In the wake of her grandfather’s death, 11-year-old Dally lives alone with her distant, business-focused mother on their huge estate. She misses the adventures she had with her grandfather, and, despite the many luxuries that come with her family’s wealth, is lonely. Then she discovers that he left her with something, after all: the Secret Library. Though the letter he left requested that she wait until she was 21, she impatiently solves the riddle of how to find it. The library houses every secret ever told in bound volumes, and patrons who “read” them travel through space and time to be a part of the moment a given secret is made. In this way, Dally begins – without her mother knowing – to trace back the many secrets of her own family, through the past two hundred and fifty years, that have helped shape who she is. She has no idea that in the process of discovering her past, she is also opening herself to an unexpected future.

Dally is Black, as was her deceased father; her mother and grandfather present white. There is LGBTQ+ representation as well as a realistic portrayal of race issues in the historical context of the times she travelled to.

This book was replete with magic, adventure, family secrets, and the unpredictable results of choosing to take opportunities. It felt wholly original, and had twists and turns that keep the reader fully engaged. Dally is a relatable, genuine heroine who readers will root for and be stricken to leave on the last page.

Short, engaging chapters make the book hard to put down. Highly recommend for middle grade readers looking for their next magical fix or rollicking adventure story.

5 stars/cream

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta