The Night Librarian

by Christopher Lincoln

Night at the Museum meets the Land of Stories in this thrilling new graphic novel adventure series in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library

Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work.

But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Adventure, Childrens, Books About Books

Kindle Edition

First published July 30, 2024

About the author

Christopher Lincoln is the author of the Billy Bones series. He graduated from the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University and spent nearly a decade working as an animator. He credits animation for teaching him how to write, because an animator must learn how to inhabit a character's body and move him in a world of his own.

His work is influenced by creatives and authors such as Charles Dickens, J.M. Barrie, Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling and Tim Burton.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, I want to thank the workers at the Penguin Random House booth for suggesting this book to me. They really sold it!

Unfortunately, it just didn’t grab me in the slightest. I don’t like the absentee obv wealthy parents just leaving their kids home with a foreign au pair who also abandoned the kids and I didn’t like the jerky older by two minutes sister, nor the wishy washy, no backbone younger brother.

2, meh this wasn’t for me but YMMV, stars.

[Haleigh Gravgaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Night Librarian" by Christopher Lincoln brings a unique twist to the adventure genre, combining the nostalgic charm of "Night at the Museum" with the fantastical elements of "The Land of Stories." The story follows twins Page and Turner, who have always found solace in the New York Public Library amidst their parents' frequent travels. However, their routine visits take an unexpected turn when they embark on a secret mission that revolves around their father's rare edition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula."

As the twins delve deeper, they encounter a world hidden within the library's walls, brought to life by the enigmatic Night Librarian. This character serves as their guide through a realm where famous literary heroes and villains have broken free from their pages, creating a dynamic and often chaotic environment. The stakes are high as Page and Turner, alongside their newfound allies, must prevent the library's imminent destruction.

"The Night Librarian" is a commendable effort that will likely appeal to young readers and fans of literary adventures. Its blend of mystery, magic, and familiar faces from classic literature offers a captivating experience, even if it doesn't fully realize its potential. With more focused storytelling and deeper character exploration, this series has the potential to become a beloved staple in the graphic novel genre. For now, it stands as an enjoyable, if somewhat uneven, introduction to the magical world hidden within the library's walls.

[Olivia | Liv's Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this was a cute concept & I loved the artwork & humor, but the story was choppy & just didn’t deliver. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up an ARC of this as a book barista at my b&n. All I can say is that I am in awe of this graphic novel and the author. I love the premise of this novel and the two main characters: Page and Turner (clever names, right). If you’re a teacher or a librarian or simply a lover of classic literature-> this is the graphic novel that was made for you!! There are so many classic allusions that my literature loving heart was super full. In this novel, the characters from books in the New York City Library escape the confines of their stories at night in order to maintain the magic of books. Gah! I can’t rave about this one enough. And the authors note at the end - the chef’s kiss!

[Sena Nur Işık · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨10/10✨

Gece Kütüphanecisi, kitapların sihirle dolup taştığı bir kütüphanede ikiz kardeşlerin yaşadığı macerayı anlatıyor. Kitaba başlamadan önce bu kadar çok seveceğimi düşünmüyordum. Fantastik ve macera dolu bir çizgi roman arıyorsanız kesinlikle bakmalısınız. Kitabın vermek istediği mesaj çok samimiydi. Sonuna bayıldım! 🌟

[Megyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night Librarian is a middle grade graphic novel that follows twins, Page and Turner, as they discover that libraries are magic. They have to help save the library and their dads rare edition of Dracula.

This was a cute graphic novel! I loved the library setting and the book references throughout. The illustrations were great and so was the story. There was some humor sprinkled through as well. It’s a quick and fun read. I think a lot of book worm kids will enjoy this graphic novel!

Thanks so much to netgalley and Penguin for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun idea but it didn’t work for me. Hopefully, its target audience of middle grade readers will enjoy it more than I did.

[Korynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade graphic novel is so much fun! It’s a love letter to libraries and the books that shaped us as children. What would you do if your favorite heroes (and villains) could escape their books, and you could travel with them into other books? It was a very cool concept and I had a great time reading this story.

[Beth Menendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute story with sibling relationships, excellent Easter eggs of lots of amazing books, fantastic setting, fun imaginations. Love this love letter to libraries and all the amazing books they contain.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

5☆ for the comic art and 2☆ for the storyline.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Night Librarian: A Graphic Novel by Christopher Lincoln was a lovely, enjoyable surprise. It's a graphic novel for middle - graders, 8 to 12 year olds, I'd guess and also for adults because we need such a fun story.

Page and Turner are twin brother and sister whose parents spend much of their time world traveling as part of their work and also because their father collects rare books. Both children feel neglected, especially sister Page. They seem to have a somewhat fractious relationship with Page needling her brother and pushing him around. Turner is the more quiet one, keeping his own needling to his thoughts.

So while their parents are away, the two are permitted to spend their time at the New York Public Library. On this particular occasion Page has decided that they will bring their father's first edition signed copy of Dracula to find out how much it's worth. How much money makes it worthwhile for their father and mother to neglect them for such long periods. While they wait for the expert, who happens to be the Night Librarian, Ms. Literati, they spend the day enjoying good books; Turner reading The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill & Page reading The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie.

Their book on Dracula begins to act strangely, the back pack jumps up and down for no particular reason and then suddenly it disappears! Of course they are very concerned. What will their father do! Ms. Literati sends them home and promises to search for the book. When they return the next day, they find turmoil at the Library. And now it gets interesting!

I really don't want to spoil the adventure, but suffice it to say, that Page and Turner will spend the next night(s) helping Ms. Literati and a cast of story book characters hunt down other dangerous characters to try and keep the library from being destroyed. Woo hoo!!

It's an excellent, well written, well drawn and colored story. It's also intelligent and will, I'm sure, engross younger readers... and older too. The characters are all sympathetically portrayed. There are neat pop culture references, quotes from so many excellent books and fun characters from other books interacting. It's a rich, satisfying story that will make a lovely gift for a favorite youngster. (3.5 stars)

[Ginette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! Maybe I should read more graphic novels considering I don’t have the most artistic imagination. The story was unique, thrilling, and wholesome! Def recommend!

[Bree Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be thinking of the really old books living in the library for a while now, wondering if they do in fact really want to explode and their characters are roaming free within the library at night!
This follows siblings Page and Turner who are kind of left to their own accord due to their pretty absent parents. This seems to be a put off for some readers in their reviews but I feel like if the parents were so heavily involved, we would have no plot or not one as strong as the one we got.
They take Dracula to the library to find out how much their Dad’s copy is worth and the plot goes from there. We have pirates leaving books and dragons and Tinkerbell sprinkling fairy dust and Tuskegee Airman chasing bad guys away. It’s crazy and fantastical and a world that felt very nostalgic and fun. Personally, I really enjoyed it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOVED the concept of this - seriously, how do I become one of the Night Librarians?! But felt that some of the dialogue was clunky and didn't always make sense (like why would a character from a "classic" speak with modern terminology?).

I get where Lincoln was going with the dynamic between Page and Turner but OOF, Page's treatment of her brother should definitely have been addressed better, sooner, and more in depth. Same with the utter abandonment of children by both their parents and the person hired to care for them. Page is somewhat redeemed by the end but is a pretty horrible person through most of this graphic novel.

It's not exactly what I had hoped for, but it was still a fun read.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for the drawings and color.

[WildesKopfkino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mitten in New York, wenn die Lichter ausgehen und die Türen der Bibliothek ins Schloss fallen, beginnt die eigentliche Show – und was für eine! Beim Vorlesen für meinen Neffen haben wir beide fast vergessen, dass draußen die echte Welt existiert. Kaum eine Seite geschafft, schon hüpft Alice mit ihrem weißen Kaninchen durchs Bild, und hinter der nächsten Ecke lauert der gute alte Long John Silver. Ich schwöre, ich habe beim Lesen sogar kurz meinen Bauch eingezogen, damit wir nicht von der Schatzkarte gerammt werden.

Die Zwillinge Page und Turner sind genau die richtige Mischung aus Chaos, Witz und Cleverness, um in diesem Buch durchzuhalten. Mein Neffe hat die beiden sofort adoptiert – er meinte irgendwann ganz trocken: „Die könnten bei uns einziehen, die machen hier sicher alles spannender.“ Recht hat er. Dazu kommt Ms Literati, die geheimnisvolle Nachtbibliothekarin. Sie ist so eine Figur, bei der man sich nicht sicher ist: Retterin oder strengste Lehrerin aller Zeiten? Jedenfalls ziemlich cool.

Was dieses Buch richtig besonders macht, sind die Illustrationen. Ich lese oft Comics, aber hier ist der Stil nicht nur schmückendes Beiwerk, sondern mittendrin im Abenteuer. Die Bilder wirken so, als hätten sie selbst beschlossen, ein Eigenleben zu entwickeln – genau wie die Figuren, die nachts aus den Büchern purzeln.

Natürlich steckt da auch eine Botschaft drin: Bücher sind mehr als bedrucktes Papier. Sie sind Türen, Brücken, Achterbahnen fürs Gehirn. Für Kinder ab 10 perfekt, aber mal ehrlich: auch Erwachsene können hier Spaß haben. Mein Neffe wollte sofort wissen, wann der nächste Band kommt, und ich habe vorsichtshalber schon mal gegoogelt.

Kurz gesagt: Magisch, schräg, liebevoll illustriert und so rasant erzählt, dass man das Gefühl hat, selbst in der Bibliothek zu sitzen und die Figuren an einem vorbeihuschen zu sehen. Wir hatten einen Riesenspaß – und jetzt liegt das Buch griffbereit im Regal, falls die nächste Nachtschicht in der Bibliothek ansteht.

[Rachel Kohlbrenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. This was a true delight! So fun and bookish and full of adventure. Also the graphics were excellent.

[Hannah Boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fun read and cute YA graphic novel, but i couldn’t stand Page! She was honestly such a big brat it took enjoyment out of this quite a bit for me.

[Amanda N · Rating 2 out of 5]

Research for the kids… a fun exposure to great literary classics in an engaging, mysterious, action-packed way. Students will probably love this book.

[Linn J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books are filled with magic. They are packed with dreams, hopes and inspiration. But imagine living the same scenery over and over again, for eternity - no wonder characters want to escape such eternal cycle. But that will lead to eruption, which is not good. Only the night librarians can hinder that to happen.

🌿 The twins Turner and Page, will soon see how a book can change their life, forever. Being left alone in NYC makes life kinda boring, especially when they are being monitored. Anyway, they love the library and visits it daily, sometimes they read, and sometimes they research in the archive. But just this day, they wanted to know the value of the book, Dracula. A rare edition that their father loves. Unfortunately, it disappears... Or did it?

🌿 Soon at night Turner and Page will learn that stories are alive and everyone want to change their regular normal. Being left alone or feeling the pressure of "fate" is drainfull. It's kind of nice reading such regular difficulties of family life, sibling dispute, anxiety, neglection and pressure - a slice of life with hope for the better.

🌿 This is usch a beautiful graphic novel and the prologue - books, magic and librarians. Like sign me up! I adored the story and the illustration were wonderful. The colouring, a bit dark but fitting. It has humour, bibliophilie mood and books! Do I need to say more?
This is a mix of Tilly and the bookwanders and Night on the museum.
Full of amazing new friendships and adventures!

🌿 The characters were humours. Some of the book characters was so humanalike and gave such lively expressions, for an example some had to use the WC or wanted to write their real story. Also the names, Turner and Page, kinda comic and hilarious pun.

🌿 The language, modern with a mix of old English - fitting depending on which character are talking. I liked Dracula and his was to talk.

🌿 The night librarian is an adventures and lovely graphic novel for bibliophilie and book lovers. There are some amazing literature references and characters to meet. The feeling, the pedalogical and teaching moments was just right for a younger public (and nice for us older). I truly wished the novel was longer

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had so much potential, but just fell flat for me. Choppy story with major moments sped through and quick resolutions to major problems, overall kind of clunky to read. Characters were pretty one dimensional and the best ones relied on their notoriety from the storybooks they came out of. Yeah, I was really excited about this, but it is a no.

[Trista Woelfle · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay wait I am obsessed with this! Such a nostalgic yet adventurous story line. Ate this up!!!!

[Immie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nachts in der Bibliothek

Davon träumt doch jede Leseratte. In der Graphic Novel von Christopher Lincoln ist dieses Unterfangen jedoch nicht ganz ungefährlich. Denn in den Büchern, besonders in den ganz alten, steckt jede Menge Magie, wie die Zwillinge Page und Turner (hahaha: Pageturner!) sehr bald merken. Sie verbringen viel Zeit in ihrer Lieblingsbibliothek, der New York Public Library, auch einer meiner absoluten Lieblingsbibliotheken. Als sie heimlich das wertvollste Buch der Buchsammlung ihres Vater schätzen lassen wollen, verschwindet es auf geheimnisvolle Weise und nachdem ihnen die ersten Figuren aus anderen Büchern begegnen, wissen sie, dass sie das Huch schnell wieder finden müssen, denn es handelt sich um Bram Stokers Dracula. Dem möchten sie dann doch lieber nicht persönlich begegnen.

Wo fang ich an? Dieses Buch ist so viel:
1. eine Graphic Novel, ein Genre, das ich unheimlich gerne lese, egal wie in diesem Fall als Kindergeschichte oder auch gerne mal als Klassiker für ältere Leser
2. der Geschichte spielt in einer Bibliothek, auch noch in einer meiner Lieblingsbibliotheken, das ist natürlich einfach großartig
3. ein Kinderbuch über die Magie von Büchern mit zahllosen Zitaten aus anderen Büchern
Dazu kommen interessante Charaktere, eine spannende Geschichte und etwas Humor. Die Illustrationen und das Cover sind zudem sehr gelungen und äußerst ansprechend.
Zwischendurch wurde mir das Buch dann aber kurzzeitig ein bisschen ZU viel. Zu viele Themen, zu viele Zeitsprünge, zu viele Protagonisten, zu viele Bücher im Buch. Das hat meine Lesefreude etwas beeinträchtigt.
Insgesamt hatte ich jedoch viel Spaß an dieser Graphic Novel, die ich trotz dieser Einschränkung weiterempfehlen würde. Und auf die angekündigten Fortsetzungen bin ich auf jeden Fall auch neugierig geworden.

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since their parents seem to think books are more valuable than kids, twins Page and Turner head to the library with an antique book to see if they can figure out what it's really worth. They end up stalled when their first edition of Dracula disappears into the baseboards as a hoard of little bats, and that's not even the weirdest thing they'll see at the library at night.

-shrugs- there's no reason it should have taken me two weeks to read this little graphic novel. It has a fun premise and brings in a lot of classic characters from fiction. The plot is full of adventure, and the characters are both likable and relatable. I was a bit confused about Page and Turner's genders, which threw me off initially, and I think the author could have done better at using their pronouns earlier in the book, but that's a small complaint. I would definitely recommend this book to young readers who are dipping their toes into the vastness of good literature, and it's a fun read for older audiences who have perhaps fallen in love with Dracula, Treasure Island, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and many other classic tales.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, part Night at the Museum, this magical graphic novel was SO FUN! As someone who recently visited and fell in love with the NYPL, the setting was perfection. While there were definitely some nods and references to older classics younger readers are not likely to be familiar with, there is enough action to keep all readers engaged. The illustrations were vibrant and I liked that some of the busier pages had arrows directing readers how to follow the panels. Highly recommend to readers of all ages!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two kids, a library where things come out of books, and a librarian who tries to keep it all under control. The brother is timid and has long hair; the sister is reckless and has shorter hair. Their parents work too much (that’s the mundane emotional plot).

What is interesting is the way it undoes everything at the end when the kids realize they have access to a Time Machine, but the kids manage to keep their memories so it isn’t a complete loss. It’s kind of an attempt to have your “it was all a dream” cake but eat it too, and it mostly works.

[Elizabeth Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging middle grade graphic novel about twins Page and Turner along with well-known book characters coming to life and escaping into the main branch of the New York Public
Library. Suspenseful as well as fun to encounter beloved characters. The library setting is magical, and Christopher Lincoln describes it in wonderful detail.
Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC.

[Alissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slot this under “books for kids that adults might like.” This just didn’t work for me on so many levels, especially not for my middle school students, but I struggle to imagine elementary schoolers enjoying it either. The dialogue and story were clunky, and it was filled with cliches and references that today’s kids just won’t appreciate.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic novels are not usually my thing but I picked up an ARC at ALA. I found it intriguing - a good v evil battle played out via the many literary characters of the past. The setting of NYPL played its own special role. And like all good literary works, there was character growth in the YA main characters.

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of this book but I feel like it didn’t quite hit the mark. The story is for a very specific kind of kid who reads everything so that they know all the classics mentioned in this book - and that kind of kid is really hard to find. The story felt a little like a slog at some point and I wish there had been more growth in the sibling’s relationship at the end.