Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

The Parker House Hotel hosts the party to celebrate the library’s opening. Kyle dresses comfortably as the instructions stated, but he sees Charles Chiltington still dressed in his customary khakis, suit jacket, and tie. Sierra Russell stays in a corner reading a book. Akimi asks if Kyle remembered to bring his library card, and they see that the books on her card (One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish and Nine Stories) are different from the ones on Kyle’s. Appetizers and snacks are plentiful, like Mr. Lemoncello’s Anagraham Crackers, shaped liked letters that spell out “Have fun.” Dr. Zinchenko announces that the winners should finish up their snacking because no food or drink will be allowed in the library except in the Book Nook Café. She also specifies her number one rule to the children: “Be gentle. With each other, and most especially, the library’s books and exhibits” (49). Everyone agrees to do so. Mr. Lemoncello arrives to greet the guests and escort the children across the street to the library.

Dr. Zinchenko leads the children along a path lined by velvet ropes. A guard in sunglasses and black blazer await their arrival. They approach the door and notice its size and appearance. Dr. Zinchenko tells them, “It is the door from the old Gold Leaf Bank’s walk-in vault […] It weighs twenty tons” (52). She explains the door symbolically represents the fact that one’s ideas are safe in a library, telling them that once, when Mr. Lemoncello was their age and engrossed in his ideas at the public library, he didn’t notice police sirens going to a bank robbery. She also instructs them: “Your library cards are the keys to everything you will need […] The library staff is here to help you find whatever it is you are looking for” (53).

Inside, they see a fountain and stone statue of Mr. Lemoncello spouting water. Dr. Zinchenko takes the children into the Rotunda Reading Room. Concentric circles of desks fill the room. Kyle notices one of the Staff Picks books is about football great Johnny Unitas; he makes a mental note to check it out for Mike the next morning. The children exclaim excitedly about the video screens on the underside of the rotunda. They see an image of space first, then ten panels showing images that represent “the ten categories of the Dewey decimal system” (55). Dr. Zinchenko announces the first game.

Dr. Zinchenko explains the rules: In a three-dimensional version of Lemoncello’s Top of the Heap game, each player answers a trivia question and moves the number of spaces shown on a roll of the dice. In this game, the players themselves are the markers moving from desk to desk (the “spaces”) around each ring of desks, moving inward as the old ring is completed. The players roll virtual dice on the touchpad in the center of desk. Charles Chiltington asks what the winner receives. Dr. Zinchenko tells them that the winner will stay the night in “Mr. Lemoncello’s private and very posh bedroom suite up on the library’s third floor […] with a feather bed, a seventy-two-inch television screen and a state-of-the-art gaming console” (58).

Facts from sports, old television shows, history, and movies comprise the game questions. Kyle does well with answers but rolls ones twice, allowing Charles Chiltington to win with both correct responses and higher rolls. Dr. Zinchenko hands Charles the key to the suite. Kyle tries to congratulate Charles, but Charles tells Kyle rudely to get used to him (Charles) winning.

A holographic image of Mrs. Tobin, Mr. Lemoncello’s librarian in the 1960s, appears with rules for the night. Floorplans act as guides to the collection and special rooms, and their library cards grant them access to all rooms except the control center and private suite. The children must turn in their cell phones and devices; Clarence collects them in a silver case. The children cannot access the computers for email or texting but may use them for Internet research. Dr. Zinchenko explains the library’s floorplan: the first floor contains the Rotunda Reading Room, the Children’s Enrichment Room, the Book Nook Café, and two meeting rooms. The second floor has ten rooms, each one filled with books in a Dewey Decimal category. The third floor contains the Board Room, the Art and Artifacts Room, the IMAX theater, and a museum devoted to memorabilia. Everyone wants to try the gaming features and simulators in the Electronic Learning Center, also on the third floor, but Dr. Zinchenko says that early entry to that room is the prize for the second game. The game is to locate dessert, which is somewhere in the building.

Some children use a touchscreen to look up where dessert might be. Sierra Russell decides to fetch a book to read instead, doing so by stepping into a “hover ladder,” a maglev system that takes her directly to the book based on its call number which she imports on a keypad.

Akimi suggests to Kyle that they work together to find dessert, and he agrees. Soon most sprint upstairs to the Dewey Decimal Rooms, having looked up the call number for dessert foods. Kyle, however, has a different idea: “Dessert is probably in plain sight. Just like the bonus codes in Squirrel Squad. Follow me” (68). He recalls that Dr. Zinchenko told them at the hotel that no food or drinks were allowed in the library except for the Book Nook Café. Kyle and Akimi investigate and discover tables loaded with desserts.

After dessert with everyone, Akimi and Kyle go into the Electronic Learning Center. Kyle enjoys a space simulator and Akimi tries an underwater one. One of the educational video games includes Smell-a-vision, a recent Mr. Lemoncello invention in which scents of the scene depicted in the game flow out into the player’s space. After an hour, the rest of children join Akimi and Kyle. At 10pm they watch a jukebox IMAX concert. They retire for bed around three in the morning, the girls upstairs in the Board Room and the boys on the floor in the Children’s Department. Charles goes to the private suite.

Kyle wakes to the thudding, loud sound of theme music to the movie Rocky. It is 11:00am Neither Dr. Zinchenko nor Clarence is in sight. Kyle tries the front door, but it is locked.

Back at the hotel, Dr. Zinchenko greets the parents. Mr. Lemoncello explains to the parents that the children will now play another game, “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library!” (73). The children may leave if they want to or have a prior obligation. The first one to escape the library will appear in the print and recorded advertising for all Lemoncello products as the holiday season approaches: “His or her face will be everywhere” (73). The winner will be paid as well. Solving riddles and using clues, the players will derive “the library’s super-secret alternate exit” (74). The children will be under video surveillance and emergency crews are available if needed. Mr. Lemoncello explains his rationale for what one of the parents refers to as “all this fuss” (75): By playing this game, the children—who never had the benefit of a public library growing up—will experience how a library offers fun learning adventures as well as resources and help. Dr Zinchenko invites the parents to join them to monitor the children’s activity.

The children are confused about still being locked in. Sean Keegan says he needs to leave, and Rose Vermette says she has soccer that afternoon. Kyle suggests someone will let them out after they eat. The hologram of Mrs. Tobin appears and asks if they need help. Kayla Corson asks how they get out, but Mrs. Tobin says she does not have that information. Chiltington asks if food is available, and Mrs. Tobin directs them to the Book Nook Café. Akimi takes Kyle to the third floor Board Room to show him the amazing collection of board games there. He notices a display case of eight old games including Howdy Doody’s TV Game, Husker Du, Ruff and Ready, and others. Kyle notices the display heading: “Luigi Lemoncello: the first and last word in games” (79). He realizes the games’ titles are a puzzle that when deciphered reads “Howdy. Du you like fun games? Get reddy” (80). Miguel comes to get Kyle and Akimi, telling them that Charles Chiltington is playing the smell-a-vision video game and stinking up the Electronic Learning Center like a medieval sewer.

When they arrive in the gaming room, the others tell Charles to leave the sewer because of the smell, but he refuses. Suddenly the game emits a pine scent instead. Charles is aggravated, claims the game is broken, and prepares to kick it. Kyle warns against that, reminding Charles about the video cameras. As they look to the surveillance camera, Mr. Lemoncello’s face appears on the screens.

Charles quickly lies about kicking an ant on the game. Mr. Lemoncello begins to explain the new competition. Sean says he wants to go. Mr. Lemoncello says he can simply leave his library card in a bowl that rises up on a column in the floor, which Sean does. Mr. Lemoncello tells them they must use what’s in the library to find their way out, to which Kayla Corson says, “Lame.” She leaves as well. Rose Vermette explains apologetically that she has soccer and must go; Mr. Lemoncello awards her a special “Prior Commitment Sticker prize” (84) of a set of games and a new laptop. The rest agree excitedly to stay and play. Mr. Lemoncello tells them they have until noon the next day; Dr. Zinchenko explains that no cell phones are allowed and no outside contact via Internet, but three “lifelines” are available: Ask an Expert, Librarian Consultation, and Extreme Challenge. Failing at an Extreme Challenge means elimination from the game.

Mr. Lemoncello describes the prize and reminds the children they are under surveillance. He also mentions that creating an emergency that leads to evacuation will not count toward winning the game. It is noon, so Mr. Lemoncello announces the start of the game.