The Lost Library

The Lost Library is a middle-grade novel published in 2023 and cowritten by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. When a little free library suddenly appears in the town of Martinville, fifth grader Evan is pleased. However, when he discovers the books it offers are from the former town library, which was destroyed in a fire over 20 years previously, he sets out to discover the mystery. Along the way, Evan learns about the power of books and of secrets and conquers some of his fears about growing up.

Mass has published 31 novels for young readers, many of which have been translated into numerous languages. She has received 92 state awards and was honored as the New Jersey Association of School Librarians’ 2018 Author of the Year. One of her novels, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, was adapted as a 2012 film. Stead has authored seven books for young readers. She has also received numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal, the Boston Globe/Horn Book Fiction Award and Fiction Honor, and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize.

The Lost Library marks Mass and Stead’s second collaboration; the two also coauthored Bob (2018).