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The Lake and the Library

Book Resume

for The Lake and the Library by S.M. Beiko

Professional book information and credentials for The Lake and the Library.

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  • Kirkus:
  • Ages 12 - 16
  • TeachingBooks:*
  • Grades 7-12
  • Genre:
  • Science Fiction / Fantasy
  • Year Published:
  • 2013

The following 3 subject headings were determined by the U.S. Library of Congress and the Book Industry Study Group (BISAC) to reveal themes from the content of this book (The Lake and the Library).

The following unabridged reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers. Reviews may be used for educational purposes consistent with the fair use doctrine in your jurisdiction, and may not be reproduced or repurposed without permission from the rights holders.

Note: This section may include reviews for related titles (e.g., same author, series, or related edition).

From Kirkus

April 15, 2013
A teen romance rooted in the bizarre turns deadly in this debut novel. Ash can't wait to move out of Treade. Besides her friends, nothing there interests her--except a locked-tight, abandoned building in the woods. After a tree falls on it during a storm, Ash finds a hole big enough to crawl through. Inside she discovers a library and a charming, mute boy named Li. The two of them spend hours every day creating their own worlds out of the books that surround them, and Ash starts to lose her connection to her worried friends and her sick mother. Li's original charm turns dark as he tries to keep her with him forever. Beiko delivers a clever, interesting plot but loses authority at the sentence level. The language is flighty and ceaselessly romantic in a way that makes it difficult for readers to connect with the characters: "[We'd] pass the story on to Paul, the words and inspiration slipping out of me like twinkling coins into his lap. Our reunion would electrify our tender souls back to life. The three of us would bask in this new adventure, this new sanctuary...." This ghost story will be attractive to readers well-versed in esoteric dreaming but frustrating to those who need a more tangible foundation. (Fantasy. 12-16)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Lake and the Library was selected by educational and library professionals to be included on the following state/provincial reading lists.

United States Lists (1)

New York

  • Charlotte Award Nominees, 2016, High School Division, for Grades 9-12

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This Book Resume for The Lake and the Library is compiled from TeachingBooks, a library of professional resources about children's and young adult books. This page may be shared for educational purposes and must include copyright information. Reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers.

*Grade levels are determined by certified librarians utilizing editorial reviews and additional materials. Relevant age ranges vary depending on the learner, the setting, and the intended purpose of a book.

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