Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-This vibrant historical mystery is based on real people and true events. Viviani Joffre Fedeler lives in the New York Public Library. As the daughter of the library's superintendent, the stacks are her playground. When an expensive display of stamps is stolen, Vivani, her brothers, and her friend Eva try to solve the mystery. To complicate matters, they also think the library might be haunted by the spirit of a careless construction worker. When Viviani shares a little too much about her adventures at school, she draws the negative attention of worldly new student, Merit. She wants desperately to prove the ghost is real, solve the crime, and win Merit's approval, but her questionable methods will leave readers chuckling. Viviani's rambunctious nature makes her a heroine young readers will cheer for. Each chapter begins with a Dewey Decimal designation that provides a clue to what's coming in the next chapter, and black-and-white illustrations throughout help capture the feel of the Roaring 20s setting. VERDICT A love letter to libraries and bibliophiles of all ages, this novel sings with warmth and charm; a good choice for most middle grade mystery collections.-Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In the 1920s, eleven-year-old Viviani Fedeler (based on a real girl) lives in the New York Public Library, where her father is the superintendent. Viviani loves to explore the building and tries--without success--to stay out of trouble, as when a prank leads to her investigating a possible ghost. Irrepressible Viviani and her story will appeal to the young reader who'd be thrilled to live in a library. Timeline. (c) Copyright 2019. 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
A ghost may be haunting the New York Public Library in this novel published in partnership with the venerable institution.It's the Roaring '20s, and 11-year-old Viviani, nicknamed "Red," is living in the very best house, the main building of the New York Public Library (now called the Stephen A. Schwartzman Building). Her father is the building superintendent, and she and her brothers enjoy playing baseball using books as bases. But stories and storytelling are her true love. "Their truth was in their fun, not in their facts." With a friend and her two older brothers, Viviani tries to impress the new girl in her class, Merit Mubarak, just relocated from Egypt, with a tale that a ghostreal to Viviani but questionable to Meritinhabits the building. At the same time, valuable stamps are stolen from a special exhibit, making their nighttime ghost-hunting expedition all the more exciting and scary. Tubb, who addresses readers as "Dear Friend," begins each chapter with a subject heading, Dewey Decimal number, and see-also references. Forget kidslibrarians will love it. There are neighborhood references and interesting details about the library building, staff, special collections, and the lions out front. Viviani and her family are based in fact and were white. Bruno's line drawings help establish the time period.The perils of preteen friendship, ghost-hunting, and solving a theft make for pleasant reading. (author's note, timeline, archival photographs) (Historical fiction. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
