Reviews

Mr. Lemoncello's Very First Game by Chris Grabenstein

kasiak44's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

mbarkley's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

storiesandsours's review

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

brittster622's review

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5.0

Mr. Lemoncello, Luigi that is, is just a young kid who loves puzzles, tries to stand out in his family and, have fun with his friends over the summer. He gets to work with Professor Marvelmous at a puzzle booth in the summer carnival. And, of course, he designs his very first game.... or two.

I'm honestly not sure how to describe the feeling this book gives me. It soothes my soul. I have loved this series from the very beginning and getting to see Mr. Lemoncello as Luigi was a splendiforous treat. Seeing his interactions with Marvelmous as a mentor were amazing and getting to see some clear parallels of Marvelmous and who Luigi will become as an adult is really cool. As always, it was also nice to see some familiar.. family lines I guess in this case, following their archetypes. I loved it. I'm sad its over, but I can't wait to introduce it to my library kids.

Perfect for reluctant readers (especially boys), fans of puzzles, carnivals, fun and silly things, and summer fun, and balloons (of course).

mbergo's review

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adventurous challenging funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

laila4343's review

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4.0

3.5 stars. Fun prequel to the Lemoncello books.

jaxsonreads2024's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

4.75

raychullake's review

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5.0

This was really cute. My 8 yo is already skipping ahead to the next book, so my read-aloud journey may end here but he's excited to read the whole series!

sara_hudson's review

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4.0

I am a big fan of the Mr. Lemoncello books - witty, fast-paced, something to think about but no beating readers over the head with a message. This prequel does not disappoint. The pacing is just as snappy as the other books in the series, but the plot is more linear - making it more accessible to younger readers and listeners. The late 1960s references are fun (Spaghettios, Wacky Packs bubblegum cards, the CBS Evening News), but there are no references to great world events. (unlike The Wednesday Wars, for example) The story also has an It's a Wonderful Life plot line where the evil Chiltingtons and Willoughbys own the whole town. There are plenty of jokes for readers of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, but it will work just fine read before that book. A nice sprinkling of library stuff - not as much as Escape - and plenty of rebus puzzles. A great time.

thejpearson's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

3.5