
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
by Chris Grabenstein
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein is assigned in US schools at grades 4–6. It appears across 17 curriculum references and 17 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Grade range
- Grades 4–6
- Pages
- 338
- Reading time
- about 6h 10m (est.)
- First published
- 2013
- ISBN-13
- 9780307974969
Where to find this book
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About this book
THE START OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES WITH MORE THAN TWO MILLION COPIES SOLD! Can you escape from what James Patterson calls “the coolest library in the world”? Follow along and solve the clues in this interactive adventure! From the co-author of Murdle Jr.: Sleuths on the Loose… “A worthy successor to the original madman puzzle-master himself, Willy Wonka.” —Booklist, starred review When Kyle Keeley learns that the world’s most famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town’s new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night, he’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 catch every clue and solve every puzzle to f
Where this book is assigned
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award
- recommended·4th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·5th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·6th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
- recommended·5th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
California Young Reader Medal
- recommended·4th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal — statewide student-choice program sponsored by CRA, CSLA, CLA & CATE (Intermediate/Middle School/Young Adult divisions; annual since 1974)
- recommended·5th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal — statewide student-choice program sponsored by CRA, CSLA, CLA & CATE (Intermediate/Middle School/Young Adult divisions; annual since 1974)
- recommended·6th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal — statewide student-choice program sponsored by CRA, CSLA, CLA & CATE (Intermediate/Middle School/Young Adult divisions; annual since 1974)
Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Vermontsource: Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Children's Book Award — official winners list (Vermont grades 4-8, annual since 1957)
- recommended·5th grade · Vermontsource: Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Children's Book Award — official winners list (Vermont grades 4-8, annual since 1957)
- recommended·6th grade · Vermontsource: Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Children's Book Award — official winners list (Vermont grades 4-8, annual since 1957)
Garden State Children's Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·5th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·6th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
Great Lakes Great Books Award
- recommended·4th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·5th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
Great Stone Face Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · New Hampshiresource: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.
- recommended·5th grade · New Hampshiresource: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.
- recommended·6th grade · New Hampshiresource: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.
Mark Twain Readers Award
- recommended·4th grade · Missourisource: Mark Twain Readers Award winners (Missouri Association of School Librarians), via Wikipedia — 2016
- recommended·5th grade · Missourisource: Mark Twain Readers Award winners (Missouri Association of School Librarians), via Wikipedia — 2016
- recommended·6th grade · Missourisource: Mark Twain Readers Award winners (Missouri Association of School Librarians), via Wikipedia — 2016
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)
- recommended·5th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)
- recommended·6th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)
Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2016
- recommended·4th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2016
- recommended·5th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2016
Nebraska Golden Sower Award
- recommended·4th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
- recommended·5th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
- recommended·6th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · North Dakotasource: North Dakota Library Association — Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (student-choice; annual since 1978; Juvenile/Chapter + Intermediate + Older-Reader divisions); winner roll 1978-2025
- recommended·5th grade · North Dakotasource: North Dakota Library Association — Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (student-choice; annual since 1978; Juvenile/Chapter + Intermediate + Older-Reader divisions); winner roll 1978-2025
- recommended·6th grade · North Dakotasource: North Dakota Library Association — Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (student-choice; annual since 1978; Juvenile/Chapter + Intermediate + Older-Reader divisions); winner roll 1978-2025
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)
- recommended·4th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·5th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·6th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
Sunshine State Young Readers Award
- recommended·4th grade · Floridasource: Florida Department of Education + Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) — Sunshine State Young Readers Award, grades 3-5 + 6-8 (student-choice; since 1983); winner roll
- recommended·5th grade · Floridasource: Florida Department of Education + Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) — Sunshine State Young Readers Award, grades 3-5 + 6-8 (student-choice; since 1983); winner roll
- recommended·6th grade · Floridasource: Florida Department of Education + Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) — Sunshine State Young Readers Award, grades 3-5 + 6-8 (student-choice; since 1983); winner roll
Volunteer State Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Tennesseesource: Tennessee Library Association — Volunteer State Book Award, Intermediate (gr 4-6) + Middle School (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1979); past-winners roll
- recommended·5th grade · Tennesseesource: Tennessee Library Association — Volunteer State Book Award, Intermediate (gr 4-6) + Middle School (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1979); past-winners roll
- recommended·6th grade · Tennesseesource: Tennessee Library Association — Volunteer State Book Award, Intermediate (gr 4-6) + Middle School (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1979); past-winners roll
William Allen White Children's Book Award
- recommended·6th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2016
- recommended·7th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2016
- recommended·8th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2016
Young Hoosier Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)
- recommended·5th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)
- recommended·6th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)
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Common questions
- What grade level is Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library?
- Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–6. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- How long does it take to read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library?
- It takes about 6h 10m to read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (338 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 370 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library?
- Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award, California Young Reader Medal, and 14 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library banned in schools?
- Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 4–6 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 17 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 17 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.