Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. while Book Trust wrote " it is a visual delight, and its themes of loneliness and friendship will resonate with young readers. I really dislike reading about people who find their validation in other people's approval and, boy, does Martha Storm meet that criteria.

Overall I was mildly irritated with a primary character as soppy, spineless and all about the ways she'd been done wrong by every single thing in the world. The book also treats the reader to a generous dose of Mystery and a magical sprinkling of fairytales. I feel like even though I didn't enjoy this the way I wanted to this is still a book THEY would enjoy. Withbeautiful illustrations and a charming storyline, this poignant and richly enjoyable picture book won both a gold medal in the Nestle Children's Book Prize and a Blue Peter Book Award and has been turned into a BAFTA-winning animation. The Library Of Lost And Found” was not the earth-shattering mystery I anticipated, because there was no secret for anyone else.I appreciate this beautiful hardcover, its original touches, and the likeability of nearly all its characters. The more he thought about it the more he realised he made a big mistake, the penguin wasn’t lost, it was lonely! But when they get there, the boy discovers that maybe home wasn’t what the penguin was looking for after all! The book connects to her past and her Nana which makes her sister nervous and yet she perseveres on discovering what happened to her when she was young. The book has a note in it from her grandmother, advising Martha it is for her in the hopes it will be of benefit, but the note is dated three years after Martha’s grandmother was said to have died.

At first I struggled with Martha as a character because she was such a pushover, she didn’t like to let people down and so she put her own life on hold for others including her parents who she looked after until their death, her boss who kept overlooking her for a full-time job at the library and her younger sister. Just a few pages in, Martha discovers a book which features her stories as well as other family tales. We have a number of teaching packs, activities, powerpoints and much more for lessons themed around this story. The book bounces back-and-forth between past and present so we also get to know Martha’s parents, grandmother, and get glimpses of martha’s childhood. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend - her grandmother Zelda - who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier.There was a feeling of magic in this one, the authors style was charming and so was this entire book!