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The Museum of Lost and Found
A warm, relatable middle-grade story about a friendship falling apart and the abandoned museum that becomes a shrine to lost connections
Vanessa isn't sure which happened finding the abandoned museum or losing her best friend Bailey. She doesn't know what to do with herself now that Bailey has left her behind—but when she stumbles upon an empty, forgotten museum, her purpose becomes clear. Vanessa starts filling the museum with her own artifacts and memories, hoping that perhaps, if she can find the right way to tell the story of her broken friendship, she can figure out how to make it whole again.
As Vanessa's museum grows, it seems like the place might have the answers to other questions, too. Like why a mysterious work of art was left behind. Or how to deal with a military dad who's trying to parent from thousands of miles away. Or why Vanessa's bad habit is getting harder and harder to quit. Or even, maybe, how to set the past to rest and find a way to move forward.
Moving and charming, The Museum of Lost and Found is about how we grow apart from some people as we grow up—and how sometimes we can find new pieces of ourselves in the aftermath.
Vanessa isn't sure which happened finding the abandoned museum or losing her best friend Bailey. She doesn't know what to do with herself now that Bailey has left her behind—but when she stumbles upon an empty, forgotten museum, her purpose becomes clear. Vanessa starts filling the museum with her own artifacts and memories, hoping that perhaps, if she can find the right way to tell the story of her broken friendship, she can figure out how to make it whole again.
As Vanessa's museum grows, it seems like the place might have the answers to other questions, too. Like why a mysterious work of art was left behind. Or how to deal with a military dad who's trying to parent from thousands of miles away. Or why Vanessa's bad habit is getting harder and harder to quit. Or even, maybe, how to set the past to rest and find a way to move forward.
Moving and charming, The Museum of Lost and Found is about how we grow apart from some people as we grow up—and how sometimes we can find new pieces of ourselves in the aftermath.
Audible Audio
First published May 16, 2023
25 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Leila Sales
21 books944 followersLeila Sales was born in 1984 and grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology in 2006. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the mostly glamorous world of children's book publishing. Leila spends most of her time thinking about sleeping, kittens, dance parties, and stories that she wants to write.
***Please note that I do not respond to messages sent to me via Goodreads mail. I love hearing from readers, but would ask you to email me at leila@leilasales.com, or tweet at me @LeilaSalesBooks. Thank you!
***Please note that I do not respond to messages sent to me via Goodreads mail. I love hearing from readers, but would ask you to email me at leila@leilasales.com, or tweet at me @LeilaSalesBooks. Thank you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 29, 2024
Wow, what a great read for a middle-grade audience! (And for those of us who have a “10-year-old self” that says, “Squeee; this was awesome!”)
Your heart will break for Vanessa as she tries desperately to figure out why her friendship with Baily went south. You will inwardly cheer as her “museum” takes shape and her outlook on life begins to change. Her mom will make you smile as she distributes her “human interest” nuggets of wisdom, such as, “If you see a clown carrying a computer today, steer clear.”
Such a wonderful book, with so many layers! The teacher in me especially loved the scene where Vanessa and her friends are discussing ideas for other museums in abandoned buildings; could be a writing activity for students, perhaps?
Memorable Quotes:
(Pg. 277)-“I don’t think there is a ‘should’ here,” her mom said. “Either answer could be the right one. Sometimes what helps me decide to do is imagining how I’d feel if I did it.”
(Pg.125)-“That’s just the way religion was. You said the same prayers and read the same Torah portions and performed the same rituals week after week, year after year, generation after generation. Vanessa found the repetition boring but also kind of miraculous, because it meant that she was doing the same things her mother had when she was a kid, and her mother’s great-grandmother who’d been killed during the Holocaust, and back and back for as long as anyone could remember, maybe even way back to when the slaves were Jews in Egypt.”
Your heart will break for Vanessa as she tries desperately to figure out why her friendship with Baily went south. You will inwardly cheer as her “museum” takes shape and her outlook on life begins to change. Her mom will make you smile as she distributes her “human interest” nuggets of wisdom, such as, “If you see a clown carrying a computer today, steer clear.”
Such a wonderful book, with so many layers! The teacher in me especially loved the scene where Vanessa and her friends are discussing ideas for other museums in abandoned buildings; could be a writing activity for students, perhaps?
Memorable Quotes:
(Pg. 277)-“I don’t think there is a ‘should’ here,” her mom said. “Either answer could be the right one. Sometimes what helps me decide to do is imagining how I’d feel if I did it.”
(Pg.125)-“That’s just the way religion was. You said the same prayers and read the same Torah portions and performed the same rituals week after week, year after year, generation after generation. Vanessa found the repetition boring but also kind of miraculous, because it meant that she was doing the same things her mother had when she was a kid, and her mother’s great-grandmother who’d been killed during the Holocaust, and back and back for as long as anyone could remember, maybe even way back to when the slaves were Jews in Egypt.”
May 19, 2023
It's been a while since I've read middle grade, so this was an absolutely delightful way to get back into that age group. Vanessa is baffled by why her best friend isn't talking to her. When she discovers an abandoned museum, she takes some of the stuff from her friendship with Bailey and turns the random ephemera into a curated exhibit. It's not long before other kids in the neighborhood want to create their own exhibits, too. Sales notes that The Egypt Game and From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler were inspirations for the story. Since those were two of my absolute favorite books as a kid, I did feel inclined to love this. I felt a strong connection to Vanessa and wish I'd had this book when I was in middle school.
November 27, 2022
Vanessa and Bailey have been best friends since they were really little, but lately, Bailey has been distant. Vanessa can't really figure out what's wrong. One day while she's out wandering, Vanessa discovers an abandoned museum and decides to curate an exhibit on her friendship with Bailey, hoping it will offer some clues. Her museum is discovered by a few unlikely people and turns into something much bigger than a place to think about old junk. Slowly, Vanessa realizes that most things in life eventually go away, a fact brought on most poignantly by her father's extended absence during his military tours. Vanessa has to decide what's worth keeping and if she even can get back something valuable that she's lost.
Although there are a lot of themes in this book, from friendship, growing up, learning empathy, coping with parental absence, making new friends, fitting into a Jewish heritage, and even body-focused repetitive behavior, Leila Sales managed to bring everything together into a really compelling story that didn't leave all sorts of loose ends. I feel like I learned a lot from this relatively short book, even as I grappled with the reality of confusing middle school friendships and complex family relationships. It never felt like too much. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's ever lost a friend as well as young people who are looking for inspiration to dream big.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Although there are a lot of themes in this book, from friendship, growing up, learning empathy, coping with parental absence, making new friends, fitting into a Jewish heritage, and even body-focused repetitive behavior, Leila Sales managed to bring everything together into a really compelling story that didn't leave all sorts of loose ends. I feel like I learned a lot from this relatively short book, even as I grappled with the reality of confusing middle school friendships and complex family relationships. It never felt like too much. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's ever lost a friend as well as young people who are looking for inspiration to dream big.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 15, 2023
Middle school classmates Vanessa and Bailey are no longer the best friends they had been for years. Readers get the story from Vanessa's point of view throughout most of the book.
Vanessa enters an abandoned museum, cleans it up, begins displaying artifacts from her former friendship with Bailey hoping this will help her understand what happened, and she also makes a couple of new friends along the way.
A few chapters near the book's conclusion, readers find out more from Bailey's perspective. It appears as though Vanessa is not the "victim" she believes herself to be and Bailey is not the "villain" of the story. Turns out
Vanessa could sometimes be a bit bossy, controlling of their activities, and could sometimes be a neglectful, absent friend.
The bits about the discovery of an abandoned painting, the development of self-harm behavior, the similarly afflicted, reclusive famous artist, all seemed way too contrived and unbelievable (I never appreciate when stuff like that occurs, in general). The focus should have remained on the natural growing pains of Vanessa and Bailey and how friends and friendship changes over time, imo.
Vanessa enters an abandoned museum, cleans it up, begins displaying artifacts from her former friendship with Bailey hoping this will help her understand what happened, and she also makes a couple of new friends along the way.
A few chapters near the book's conclusion, readers find out more from Bailey's perspective. It appears as though Vanessa is not the "victim" she believes herself to be and Bailey is not the "villain" of the story. Turns out
Vanessa could sometimes be a bit bossy, controlling of their activities, and could sometimes be a neglectful, absent friend.
The bits about the discovery of an abandoned painting, the development of self-harm behavior, the similarly afflicted, reclusive famous artist, all seemed way too contrived and unbelievable (I never appreciate when stuff like that occurs, in general). The focus should have remained on the natural growing pains of Vanessa and Bailey and how friends and friendship changes over time, imo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2024
This was a good story about family, friendship, and mental health. The main character Vanessa isn't perfect and has opportunities to see some things she's done that have hurt others and make amends. She also realizes what to fight for and how important those around her are.
The parents also have some faults in this and I was surprised that Vanessa's mom didn't think the habit of picking at her skin wasn't something worth looking into. I was glad the dad realized, though he didn't go about it in the best way.
I thought the audiobook was nicely done and this was a good story to stumble upon.
The parents also have some faults in this and I was surprised that Vanessa's mom didn't think the habit of picking at her skin wasn't something worth looking into. I was glad the dad realized, though he didn't go about it in the best way.
I thought the audiobook was nicely done and this was a good story to stumble upon.
October 5, 2022
The Museum of Lost and Found is clever and full of heart. Relatable for teens and/or adults, the story illustrates the pains of growing up and being human through a tangible project. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
May 14, 2023
I really, really liked this book! It had some amazing themes about friendship and mental health that would be very powerful for kids. I am going to add this to my read aloud list next year, especially if I have girls in class who are having friendship issues. I love how the story showed both sides to the issues and how both parties are usually part of the problem, but also can be part of the solution. I can even see doing a museum day after reading the book as a way for kids to express themselves in a new and different way. Thank you for writing this!
February 21, 2024
Quick and fun read. How can losing a friend change the trajectory of your adolescence life? Can putting energy into something other than your own misery give you an outlet to see things differently? This book is a light hearted look at a lot of big feelings and life events and the emotions that come with them
August 29, 2024
What a great YA read. Relationship challenges all around. And a secret museum. All the 6th grade feels.
March 3, 2025
This is a sweet middle grade that highlights the importance of communication in friendship as well as self discovery.
March 2, 2024
Another MG book which I absolutely enjoyed but which seems to be more for adults than kids.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2024
Kiddo insisted that I read this one. Loved it, love that I get book recommendations from her now.
April 7, 2023
I feel like the problem with YA novels is that they are novels made in a truncated way for kids. We don’t get to know the characters as well or peek into their minds, but we see this very textbook style of writing: intro, main character develops, foreshadowing (always so much), character has a problem (but it can get worse), problem escalates, comes to a head, then problem solved at last. This book is no different. Vanessa starts middle school and doesn’t understand why her bestie hates her, and also can’t stop picking the skin around her fingers. Her dad is deployed, her brother is in high school and her mom seems to cope by making really weird anecdotes.
As much as it sounds I didn’t love this book, it is so touching for the age it was written for. I think most kids go through a growth period where their friends shift and change, which is very hard to navigate. Sales does a great job here making her characters lovable, age appropriate and perfectly cast in their roles. This book is wonderful for families and children alike- would make a great read-aloud at night! I LOVED that there’s no romance. None. Zero. No kissing, no thinking about the other sex…just a book on friendship and how it comes to be. Big thumbs up.
*I received a free book for an honest review, and am so grateful for the publishing team! Thanks so much!
As much as it sounds I didn’t love this book, it is so touching for the age it was written for. I think most kids go through a growth period where their friends shift and change, which is very hard to navigate. Sales does a great job here making her characters lovable, age appropriate and perfectly cast in their roles. This book is wonderful for families and children alike- would make a great read-aloud at night! I LOVED that there’s no romance. None. Zero. No kissing, no thinking about the other sex…just a book on friendship and how it comes to be. Big thumbs up.
*I received a free book for an honest review, and am so grateful for the publishing team! Thanks so much!
February 2, 2023
Sadly, this book just wasn’t for me. Going into this book, I thought it was going to be different then what it was. I thought it was going to be more magical and whimsical. I did enjoy the museum bits but the descriptions of her skin peeling just made me cringe. I know it’s a real life experience that the author is bringing awareness too but I just couldn’t handle reading about it. Our main character, Vanessa, wasn’t a very likable character to me either. She just seemed like a know it all and didn’t feel like she really had any character growth. Maybe that’s just how she was supposed to be written but I just wasn’t a huge fan. All thoughts and opinions stated in this review are solely my own. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review.
June 24, 2023
Vanessa doesn't know what is worse, losing her best-friend or that her best-friend doesn't care. Yes when she finds an abandoned museum, maybe everything isn't so bad, but just maybe.
This book was interesting read but not interesting enough to recommend it. Vanessa is not likeable and truncated character development didn't help. I understand this is aimed at middle-school aged readers but I don't know how much they would read this.
This book was interesting read but not interesting enough to recommend it. Vanessa is not likeable and truncated character development didn't help. I understand this is aimed at middle-school aged readers but I don't know how much they would read this.
April 17, 2024
The story tried to be too much for too many. It was superficial and the relationships and responses did not sound authentic.
April 1, 2023
I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
To call this book relatable is an understatement - it’s about friendship and perceptions, and a little bit about museums too. Vanessa and Bailey have always been best friends - they do everything together. That is until they both start middle school, and suddenly Bailey doesn’t want to be friends anymore. Vanessa realizes that it’s something that happened slowly; until she looks back, she didn't even realize it was happening. It reminded me a lot of Miranda and Sal from When You Reach Me. Often when friendships end, it *feels* like some big catastrophic moment, but really it’s a series of smaller events, over a long period of time. And there is no time of life when a series of smaller events feel like catastrophe than middle school.
Soon after she and Bailey split, Vanessa finds an abandoned museum and she realizes what she wants to do – turn the space into a monument to her friendship with Bailey. And once Bailey sees the museum, she’ll see how much they mean to each other and want to be friends again. But of course it’s not that simple. Along the way, Vanessa makes new friends, and shares her museum, and learns a bit about herself in the process.
I really liked Vanessa as a character. She feels very much like a real 11-year-old: pretty self-centered, pretty sure the world should exist in black and white as SHE sees it…all of that tracks. Vanessa’s also dealing with some anxiety about her father, who is serving overseas in the military, and her own nervous habit of picking at her skin, which everyone seems to think she is doing on purpose, but which she really can’t control.
I also loved the abandoned museum setting (and the multiple references to the Isabella Stewart Gardner art heist! Such a fascinating story). It’s the reason I requested the ARC in the first place - I love museums, and I also love looking at photos of abandoned places. The idea of taking over an abandoned museum is super appealing. In the age of cellphones and helicopter parents, I suppose it’s a *little* hard to believe a group of kids could just hang out in an abandoned building (and then start giving tours of said building) without ANY adults catching wind of it. There are some real early 90s vibes to the whole thing.
Overall this was a great read - some wonderful messages about friendship, and some drama I feel like a lot of middle school girls can relate to. (There’s some tertiary stuff about Vanessa’s brother dealing with high school, but given that it’s Vanessa’s story, we only hear a little bit about it. Part of me wanted to hear from Sterling too, but that would have derailed the narrative a bit, I think)
To call this book relatable is an understatement - it’s about friendship and perceptions, and a little bit about museums too. Vanessa and Bailey have always been best friends - they do everything together. That is until they both start middle school, and suddenly Bailey doesn’t want to be friends anymore. Vanessa realizes that it’s something that happened slowly; until she looks back, she didn't even realize it was happening. It reminded me a lot of Miranda and Sal from When You Reach Me. Often when friendships end, it *feels* like some big catastrophic moment, but really it’s a series of smaller events, over a long period of time. And there is no time of life when a series of smaller events feel like catastrophe than middle school.
Soon after she and Bailey split, Vanessa finds an abandoned museum and she realizes what she wants to do – turn the space into a monument to her friendship with Bailey. And once Bailey sees the museum, she’ll see how much they mean to each other and want to be friends again. But of course it’s not that simple. Along the way, Vanessa makes new friends, and shares her museum, and learns a bit about herself in the process.
I really liked Vanessa as a character. She feels very much like a real 11-year-old: pretty self-centered, pretty sure the world should exist in black and white as SHE sees it…all of that tracks. Vanessa’s also dealing with some anxiety about her father, who is serving overseas in the military, and her own nervous habit of picking at her skin, which everyone seems to think she is doing on purpose, but which she really can’t control.
I also loved the abandoned museum setting (and the multiple references to the Isabella Stewart Gardner art heist! Such a fascinating story). It’s the reason I requested the ARC in the first place - I love museums, and I also love looking at photos of abandoned places. The idea of taking over an abandoned museum is super appealing. In the age of cellphones and helicopter parents, I suppose it’s a *little* hard to believe a group of kids could just hang out in an abandoned building (and then start giving tours of said building) without ANY adults catching wind of it. There are some real early 90s vibes to the whole thing.
Overall this was a great read - some wonderful messages about friendship, and some drama I feel like a lot of middle school girls can relate to. (There’s some tertiary stuff about Vanessa’s brother dealing with high school, but given that it’s Vanessa’s story, we only hear a little bit about it. Part of me wanted to hear from Sterling too, but that would have derailed the narrative a bit, I think)
February 19, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Vanessa's mother is very busy with work, so she and her older brother Sterling try to pick up the slack while their father is stationed in Germany. The family has been in Edgewood Falls, Ohio after moving around quite a bit, and Vanessa has been friends with Bailey since second grade. In middle school, however, the two are growing apart, and when Bailey doesn't invite Vanessa to her birthday party, this is quite a blow. While out in the neighborhood, Vanessa comes across an abandoned museum that has signs posted that it is to be torn down; but it's too enthralling to stay out of. She finds a usual assortment of trash and debris, but also a large picture of two girls by a fountain. She cleans the place up, and starts a small museum of her own, containing memorabilia of her relationship with Bailey, complete with notes about what the items meant. Soon, however, her space is invaded by Eli, whom she knows from Hebrew school. He wants to have his own exhibit about his late dog, Einstein, and before long there are several exhibits, as well as visitors who are all sworn to secrect. Sterling notices that Vanessa is often not home after school and joins her as well. At one point, Vanessa's items are stolen, and she blames Bailey, but also starts to take a look at how she really treated her friend. After seeing the fountain from the picture in town, Vanessa investigates who painted the picture, and when she finds out it is the first work of famed artist Mariko Marsden, she tries to contact the family of the elusive painter. Being found out will spell the end of the museum, but will it lead to other opportunities for Vanessa and her friends?
Strengths: First of all, there is no Edgewood Falls in Ohio, but there is an Edgewood, and lots of Falls in Northeaster Ohio, so this was a brilliant setting! The idea of an abandoned museum is absolutely enthralling; if you are a fan of Edwards' Mandy and secretly want to clean up derelict buildings, this is the book for you. For younger readers, there is plenty of realistic friend drama that is very insightful. Failed middle school friendships usually have blame to be laid on all sides. The way the art mystery evolved was very effective, and I loved the inclusion of Hebrew school, especially after the family conversation about "having" to attend services for a year before having a bar or bat mitzvah. I imagine that this depicts the way a lot of families feel about religious education: tweens have to do it even if it doesn't really have any spiritual meaning!
Weaknesses: I didn't care so much about the children's museum descriptions, but actual tweens might be more invested in that. It was nice that when Mariko Marsden funds the reopening of the museum, she stipulated that children will be given space for exhibits.
What I really think: The author gives a shout out to Konigsberg's From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler , which has held up surprisingly well as Snyder's The Egypt Game, which I should reread if I still have a copy. This definitely captured the feel of that era of literature, but also incorporated modern day anxiety as well as Vanessa's body-focused repetitive behavior of tearing at the skin on her fingers, which I haven't seen in a middle grade novel before. There's a feel good ending, and was a very enjoyable book. Now, where's MY abandoned museum?
Vanessa's mother is very busy with work, so she and her older brother Sterling try to pick up the slack while their father is stationed in Germany. The family has been in Edgewood Falls, Ohio after moving around quite a bit, and Vanessa has been friends with Bailey since second grade. In middle school, however, the two are growing apart, and when Bailey doesn't invite Vanessa to her birthday party, this is quite a blow. While out in the neighborhood, Vanessa comes across an abandoned museum that has signs posted that it is to be torn down; but it's too enthralling to stay out of. She finds a usual assortment of trash and debris, but also a large picture of two girls by a fountain. She cleans the place up, and starts a small museum of her own, containing memorabilia of her relationship with Bailey, complete with notes about what the items meant. Soon, however, her space is invaded by Eli, whom she knows from Hebrew school. He wants to have his own exhibit about his late dog, Einstein, and before long there are several exhibits, as well as visitors who are all sworn to secrect. Sterling notices that Vanessa is often not home after school and joins her as well. At one point, Vanessa's items are stolen, and she blames Bailey, but also starts to take a look at how she really treated her friend. After seeing the fountain from the picture in town, Vanessa investigates who painted the picture, and when she finds out it is the first work of famed artist Mariko Marsden, she tries to contact the family of the elusive painter. Being found out will spell the end of the museum, but will it lead to other opportunities for Vanessa and her friends?
Strengths: First of all, there is no Edgewood Falls in Ohio, but there is an Edgewood, and lots of Falls in Northeaster Ohio, so this was a brilliant setting! The idea of an abandoned museum is absolutely enthralling; if you are a fan of Edwards' Mandy and secretly want to clean up derelict buildings, this is the book for you. For younger readers, there is plenty of realistic friend drama that is very insightful. Failed middle school friendships usually have blame to be laid on all sides. The way the art mystery evolved was very effective, and I loved the inclusion of Hebrew school, especially after the family conversation about "having" to attend services for a year before having a bar or bat mitzvah. I imagine that this depicts the way a lot of families feel about religious education: tweens have to do it even if it doesn't really have any spiritual meaning!
Weaknesses: I didn't care so much about the children's museum descriptions, but actual tweens might be more invested in that. It was nice that when Mariko Marsden funds the reopening of the museum, she stipulated that children will be given space for exhibits.
What I really think: The author gives a shout out to Konigsberg's From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler , which has held up surprisingly well as Snyder's The Egypt Game, which I should reread if I still have a copy. This definitely captured the feel of that era of literature, but also incorporated modern day anxiety as well as Vanessa's body-focused repetitive behavior of tearing at the skin on her fingers, which I haven't seen in a middle grade novel before. There's a feel good ending, and was a very enjoyable book. Now, where's MY abandoned museum?
February 19, 2023
I hate to give a one-star rating, but I have to be honest. I found the story to be neither interesting nor believable, and the characters to be neither likable nor believable.
The plot centers around Vanessa, a middle schooler facing a common problem: a best friend who's moved on and no longer wants to be friends. On a random walk around town, she finds an abandoned museum and decides to make use of it. She creates an exhibit with items relating to her former friend, Bailey, including signage explaining what they represent. When her brother and a few other kids find out, they want to create exhibits also. Soon word gets around and kids are visiting like it's a real museum.
I have to be honest, I can't see middle schoolers finding this book interesting. For starters, Vanessa is demanding, judgmental, moody, and insensitive. In short, she is not the least bit likable and I could see how Bailey would not want to be friends anymore. She's also needy and overbearing. Her interest in creating a shrine to her old friend, in an abandoned building of all places, shows how odd and desperate she is. Middle schoolers do not do this in today's world. 100% not relatable. Middle schoolers do, however, change. Interests change. Personalities change. This happens with adults too. After a while, you realize you don't have as much in common as you'd hoped and you move on. I'd like to see a book that addresses this in a healthy way, rather than showing a girl who isn't the nicest person in the first place, acting incredibly childish, as a way to deal with her frustration/sadness.
Besides that, an older brother, also wanting to create an exhibit while hanging out with his younger sister, off the charts not believable.
The plot centers around Vanessa, a middle schooler facing a common problem: a best friend who's moved on and no longer wants to be friends. On a random walk around town, she finds an abandoned museum and decides to make use of it. She creates an exhibit with items relating to her former friend, Bailey, including signage explaining what they represent. When her brother and a few other kids find out, they want to create exhibits also. Soon word gets around and kids are visiting like it's a real museum.
I have to be honest, I can't see middle schoolers finding this book interesting. For starters, Vanessa is demanding, judgmental, moody, and insensitive. In short, she is not the least bit likable and I could see how Bailey would not want to be friends anymore. She's also needy and overbearing. Her interest in creating a shrine to her old friend, in an abandoned building of all places, shows how odd and desperate she is. Middle schoolers do not do this in today's world. 100% not relatable. Middle schoolers do, however, change. Interests change. Personalities change. This happens with adults too. After a while, you realize you don't have as much in common as you'd hoped and you move on. I'd like to see a book that addresses this in a healthy way, rather than showing a girl who isn't the nicest person in the first place, acting incredibly childish, as a way to deal with her frustration/sadness.
Besides that, an older brother, also wanting to create an exhibit while hanging out with his younger sister, off the charts not believable.
May 8, 2023
Oh, were to start with this book. It spoke to me on so many levels. Being military wife who has chosen to stay behind while my husband continues his military career with a little one at home, this book made me both happy and scared. I hope everyday I have made the right choice for my family. Seeing Vanessa and her brother going through all the different emotions dealing with their dad and their living situation makes me both nervous for the future and hopeful. I hope that I create an environment so open that my own child can come to me like Vanessa does with her mom towards the end of the book. I also hope that my husband can be more understanding and open instead of just trying to fix problems. I also hope that my child never feels like they have to show interest in something just to connect with him.
Beyond the military personal connection. This book is beautiful. Such an interesting way to show that there are two sides to ever story. That life and how it plays out will look different to not only those living it, but those who are outside observers. This is just a lovely way to look at the flow of life. Sometimes things seem forever, but for others maybe they are just a stop on the road. Change and moving forward is not always the same for everyone, and that is okay. There is more then one way to deal with change. Also, I love how Vanessa learns that her preconceived ideas of people don’t always play out to reflect who they actually are. I can not express how much I loved this book! There is just so much that readers can take away from it. I truly hope that it touches a kid’s soul enough to help them see life differently.
Thank you so very much to Abrams Kids, Amulet Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
Beyond the military personal connection. This book is beautiful. Such an interesting way to show that there are two sides to ever story. That life and how it plays out will look different to not only those living it, but those who are outside observers. This is just a lovely way to look at the flow of life. Sometimes things seem forever, but for others maybe they are just a stop on the road. Change and moving forward is not always the same for everyone, and that is okay. There is more then one way to deal with change. Also, I love how Vanessa learns that her preconceived ideas of people don’t always play out to reflect who they actually are. I can not express how much I loved this book! There is just so much that readers can take away from it. I truly hope that it touches a kid’s soul enough to help them see life differently.
Thank you so very much to Abrams Kids, Amulet Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
June 3, 2023
The Museum of Lost and Found by Leila Sales begins with a lost friendship that drifted away without fanfare and a found abandoned museum that has signs saying POSTED: NO TRESPASSING and DEMOLITION PENDING. Vanessa began to notice that Bailey no longer answered her phone messages right away and even then with only brief responses. Then came the day that Bailey no longer saved her place at their table in the cafeteria. Finding the old museum about the same time gives her an idea of how to preserve the remnants of their friendship with artifacts and memories. If she can do this well, maybe she can get back what she has lost.
Eli adds a museum display with a tribute to his dog Einstein, and eventually her brother Sterling adds his baseball collection. They make a list of rules for the museum with one important rule that it must be kept secret from adults. Adding to the plot of this typical middle-grade story is an unusual piece of art found in the old museum. The painting is of two girls that looked nothing like Vanessa and Bailey, yet seemed to have the same kind of friendship that she has lost.
Vanessa also deals with waiting for the next call from her military dad which may or may not come when she feels like talking and her seemingly unbreakable habit of picking at the skin around her fingernails until they are sore. Eventually, she will find the part she played herself in the collapse of her friendship with Bailey.
The book is a good picture of the angst of middle grade wrapped in a good mystery as the story of the painting is solved.
Eli adds a museum display with a tribute to his dog Einstein, and eventually her brother Sterling adds his baseball collection. They make a list of rules for the museum with one important rule that it must be kept secret from adults. Adding to the plot of this typical middle-grade story is an unusual piece of art found in the old museum. The painting is of two girls that looked nothing like Vanessa and Bailey, yet seemed to have the same kind of friendship that she has lost.
Vanessa also deals with waiting for the next call from her military dad which may or may not come when she feels like talking and her seemingly unbreakable habit of picking at the skin around her fingernails until they are sore. Eventually, she will find the part she played herself in the collapse of her friendship with Bailey.
The book is a good picture of the angst of middle grade wrapped in a good mystery as the story of the painting is solved.
August 30, 2023
Vanessa is not easy to like. She unknowingly sabotaged a close friendship with Bailey by her bossiness and controlling behaviors. Her anxiety, perhaps stemming from a military dad often absent for long deployments, also manifests in picking her skin/cuticles/scabs obsessively. Then, in her grief for her lost friend and distant father, she discovers an old museum set for demolition, forgotten among overgrown weeds and vegetation. She cleans it up secretly and becomes an erstwhile curator of a Museum of Bailey, full of artifacts of their friendship. Others find it and join in, adding their own curated curiosities. Even her high school freshman brother, brings his baseball card collection to display. Among the trash and oddities, they discover an oversized gorgeous painting by an unknown to them, which turns out to be a famous artist! Vanessa researches from the clues, and the eccentric, elderly painter is reunited with her lost art. She says, “This is why preservation is so important. Beauty is hard to find, harder still to create, and easy to destroy. We must work to preserve beauty.” The middle grade novel has a satisfying conclusion that puts perspective into past, present, and future understanding, including insight into Vanessa’s repetitive self-calming disorder. She ends up having started a museum and a movement, with new friends and old becoming curators as well. This would make an excellent classroom read-aloud choice.
December 14, 2023
Leila Sales can always handle complicated emotions and approaches characters with flaws and nuance without the kind of panicked moralizing that happens in a lot of contemporary books. This is a lovely middle grade book, with an entertaining concept that makes space for themes of friendship, growing up, making space for yourself, family, and even a splash of mental illness in a unique and natural way. I love her messy and loving and sometimes mean heroine, Vanessa, and most of the characters have substance that makes them compelling. I enjoyed this book so much, and while I’ve read all of Sales’ YA novels this is the first MG I’ve dipped into and I think I’ll pick up more.
My one thing. Vanessa’s dad is in the armed forces, and this is one thing I would deeply consider a flaw that she doesn’t approach this way at all. She thoughtfully discusses the parents’ separation and the dad’s well intentioned but hurtful frustration with Vanessa’s struggles. But when it comes to the fact that his coworkers go around killing people there’s no textual discomfort or question that there might be something wrong there. Honestly it made the book a bit harder to rate, but there ARE military families and they do feel this way. And most of the book I thought was completely lovely.
Overall, great read, age appropriate and very thoughtful about the kinds of friendship changes that often deeply impact kids in middle school.
My one thing. Vanessa’s dad is in the armed forces, and this is one thing I would deeply consider a flaw that she doesn’t approach this way at all. She thoughtfully discusses the parents’ separation and the dad’s well intentioned but hurtful frustration with Vanessa’s struggles. But when it comes to the fact that his coworkers go around killing people there’s no textual discomfort or question that there might be something wrong there. Honestly it made the book a bit harder to rate, but there ARE military families and they do feel this way. And most of the book I thought was completely lovely.
Overall, great read, age appropriate and very thoughtful about the kinds of friendship changes that often deeply impact kids in middle school.
May 16, 2023
A big thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Museum of Lost and Found by Leila Sales. I was excited to be approved to receive this book for free in exchange for my honest review.
Leila Sales does an amazing job of telling a story about friendships and how they can fall apart, especially in the transition between elementary school and middle school. At that age, it can feel like the end of the world, and it can be difficult to figure out what went wrong. The author explores this situation in a gentle way that can encourage children to take the initiative to have a conversation with their former friend and teaching them that they may or may not like the end result. The story goes on to show the reader that it's okay to make new friends and strengthen other old friendships.
The sub-plot deals with having a family member in the military who is deployed and the emotions the family goes through when that member may have died. This is another great teaching moment for children to have empathy for others because you never know what that person may be going through.
Even though I'm not the intended audience for The Museum of Lost and Found, I found myself invested in the storyline. It's relatable to adults because who hasn't had a friendship dissolve before their eyes? I loved the character development of the main character, Vanessa. The other characters weren't quite as developed as Vanessa, but that is okay because the point of the story is to be able to relate to what the main character is going through.
I think this is an important book for children to read as well as their parents so they can have a discussions afterwards. I'd even go as far to say this should be required reading for fourth or fifth graders.
Five out of five stars is what I gave The Museum of Lost and Found by Leila Sales. This heart warming and relatable book is definitely a must read for children between the ages of eight through twelve. Older children and adults would enjoy the story as well.
#TheRunningBibliophile #NetGalley #TheMuseumOfLostAndFound #LeilaSales #ARC #AdvancedReadersCopy #BooksOfInstagram #Bookstagram #BookReview #BookReviews
Leila Sales does an amazing job of telling a story about friendships and how they can fall apart, especially in the transition between elementary school and middle school. At that age, it can feel like the end of the world, and it can be difficult to figure out what went wrong. The author explores this situation in a gentle way that can encourage children to take the initiative to have a conversation with their former friend and teaching them that they may or may not like the end result. The story goes on to show the reader that it's okay to make new friends and strengthen other old friendships.
The sub-plot deals with having a family member in the military who is deployed and the emotions the family goes through when that member may have died. This is another great teaching moment for children to have empathy for others because you never know what that person may be going through.
Even though I'm not the intended audience for The Museum of Lost and Found, I found myself invested in the storyline. It's relatable to adults because who hasn't had a friendship dissolve before their eyes? I loved the character development of the main character, Vanessa. The other characters weren't quite as developed as Vanessa, but that is okay because the point of the story is to be able to relate to what the main character is going through.
I think this is an important book for children to read as well as their parents so they can have a discussions afterwards. I'd even go as far to say this should be required reading for fourth or fifth graders.
Five out of five stars is what I gave The Museum of Lost and Found by Leila Sales. This heart warming and relatable book is definitely a must read for children between the ages of eight through twelve. Older children and adults would enjoy the story as well.
#TheRunningBibliophile #NetGalley #TheMuseumOfLostAndFound #LeilaSales #ARC #AdvancedReadersCopy #BooksOfInstagram #Bookstagram #BookReview #BookReviews
January 10, 2023
This year, Venessa is dealing a lot. Her father is in the military and stationed in Germany and she faces the loss of her best friend Bailey. She doesn’t know why Bailey doesn’t seem to like her anymore.
Venessa finds an old abandoned museum that is slated for demolition. After a school trip to a museum, Venessa decides to make her own exhibit in the abandoned building—a tribute to her friendship with Bailey. As she writes the description cards to accompany each of the items, she realizes maybe she wasn’t a good friend to Bailey and that’s why Bailey drifted away.
Others find the building and her exhibit and ask to make their own. Together they start to fill the museum. They invite friends to view the exhibits. Venessa learns from friends who were familiar with her relationship with Bailey, that sometimes Bailey wasn’t kind. Now Venessa thinks the breakup was Bailey’s fault and not her own.
Are they friends or not? Well, you’ll have to read the story for yourself. Friendship can be complicated, especially when we make assumptions about what a friend is thinking or feeling. Some things are out of an individual’s control and some rifts take time and new perspectives to heal as we all grow and change.
Grade level 3 – 7, Ages 8 – 12
Available May 2023
Venessa finds an old abandoned museum that is slated for demolition. After a school trip to a museum, Venessa decides to make her own exhibit in the abandoned building—a tribute to her friendship with Bailey. As she writes the description cards to accompany each of the items, she realizes maybe she wasn’t a good friend to Bailey and that’s why Bailey drifted away.
Others find the building and her exhibit and ask to make their own. Together they start to fill the museum. They invite friends to view the exhibits. Venessa learns from friends who were familiar with her relationship with Bailey, that sometimes Bailey wasn’t kind. Now Venessa thinks the breakup was Bailey’s fault and not her own.
Are they friends or not? Well, you’ll have to read the story for yourself. Friendship can be complicated, especially when we make assumptions about what a friend is thinking or feeling. Some things are out of an individual’s control and some rifts take time and new perspectives to heal as we all grow and change.
Grade level 3 – 7, Ages 8 – 12
Available May 2023
April 20, 2023
I received an electronic ARC from ABRAMS Kids through NetGalley.
What happens when one friend moves on and leaves her best friend behind? This looks like how the plot will unfold but Sales offers some different perspectives as she shares about her characters. Readers meet Vanessa first and the book is told from her perspective. Her best and only friend Bailey has formed other friendships and stopped hanging out with her. Vanessa decides to create a museum to Bailey in an old museum she discovers on a walk. Readers see her thoughts on each item and develop a clear impression of Bailey's actions. It's only in the later part of the book that readers see Bailey's side shared. By the end, the story of this friendship and these two young women is not clearly defined as wrong and right. Both made mistakes and both were careless and inconsiderate with their friendship. Other subplots run through the book and bring depth to the young people. Sales makes her point to look beyond the surface and listen to others' stories. I appreciate the way she wove people's stories through the museum.
What happens when one friend moves on and leaves her best friend behind? This looks like how the plot will unfold but Sales offers some different perspectives as she shares about her characters. Readers meet Vanessa first and the book is told from her perspective. Her best and only friend Bailey has formed other friendships and stopped hanging out with her. Vanessa decides to create a museum to Bailey in an old museum she discovers on a walk. Readers see her thoughts on each item and develop a clear impression of Bailey's actions. It's only in the later part of the book that readers see Bailey's side shared. By the end, the story of this friendship and these two young women is not clearly defined as wrong and right. Both made mistakes and both were careless and inconsiderate with their friendship. Other subplots run through the book and bring depth to the young people. Sales makes her point to look beyond the surface and listen to others' stories. I appreciate the way she wove people's stories through the museum.
May 16, 2023
Thank you to ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Vanessa is learning how to deal with the fact that her BFF seems less interested in being friends with her; around the same time, Vanessa discovers an old abandoned museum. This book surprised me on so many levels; there was so much depth and reality in many of the topics that were presented - complications of life in a military while a parent is deployed, the loss of a friendship, self-reflection with regards to your contributions in friendship, and body-focused repetitive behaviors.
Some suspension of disbelief is necessary with regards to some of the logistics of the museum, but the emotions, perceptions, and problems are presented in such a way that they can be revelatory for adults or children. Also, while there are some very serious situations and dangers present, the author balances them with small moments joy due to personal achievement, self-discovery, and new burgeoning friendship.
Vanessa is learning how to deal with the fact that her BFF seems less interested in being friends with her; around the same time, Vanessa discovers an old abandoned museum. This book surprised me on so many levels; there was so much depth and reality in many of the topics that were presented - complications of life in a military while a parent is deployed, the loss of a friendship, self-reflection with regards to your contributions in friendship, and body-focused repetitive behaviors.
Some suspension of disbelief is necessary with regards to some of the logistics of the museum, but the emotions, perceptions, and problems are presented in such a way that they can be revelatory for adults or children. Also, while there are some very serious situations and dangers present, the author balances them with small moments joy due to personal achievement, self-discovery, and new burgeoning friendship.
April 22, 2024
I’m a Middle School English teacher trying to get into the habit of reading a lot of juvenile fiction so that I know what to recommend,and maybe even teach, to my students. I really liked this book. I usually prefer genre fiction, and this is very much realistic fiction, rooted in real world adolescent issues like faded friendships, absent parents, and compulsive disorders. Sometimes all the topical references of the contemporary age make me wonder if the story may alienate young readers in decades to come. But the themes are universal. I really think young people, especially 5-7 graders, will relate to this book. I think it’s honest, and sweet, and compassionate. It gets at real truths about how much things can change in those later years of childhood, just before the teen years. I think it also had something really original and specific to say about creativity. And it managed to be sweet without being overly optimistic, allowing the ambiguity of reality. It is sentiment not sentimentality. And the space of the abandoned museum is perfect, nostalgic escapism. Recommended.
November 14, 2022
I love this book! In the voice of Vanessa, a 7th grader whose father is stationed abroad and whose best friend, Bailey, appears to be a new *former* best friend, even though Vanessa doesn't understand why, The Museum of Lost and Found moves deftly between a preteen's outer world, with its confusing friend and family situations, and inner thoughts of worry, frustration, misunderstanding, and hope.
There's a lot Vanessa can't control in her life, but she finds an outlet for creative expression and a sense of control when she discovers an abandoned museum and puts together an exhibit telling one story of her most important lost friendship. Through the museum, she discovers that she's part of a community of people who have lost relationships and things that have mattered to them. She finds her voice, her courage, and a sense of belonging that strengthens her.
So much thanks to ABRAM"S kids for providing a free e-copy for review.
There's a lot Vanessa can't control in her life, but she finds an outlet for creative expression and a sense of control when she discovers an abandoned museum and puts together an exhibit telling one story of her most important lost friendship. Through the museum, she discovers that she's part of a community of people who have lost relationships and things that have mattered to them. She finds her voice, her courage, and a sense of belonging that strengthens her.
So much thanks to ABRAM"S kids for providing a free e-copy for review.
August 20, 2023
A different twist on a common 7th grade happening of changing friendships. Vanessa likes things just so. After all, Dad is stationed overseas and sometimes deployed. That's enough uncertainty for her. Yet when she returns to school after being away all summer visiting Dad in Germany, her best friend doesn't seem to have time for her. She's had a rough summer without Vanessa and had reached out to other people.
One day, wandering on her own, Vanessa discovers an abandoned building where she makes a museum exhibit about her lost friendship. It draws in her brother, a guy from Hebrew class, and a pair of twin girls. They open their museum exhibits to other kids.
One painting, left behind at the building draws much interest. When Vanessa discovers the fountain in the painting actually in their town, she is able to find the artist, which leads to a number of developments. This resolves a few of the upsets in her life with new insights. Very relatable.
One day, wandering on her own, Vanessa discovers an abandoned building where she makes a museum exhibit about her lost friendship. It draws in her brother, a guy from Hebrew class, and a pair of twin girls. They open their museum exhibits to other kids.
One painting, left behind at the building draws much interest. When Vanessa discovers the fountain in the painting actually in their town, she is able to find the artist, which leads to a number of developments. This resolves a few of the upsets in her life with new insights. Very relatable.
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