By Chris Grabenstein
4Rbooks: 6/6, grades 3-8
Amazon rating: 4.9/5, grades 3-7
Good Reads: 4.26/5
Common Sense Media: 5/5, ages 8+
Pages 270
Synopsis:
Before he was a world-famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello was a 13-year-old boy in Ohio, the 6th of 10 children in his family. In his efforts to have fun and stand out, it seems like he was always in trouble and creating problems for his family. He was good at games and puzzles, but how valuable of a skill was that?
The carnival comes to town and Luigi gets a job assisting Professor Marvelmous and his balloon popping/rebus solving game. He’s excited to be earning money and helping his family, but he is even more excited to discover his inner entertainer and showman.
He becomes friends with the Professor’s niece Maggie. The two of them, and Luigi’s best friend Chester, spend the next 10 days winning radio contests, creating games, and solving Maggie’s puzzle box from her uncle. This is made more difficult because of the constant harassment and interference by two rich bullies who want to keep them from solving the biggest puzzle of them all, one that could be worth a fortune.
Parental Guidance: low
A couple of instances of boys threatening each other.
Recommendation:
I have been a big fan of the Mr. Lemoncello series since book 1. By book 5, there was a sameness to the story lines that made them less enjoyable. This prequel brought back the excitement of the first few books. The characters are fun and interesting, each with their own special talent or gift. There are positive messages of perseverance, creativity, and caring for others. The puzzles keep the story interesting and challenging. The pay-off finale is worth the wait. Readers of all levels should enjoy this book, and fans of the series will enjoy all of the Easter Eggs referencing future events. Highly recommend and anticipate more stories of Mr. Lemoncello in his youth.
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