BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSOn the last week of fifth grade, Evan McClelland finds a tiny box of donated books on Martinville's town green, guarded by a large orange cat everyone in town calls by a different name. When he takes two of the books home, he notices something strange. They came from the Martinville Library, a building that burned down years before he was born, and every checkout card inside is stamped with the same return date. One of the books carries his own father's name, written over and over. With his best friend Rafe, Evan starts digging into who checked out those books, why his father goes quiet whenever the fire comes up, and what a Polaroid photo tucked inside a mystery novel might mean. The story is narrated in turns by Evan, by Mortimer the six-toed cat who has appointed himself guardian of the little library, and by Al, the ghost of the library's former assistant librarian, each holding a piece of what really happened the night the library burned.
Free Battle of the Books questions for The Lost Library
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about The Lost Library. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a boy find a wooden box on a pole filled with books?
✓ Answer
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
Evan is walking to school on the last Monday of fifth grade when he spots something new on the town green. He walks all the way around it before he understands that the strange rectangle is full of free books.
- First half
In what book does a boy cover a book with his hand and say, "Not boring"?
✓ Answer
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
Al had shared that book at her Wednesday club, and one member said he found it extremely boring. When the shy boy returns it he defends it in two words, and Al is so moved that her eyes fill up.
- First half
In what book does a father slide something into his back pocket and call it just paperwork?
✓ Answer
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
Mr. O'Neal pulls Edward aside at the water fountain after the bus returns, speaks in a low voice, and passes him something that goes straight into a back pocket. Evan asks about it and gets an answer that clearly is not the whole truth.
- Second half
In what book does a boy ask his parents for an expiration date on their rules?
✓ Answer
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
Rafe got the idea from the rule about checking expiration dates on food, and in third grade he talked his worried parents into agreeing that all his rules would expire when he became a middle schooler. Back then middle school sounded impossibly far away, which is exactly why they said yes.
- Second half
In what book does a ghost sing out, "Where, oh where, is my 4:00 P.M. cheese"?
✓ Answer
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
Mr. Brock calls down the stairs of the History House because his afternoon cheese plate has not arrived on schedule. Al is the one who always brings it, even though Mr. Brock never speaks to her directly and addresses everything to Ms. Scoggin instead.
- Near the end
In what book do nine brother and sister mice all have names starting with F?
✓ Answer
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
Fred returns with Fern, Flora, Finn, Frank, Fiona, Faye, Fergus, and Flavia in a line behind him. When Mortimer points out the pattern, Frank pretends he never noticed, and Flavia loudly gives away the joke.
