Mr. Lemoncello's Fantabulous Finale: Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Book 6 Book Review (2024)

Common Sense Media Review

Mr. Lemoncello's Fantabulous Finale: Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Book 6 Book Review (1) By Mary Eisenhart, based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 8+

Wacky series conclusion pits teamwork vs. winner take all.

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that Mr. Lemoncello's Fantabulous Finale is indeed the final installment in Chris Grabenstein's best-selling Mr. Lemoncello's Library series. In a foreword, the author explains that it's been his goal with the series to have kids see libraries as exciting places for learning cool stuff, and research projects as fun quests, and this episode winds things up on an upbeat note. Once again, the quirky, library-loving games master has a contest, and he's invited 13 13-year-olds, including several familiar characters and a few new ones, to take part in a winner-take-all competition—where the prize is Mr. Lemoncello's entire business empire, because he wants to retire. As is the previous episodes, there are nonstop puzzles, codes, ciphers, and research problems along the way, including designing a brilliant Rube Goldberg-esque alarm clock. Kids are gamers, makers, scholars, business wizards, and more, and as before, friendship, collaboration, appreciating each other's skills and working together are strong themes—pitted against the fact that there can be only one winner this time around. Many positive messages, including a look at internet disinformation and how not to get fooled by it, and realizing that you shouldn't let your assumptions get in the way of seeing what's really going on and who people really are. Also, recognizing and pursuing what you love instead of chasing after what someone else thinks is cool.

  • Violence & Scariness

    very little

    Mr. Lemoncello disappears, and there is fear that he's come to harm. The quest to find him is foiled by assorted sleazy-seeming adults, whose mystery employer has an unknown agenda that doesn't bode well for Mr. Lemoncello and his happy gaming empire.

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  • Language

    very little

    Mr. Lemoncello is fond of fart humor.

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  • Positive Messages

    a lot

    "Knowledge unshared remains unknown." "Sometimes, Simon, you have to break the rules and do what's right." Learning to regard research as a game where you're on a quest, not a crushing task. Strong messages of teamwork, perseverance, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills—and how to avoid falling for mis/disinformation on the internet. Friendship is a strong theme, as is appreciation for each person's particular skills and how they come in really handy at just the right moment. Also, having the wisdom to recognize that an incredibly cool prize might not be the thing for you, and pursuing what you like even better. Doing the right thing even when everyone expects you to do the wrong one. Loyalty to your friends and loved ones in good times and bad.

  • Educational Value

    a lot

    As with the previous books in the Lemoncello series, the brain-teasing puzzles, codes, and problems to be solved never stop and keep all the young characters (and readers) happy. Lots of vocabulary-building words like "formidable," "analytics," "ludicrous." Author Chris Grabenstein has gone to a lot of (successful) effort to show libraries as lively, fun places to pursue your interests instead of gloomy places where you're always being shushed (which was often his own childhood experience). Mentions of famous historical figures, as when a character quotes Helen Keller. Various books including The Land of Stories, and other old and new classics are important to the story and the solution. One challenge involves inventing a Rube Goldberg-style alarm clock, which a character does brilliantly. Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox make a cameo appearance.

  • Positive Role Models

    a lot

    As Kyle notes, people can be much more unpredictable than a board game, especially since they come without an instruction manual. This adventure reunites him and his friends from the previous installments—now all serving as board members of Mr. Lemoncello's company—in one final winner-take-all contest that pits them against assorted newcomers. Some of the new kids aren't around for long, and some are cartoonish—but Teddy, cousin of the villainous (and banned from the contest) Charles Chiltington of previous adventures, is harder to figure out. Like whose side is he on, and what's he up to? Not all is what it seems.

  • Diverse Representations

    a lot

    As in previous books in the series, lead character Kyle is white; his friends, fellow board members, and other contestants are drawn from many life experiences, skin tones, ethnicities, family structures—and skill sets. Here Gloria, who's Latina and comes from Florida, where her dad's a TV sports reporter, is a business wizard, while Betina, from Los Angeles, is part of a large, warm-hearted, food-loving Filipino family with a genius for making a game of anything. Frequent opportunities to look beyond the stereotypes and labels to see who people really are—for example, lots of characters here are fabulously wealthy, from Mr. Lemoncello himself to the villainous, scheming Chiltingtons, and while some of them soon reveal themselves as shallow and self-serving, others turn out to be a lot more complex, and possibly helpful.

    Did we miss something on diversity? .

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What's the Story?

MR. LEMONCELLO'S FANTABULOUS FINALE finds the renowned, eccentric game inventor and library-supporting gazillionaire with a few more tricks, puzzles, codes, ciphers, facts, and quests up his sleeve. At stake, a very big prize: the entire Lemoncello business empire (games! theme parks! things that haven't been thought up yet!), as Mr. Lemoncello wants to retire and let someone else fly around in the banana jet. Gamer Kyle Keeley is (once again) determined to win (what could be better than his own gaming empire?), but he's up against fierce competition in a field of 13 13-year olds, most of whom are his friends. This time, there can be only one winner, and the fun takes a serious turn when Mr. Lemoncello disappears and villains who've been trying to take the fun out of his life work since Book 1 are back for more.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:

Parents say : Not yet rated

Kids say: Not yet rated

Problem-solving, code-breaking, and fact-finding are essential skills as the wacky, fast-paced library-themed series draws to a close with 13 teens in one last winner-take-all contest. Mr. Lemoncello's Fantabulous Finale brings back beloved characters and adds a few new ones, with wild cards and plot complications galore. Sometimes (not unlike the contest) it all feels a bit rushed, with a few characters introduced and quickly given the boot along the way. But all's well that ends well, as the teen characters grapple with issues of competition, friendship, teamwork, running a business, finding their true path, and dodging disinformation on the internet.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about libraries, and how they're similar to and different from the one in Mr. Lemoncello's Fantabulous Finale. Are libraries good places to learn interesting stuff for you? Do books like the Mr. Lemoncello's Library series make you see your local library in a new way?

  • Have you ever been in a situation where all your friends were really into something, and you weren't—or you were really interested in something and they just didn't get it? How did it all work out?

  • If some people you knew, or maybe just people on the internet, started saying bad things about someone you cared about, what would you do? How would you find out what was true—or would that matter to you?

Book Details

  • Author : Chris Grabenstein
  • Genre : Mystery
  • Topics : STEM, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Middle School
  • Character Strengths : Courage, Curiosity, Empathy, Humility, Perseverance, Teamwork
  • Book type : Fiction
  • Publisher : Random House Books for Young Readers
  • Publication date : November 5, 2024
  • Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
  • Number of pages : 304
  • Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated : November 26, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

Mr. Lemoncello's Fantabulous Finale: Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Book 6

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Mr. Lemoncello's Fantabulous Finale: Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Book 6 Book Review (2024)

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