(3.5 / 5)

If Kyle Keeley and his team thought the previous Lemoncello game was big, they haven't seen anything yet. The next competition Kyle's hero has dreamed up will be broadcast live on national television! And the winners will get to choose one from their team to be the host of a new kids' game show, while the rest of the team are the first contestants. It's game on as Kyle is up against his nemesis Charles Chiltington and some other competitors that will be tough to beat.

These books are beginning to become a bit formulaic, which is probably not good for this type of book. Kyle almost can't compete for some reason, and then he can. Kyle/his team stops normal game play to solve some side mystery/issue. Kyle/his team wins almost by default because all or most of the other kids/teams were disqualified or gave up or joined Kyle's team. Considering how much I loved the first book, I want to continue enjoying this series. But it's starting to become repetitive and just silly. I did like the game, putting the kids into their own fictional stories in a way like holodecks work in Star Trek shows. Who of us hasn't wanted to be able to do that? I still miss the more escape room, puzzle-y nature of the first book, though. There was a tiny bit of that again here, with 5 locks to open per team, but the puzzles, riddles, etc. that gave the codes were a lot lighter this time around.

I really appreciated that the game forced the kids (or at least Kyle) to see the "bad guy" in a new light. I only wish a little more had come from that. The thing that bugged me the most as I read this book was the dialog. I don't know if this is new to this book, or if I simply didn't notice it before, but all of the kids seem to talk the same way, in a particular format that I began to find grating. I won't take the time to explain what I mean, because it seems really petty, but it happened enough that it started to bring the rest of the story down for me. And seriously...the TV-star kids were just over-the-top silly and ridiculous in their shticks.

I wonder if maybe they wouldn't feel so formulaic if I wasn't reading through them so quickly. It's hard to know. I also want to stress that this book is meant for kids around 8-12 years old, and the things that bother me may well not be noticeable to them. My 10-year-old daughter loved this book as much as the previous ones, and I think that's important to remember. ( )

I ostensibly bought this to give to my niece, but really I just wanted to read it, having read all the previous books in the series (and then given them to Hannah).

It's a quick, exciting read, and entirely what you expect. There are fewer puzzles than in previous books, but they're still fun, and the moral is, of course, very good. Perhaps too good, but I'm not the target market.

The reading list in the back is fabulous, and the notes are always worth a read. ( )

Luigi Lemoncello returns to Alexandriaville, Ohio to launch a new contest, one in which the players compete in an interactive, three-dimensional game, courtesy of his newest invention, the Fictionasium. It is through the spectacular Fictionasium that the players become characters inside the fictional tale.

Utilizing this technology, Mr. Lemoncello has developed a game in which teams will compete, utilizing the Fictionasium, in five fiction genres in order to find the clues to solve riddles, unlock locks, and become the first to break out of the library . . . all in front of a live television audience.

Of course, seventh grader Kyle Keeley wants to play . . . and win . . . the game. Akimi, Sierra, Miguel, and Andrew join Kyle’s team but they’re facing some stiff competition, especially from fellow classmate Charles Chiltington who is still trying to make his father proud by winning . . . even if he must cheat to earn his dad’s approval.

But will detention stop Kyle before the game ever begins? Or will his team find a way to pass the audition and play the game? And what about Charles? Will he find a way to turn the game to his own advantage?

With all the expected characters in place, this fourth installment in the Lemoncello Library series is certain to delight fans of the series. The game, as always, has many facets, but this time there’s also an important, unexpected learning moment for Kyle [and the readers] that just might change the outcome of the game. That said, this new adventure, centers on the Kidzapalooza Network [the network where kids rule] and the spectacular prize: the possibility of winning a hosting gig on the network’s new game show.

The story has more twists and turns than a switchback mountain road, all designed to create non-stop action. The targeted middle grade audience will easily relate to Kyle and the other students; as always, there are references to a plethora of books they have probably read. [It’s one of the many highlights of the Lemoncello Library stories.] However, this enchanting tale is sure to delight readers of all ages. Don’t miss this one [or any of the other books in the series].

Highly recommended. ( )

Book 4 of 5 ( )