Comics

Exclusive Preview: Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: The Graphic Novel

Random House Books for Young Readers will publish Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: The Graphic Novel on November 7.

By Russ Burlingame

November 1, 2023, 2:18pm

We are now less than a week away from the release of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: The Graphic Novel. The book,, aimed at young readers, drops on November 7 from the good folks at Random House, and they have provided us with an exclusive excerpt from the story, which you can see below. Award-winning children’s author Chris Grabenstein’s novel Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library has charmed kids, parents, teachers, and librarians alike for a decade, and just in time for the novel’s ten year anniversary, Grabenstein — the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello, Smartest Kid in the Universe, Dog Squad, and Welcome to Wonderland series — is teaming with Douglas Holgate, the #1 bestselling illustrator of The Last Kids on Earth graphic novels.

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Together, they’ll make Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: The Graphic Novel, a full-color, action-packed adaptation of Grabenstein’s celebrated novel. All told, the six books in the Lemoncello series have sold over two million copies. When he isn’t touring schools, Grabenstein is currently working on a seventh and final book for the series. Presumably, the graphic novels will keep on coming too, if they do half as well as the prose books did.

“In these pages, we get a taste of the competition to come,” Grabenstein told ComicBook.com. “Kyle Keeley versus Charles Chiltington. It’s a human-game-pieces version of one of Mr. Lemoncello’s most popular board games. But what’s up with all the antique trivia questions? Are they some kind of clue, perhaps? On page 63, we get a hint as to why Charles acts the way he does. (He has serious Daddy issues.) We also build him up as a true contender. As he reminds Kyle, Chiltingtons never lose.”

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library invites readers to find out if game-loving Kyle Keeley can escape from what James Patterson calls “the coolest library in all the world.”

Per the official synopsis, in the story, “Kyle learns that the world’s most famous game maker, one Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town’s new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night. Kyle’s determined to be there, but the tricky part isn’t getting into the library—it’s getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route.”

“Featuring fast pacing, lots of action, puzzles and codes the reader can solve, strong boy and girl characters, and a touch of mystery, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is packed to the rafters with kid appeal,” said Shana Corey, Editorial Director, Random House Graphic. “It’s also perfect for librarians and teachers looking for graphic novels with positive messages and great themes for discussion. The story will always have a special place in my heart, especially since it was inspired by PS 10, the Brooklyn elementary school my children attended.”

Working alongside colorist Marta Todeschini and designer and letterer Juliet Goodman, Grabenstein’s Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: The Graphic Novel will release on November 7, 2023.