditorium. The theater was dim, but Luigi saw a soft circle of light pooling on the empty screen. He ran down the center aisle. Took a deep breath. And stepped into the faint spotlight. This was soooo different from telling his little sister a funny story. He could barely see kids in the seats, just their hazy silhouettes. "Um, good afternoon, boys and girls," he began. The kid shapes squirmed. They seemed annoyed or bored or both. Luigi looked up to the projection booth. Sofia was in the window, smiling down at him. He had to do . . . something. "Uh, I bet you're all wondering what happens next!" "Yeah!" yelled a voice from the darkness. "Well, um, as they drive to Detroit, a big wind kicks up, and all of a sudden their car can fly--just like in The Absent-Minded Professor! They sail through the clouds and--" THUNK! SPLAT! A half-empty Pepsi cup smacked Luigi in the face. Sticky brown syrup dribbled down his nose. "Sit down, weirdo," shouted a blond boy in the middle of the auditorium. He looked to be about fifteen. The girl next to him squirmed in her seat. "Leave the kid alone, Chad." Luigi figured he had two choices. He could run away, or he could stay and try to change the story he was suddenly starring in. Maybe even make it funny. "Now, then," he said, comically wiping his face the way he'd seen the Three Stooges do after being clobbered by banana cream pies. "Where was I?" "Blocking the screen!" shouted the guy named Chad. "Who do you think you are, anyhow?" Good question, thought Luigi. Who was he? "Uh, nobody, really." "Well, do you know who I am?" "The Mad Pepsi Bomber?" The crowd laughed. "No, weirdo. I'm Chad Chiltington. And my best friend is Jimmy Willoughby. His old man owns this movie theater. How'd you sneak in here? You don't look like you could afford to buy a ticket. I'm going to report you to Mr. Willoughby!" Uh-oh! thought Luigi. If Chad Chiltington did that, Luigi's father could lose his projectionist job. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to--" Suddenly, light flickered on the screen, warbly music slid up to speed, and the movie started. His dad had saved the day. The kids in the auditorium cheered. Chad Chiltington draped his arm over his girlfriend's shoulders. He also snagged her Pepsi cup, since he didn't have one anymore. He had forgotten all about Luigi Lemoncello. Well, Luigi sure hoped he had. Excerpted from Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game by Chris Grabenstein All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
