Review Detail

Dally Peteharrington is a Biracial preteen who discovers a map left as an inheritance by her late grandfather. The map leads her to a library, not just any library, but a secret library. The hidden library holds family secrets, little white lies, and minor transgressions. The book's themes focus on identity, racism, LGBTQ+, and family. The Secret Library is enchanting, thrilling, and full of discoveries and adventure. The topics explored in this novel are on topic with things that our children will encounter in the real world, so I highly recommend being on hand to discuss the themes with them and have a one-on-one conversation about reactions and how to handle them. Dally is a great character and exhibits some great talents when trying to negotiate with her mom on joining the adventure club, but she is still a young preteen. Though she takes business courses, she still grasps concepts like you would expect a 12-year-old to do. There are a lot of gems to find in this book, and it is a valuable historical fiction middle-grade novel to have in classrooms and libraries.