The Book Case

Emily Lime, Librarian Detective #1

by Dave Shelton

Daphne is off to St Rita’s, an exclusive girls’ boarding school. It sounds awfully respectable and Daphne herself is awfully respectable too. She loves to read, and is delighted to be offered the chance to interview for Librarian’s assistant’s assistant immediately upon arrival.

But it turns out nothing is quite what you’d expect at St Rita’s—you can’t trust a padlock if the fourth graders are around, the floor has holes from cannonballs, the smell in the dining room is disgustingly foul, and Daphne discovers the librarian doesn’t really exist.

But there is a librarian’s assistant, Emily Lime. And she’s really a crime-solving genius, who’s looking for a new assistant of her own. And booksmart Daphne is just the girl for the job, because mystery and intrigue are about to strike St Rita’s and Emily Lime is going to need all the help she can get….

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Humor, School, Friendship

360 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2018

About the author

Dave Shelton is the author of Thirteen Chairs. His UK debut novel for children, A Boy And A Bear In A Boat, was shortlisted for numerous awards in the UK and won the Branford Boase Award, an award given to an outstanding children's or young adult novel by a first-time writer. He's also the creator of the UK comic strip "Good Dog, Bad Dog." He lives in Cambridge, England, with his family.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to know a guy named Emil, and his brothers and I came up with four different nicknames for him: Oatmeal, E-mold, E-mail, and, my personal favorite, Female. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized his name was "lime" spelled backwards; apparently, the person who wrote this had a similar idea, as Emily Lime is a palindrome.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first instalment in the Emily Lime - Librarian Detective series.

Daphne is the new girl at St Rita’s, an exclusive girls’ boarding school, and, as a self-professed book worm, is excited to interview for Librarian’s assistant’s assistant immediately upon arrival. Head Librarian, Emily Lime, is more than a bit intimidating and the rest of the girls only add to the chaos that never seems to end in this school, even after lights out or when the teachers are involved! She soon finds she must buddy up with Emily if they both hope to save their school and their classmates, however.

This was such a fun middle-grade read. It provided me with the perfect palette cleanser for a busy life and in-between some thick back-to-back fantasy reads with its light-hearted humour, action-packed focus, and multitude of mysteries to uncover.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you loved Robin Steven's boarding school series and a series of unfortunate events you will love this book.


The Book Case starts with Daphne being sent off to a new boarding school. She is initially excited at the prospect of going an exclusive boarding school but when she arrives it becomes quickly apparent that St Rita's is a very different kind of boarding school. A completely anarchic boarding school where there are holes in the floor boards because of dropped cannon balls and pupils only drop into lessons if they feel like it.

Shortly after her arrival Daphne meets Emily the lime, the library assistant who immediately starts her on a trial as her assistant to help her to get to the bottom of a book related crime which she needs to get to the bottom of.

I thoroughly enjoyed every page and found myself chuckling all the way through as the situations became more absurd. I also loved following the mystery element with the characters. Well worth a look and definitely recommended by me. I'm already looking forward to a sequel.

[Marie the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an okay mystery for middle graders. I didnt like the drawings, the characters looked both older and younger, so that was confusing.

[Tatyana Naumova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ну вот если бы мне было лет 10-11!

[Kinga (oazaksiazek) · Rating 3 out of 5]

To była dość specyficzna książka z charakterystycznymi ilustracjami.

Mamy tutaj kradzieże, uprowadzenie i włamanie do szkoły. Szkoły wyjątkowej, takiej dla wyjątkowych dziewcząt. Szkoły, która jakimś cudem wciąż jest otwarta. Patrząc na warunki żywieniowe, dziury w drodze, rozpadające się schody i w ogóle.

Dużą rolę w tej historii odgrywają lektury i szkolna biblioteka, więc wielbiciele motywu książki w książce powinni być zachwyceni. Mamy też wątek kryminalny, więc każdy znajdzie coś dla siebie.

Momentami trudno czytało się tę pozycję, bo absurdów w tej szkole nie brakowało. Zachowanie nauczycieli było tak inne od tego, które znam. Uczennice były tak wszechstronnie uzdolnione, że nie wiedziałam, czy mam śmiać się, czy płakać.

Bawiłam się całkiem nieźle, choć to zdecydowanie pozycja dla młodszych czytelników. Pewnie z ciekawości sięgnę też po drugą część, aby poznać dalsze losy bohaterów i dowiedzieć się, czemu główna bohaterka trafiła do tej placówki.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Book Case (Emily Lime #1) by Dave Shelton, 358 pages. David Fickling Books (Random), 2019. $18. 978-1338323795

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Daphne has been accepted to St. Rita's, and exclusive boarding school for girls. On the train station, right before boarding her train, the railway porter gave her a book to bring back to St. Rita's. Daphne loves to read and starts reading the book as soon as she is on the train. When she arrives, she applies to be an assistant to the librarian. the librarian is not at the school, but Emily Lime, another student is running the library. A lot of things are going on at the school, from late night pantry raids, a secret tunnel, a fire in the library, a break-in, a missing student and a mysterious key. Daphne, Emily and their friend George work on solving the mysteries and even get in danger themselves.

This was a fun, fast paced book with quirky, quick thinking characters. I think this would be a great mystery book for younger students, 3rd through 5th grade. It would also be a good read-aloud and could lead to a lot of good discussions.

Ellen-Anita, Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I can't deny Shelton's skill in storytelling, nor his delicious way with an illustration, but nothing in this ever quite clicked home for me.

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book but it wasn't my favourite thing ever but I would recommend it and it was easy to read

[Almira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, maybe 3.5 stars - this one was REALLY different.

Daphne is sent to St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls, as her family and former school simply don't know what to do with her ----- like St. Rita's is the "Perfect" (?) school for anyone?

When Daphne arrives, she is met by the most "upside-down" mess of a school imaginable! I mean there are cannonball holes in the floor, the smell in the dining room would lead one to believe that the food served is not entirely fresh, and the position of assistant librarian she has been "offered", well there is NO REAL librarian in the school!, so who is she going to be assistant to?

The student who is THE assistant to the librarian, Emily Lime, is more of a crime solving genius, who is looking for an assistant to her, so Daphne gets the job -- along with trying to solve the mysteries of St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls...……

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this was a DNF.
I got half way through and thought that nothing had happened.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this first book in the Emily Lime Mystery series is any indication of what's to come in future books, I will be among those eager to read them. The book has a mystery, of course, that needs to be solved, and several interesting characters. Plus, it's set in St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls, something of a hellish boarding school where the meals aren't palatable and the classes are hardly worth attending. Reeling from trouble at her previous school, Daphne Blakeway arrives at the school after a mysterious invitation, and sets out to prove herself to Emily Lime, the assistant librarian, so that she can take on the role of assistant assistant librarian. Along with George, a sort of friend of Emily, Daphne tries to figure out why someone would have tried to break into the library, which houses only a few books after disaster and hard times struck the school. Middle grade readers will love the antics all those girls get up to while also trying to get to the bottom of things. Fast-paced and filled with humor and outlandish actions, this book will hold readers' interest to the very last page, leaving them eager for more.

[Mati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ocena: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Przyjemna lektura, co prawda pamiętam, że kiedy czytałam ją 2 lata temu bardziej się wciągnęłam, co nie zmienia faktu że jest to naprawdę dobra książka :)

Sądzę, że kiedy wpadnie mi w ręce 2 tom, z chęcią go przeczytam ;)

***

Daphne Blakeway przybywa do Szkoły Świętej Rity, w której ma podjąć pracę na stanowisku pomocnika zastępcy bibliotekarza na zaproszenie bibliotekarki szkolnej. W Świętej Ricie Daphne poznaje Emily Lime, oryginalną, zwariowaną i lekko opryskliwą dziewczynę, która nie widzi świata poza książkami oraz George'a, jedynego chłopaka w żeńskiej szkole. Chociaż inne uczennice buzują wręcz energią, a wchodząc na stołówkę ciężko nie zemdleć od znajdujących się tam zapachów, życie szkolne wydaje się w miarę spokojne. No właśnie, wydaje się... Bo dlaczego ktoś próbował włamać się do biblioteki, jedna z uczennic znika, a dyrektorka wydaje się coś ukrywać? Co wspólnego ma z tym wszystkim niedawne włamanie do banku w pobliskim miasteczku? I czemu książka przekazana Daphne przez bibliotekarkę zdaje się być w jakiś sposób z tym wszystkim powiązana?

Wiek: 9+

[Anna Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* Oh how I love a boarding school mystery story! A new series in the genre, featuring a very quirky school indeed. A tad on the long side, but very enjoyable.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend it. I enjoyed it because it was mystery/ graphic novel and was very well done.

[Babs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun adventures!

[DarkLioness22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not gonna complain.
was a nice read.
cant really find fault in it.

[Pi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gdy tylko zobaczyłam tę przepiękną okładkę wiedziałam, że chcę zapoznać się z treścią, bo czy może być coś lepszego dla miłośnika słowa pisanego nad BIBLIOTEKĘ? To oczywiście pytanie retoryczne. "BIBLIOTEKA Śledztwa Emily Lime", to urocza opowieść dla dzieci i - jak się okazało - dla mnie. Przeżyłam prawdziwą podróż w czasie i miałam wielką frajdę z czytania.
Dave Shelton zabiera nas do Szkoły Świętej Riry, w której to nic nie jest takie, jak powinno. Dla przykładu : w podłodze sypialni dziewczyn jest wielka dziura po kuli armatniej, na chemii walczy się z żywym ogniem, a biblioteka jest ogromna, tylko książek w niej niewiele, a jedyny dział, pod którym półki się uginają, to dział kryminalny - jak na szkolę dla dziewcząt, to dość ekstrawaganckie.
Już wspomniałam nieco o szkole, więc teraz przyszedł czas na głównych bohaterów. na samym początku poznajemy Daphne Blakeway, dziewczynkę, która została wyrzucona ze swojej poprzedniej szkoły (za nie do końca wiadomo co) i dziwnym zbiegiem okoliczności trafiło jej się stypendium w Szkole Świętej Rity, która mieści się na odludziu i zmierza ku upadkowi, podobnie jak jej uczennice... Właśnie! To placówka przeznaczona dla dziewczyn, ale uczy się w niej jeden chłopak, którego Daphne poznaje zaraz na początku swej przygody - George. Trochę dziwny, nieokrzesany, ale błyskotliwy, niezbyt piękny, lecz pomocny. Heh no i Emily Lime, dziewczynka zajmująca się biblioteką, o wyglądzie surowej pani po przejściach, która życie oddałaby za książki. Tak oto prezentuje się pierwszy plan - barwnie i przyjemnie.
Zdaję sobie sprawę, że to nie jest opowieść z rozbudowanymi portretami psychologicznymi bohaterów, że tu nie ma porażającego morału i kłębiących się metafor - ale ja się z tego bardzo cieszę! To książka dla dzieci, miła, prosta w odbiorze, dostarczająca rozrywki, skierowana na przygodę. Samo śledztwo nie jest wymyślne, a wydarzenia są nieprawdopodobne - i co z tego? Kiedy to jest miłe! Niezwykle przyjemnie mi się czytało "BIBLIOTEKĘ" i nie żałuję ani trochę, że po nią sięgnęłam. Frajda była ogromna!
Dzięki tej książce wróciłam do dzieciństwa. Na nowo stałam się dziewczynką, która stawia pierwsze kroki na nieznanym terenie. Przyjemność była wielka, ma do tej opowieści same ciepłe uczucia. Autor nie wtykał w każde zdanie jakiejś filozofii, ideologicznego bełkotu. On napisał coś, co ma być proste i zabawne, coś co ma dawać radość. Jasne, ktoś może powiedzieć, że to nic wybitnego i ja się z tym "ktosiem" zgadzam, ale to nie miał być Hamlet! Dostajemy tu przyjazną dziecku i dorosłemu historię o zagadce kryminalnej, którą rozwiązują dzieciaki i to nie byle jakie dzieciaki, bo takie, które kochają książki.
Z tego wszystkiego zapomniałabym o bardzo ważnej rzeczy - o ilustracjach! Dave Shelton nie tylko zadbał o tekst, ale i o obraz. Sam zilustrował "BIBLIOTEKĘ" i przyznać muszę, że mu to wyszło. Jego czarno-białe rysunki dostarczają jeszcze większego ciepełka serduszku, a także podkreślają komizm niektórych sytuacji. Książka jest wydana znakomicie. Piękna szata graficzna! Poszperałam i okazało się, że Shelton zamierza stworzyć serię a to jest pierwszy tom - mnie ta informacja bardzo się spodobała.
Nie doszukujcie się drugiego dna, nie oczekujcie wybitności, dajcie się porwać prostocie i urokowi tej opowieści. Odprężcie się, zapomnijcie o codzienności, stańcie się dzieckiem i przeżywajcie te nieprawdopodobne, czasem absurdalne przygody z uśmiechem na twarzy.

urocza książka o książkach i dzieciakach z charakterkiem
7.5/10
Tom I
Wydawnictwo :Dwukropek

[Liz Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story: Daphne thinks it's strange when (with her record) she's offered a scholarship at St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls. Turns out the only thing stranger than the offer is the school itself, with its giant holes in the floors, craters in the driveway, Mystery Food at every meal, and a possible crook teaching theology. Assistant librarian Emily Lime is okay with all of that, as long as people leave the library alone. But when there's a break-in, and (gasp!) a theft, Emily, Daphne, and their sidekick George (the only boy at this all-girl school) must solve the mystery andso they can claim the reward--and actually buy some books for the library.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themesPG (criminal behavior); overall rating PG. Best for grades 5-8.

Liz's comments: It's tough to find a funny book that isn't either a collection of comics ala Calvin and Hobbes, or written for 4th graders (Diary of a Wimpy Kid). This was not only a mystery story with lots of action, but it had some truly laugh-out-loud moments. Since the humor is very British, however, I do have to wonder whether the target audience in the US will get all the jokes, since it actually requires paying attention. Ah well, a mere quibble. Funny illustrations will appeal to both boys and girls.

[Shan Salter · Rating 3 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner #bookstagram #kidlitexchange #kidlit #bookreview @scholasticinc #daveshelton

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

THE BOOK CASE By Dave Shelton

On sale date: May 28, 2019

Get ready to step into a world of mystery, crumbling surrounds, and boarding school tribulations! Dave Shelton weaves a vivid picture of life at St Rita's School for Spirited Girls through his use of descriptive language and brilliant, detailed sketches. The main characters, especially Emily Lime, jump off the page and the mystery they must solve is intriguing and suitably complex.

Younger/less experienced readers may find the story a little hard to follow at times and the reading level challenging in parts but the older, more experienced readers in the 8-12-year-old subset should not have any trouble. This is a fun read for mystery lovers and should do well as a series.

[Kerrie Hatcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked The Book Case up from the library because I thought the cover was cute. I was hoping the story part would be cute also. The story is about a lost risque book and the three sleuths must find it and return it to its shelf. I really wanted to like this story, but it seemed to ramble and jump around. I also didn’t feel a middle grade book should have inappropriate language. I did like the illustrations, though.

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the first hour of this on audio, but nothing about it really captured my attention.

[Kate Waggoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the @kidlitexchange network and the publisher for the advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

After getting expelled from her previous school following the "incident," Daphne receives a mysterious letter inviting her to attend St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls on scholarship as a library assistant. On her way to St. Rita's, Daphne receives a book and is asked to return it to the school. This book and her new position as assistant assistant to the librarian plunges her into the middle of a mystery. Nothing is as it seems at St. Rita's. The girls have some very interesting and unique skills, classes are optional, the food is terrible, and the staff is suspect...well really everything is suspect. Daphne along with her friends/fellow library worms must figure out why someone keeps breaking into the library to try to steal a book. This book includes a beast, a reprobate nun, a burglar named Lampshade Fred, multiple crimes (both big and small), chase scenes, and explosions. There are twists and turns at every corner making it a thrilling read.

This book is full of personality. From the characters to the illustrations, I was instantly sucked in. I loved how each character was unique and well developed. I loved Emily Lime's love and commitment to books, George's sarcasm and clumsiness, and Daphne's determination. The illustrations are startling, hilarious, and really add to the humor of the book. The mystery is basic, but well developed and narrated. There are some sudden shifts in the story line, but even with the small gaps in time the reader is able to follow the story line without feeling lost or as if they've missed something big. I recommend this book to those who enjoy witty and sarcastic humor and a bit of mystery.

[PasjOla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Książka o bibliotece? Coś dla molika książkowego!
Biblioteka odgrywa znaczną rolę, ale bibliotekarze są tu najważniejsi.

Daphne dostaje stypendium do pewnej szkoły, która cieszy się złą sławą wśród okolicznych ludzi. Dziewczynka z niewiadomych powodów musiała opuścić swą poprzednią szkołę, ale jej 'talenty' doskonale miały się sprawdzić w nowej. Na dworcu Daphne otrzymuje pewną książkę, która podobno pochodzi ze szkolnych zbiorów. Dziewczynka ma zostać pomocnicą bibliotekarki, więc spokojnie wiezie zaskakujący pakunek do szkoły. A tam okazuje się, że tak dziwacznego zbioru uczniów i kadry to nie ma chyba w żadnej innej placówce. Biblioteka też wygląda niecodziennie, a bibliotekarka opuściła to miejsce, by leczyć nerwy. Ale na szczęście nielicznych zbiorów pilnują Emily i George.
Wkrótce dochodzi do podejrzanych zniknięć i włamań, więc bibliotekarscy pomocnicy przystępują do własnego śledztwa.

Książka jest pełna zwrotów akcji, z odrobiną czarnego humoru, z przerysowanymi postaciami, które wychodzą bez większego szwanku z różnych upadków i potyczek. Każdy z bibliotekarzy ma inny charakter, inne podejście do rozwiązywania problemów, więc dobrze się uzupełniają.
„Biblioteka. Śledztwa Emily Lime” to książka, która ma szansę spodobać młodszemu czytelnikowi, choć i starszy nie powinien być zbyt rozczarowany.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first in the Emily Lime Mystery Series by Dave Shelton. Daphne is being sent to St. Rita's School for Spirited Girls after an incident at her last school. She has been offered a scholarship to be an assistant assistant librarian. The school is different than most all girl boarding schools. In fact, the solitary male student is the one that shows Daphne around the school and introduces her to both the staff and students, not all of the teachers are good and most of the students are slightly delinquent. On Daphne's first night at the school, someone attempts to break into the school and a student has gone missing. Daphne, George, and Emily work together to figure out this mystery as well as the recent local bank robbery so that they can earn more money to purchase books for the dilapidated library. The book is a bit of a slow starter as it introduces the characters and sets up the mystery. It begins to pick up steam as the children are chased by the criminal. A lot of the action is sort of unrealistic even in the books historical setting but the various actions are amusing to imagine. I would recommend this as an optional purchase unless mysteries especially historical English mysteries are a favorite at your library.

[Ric Cheyney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and enjoyable read, although it could use some editing in the final third where there is a succession of not very thrilling cliffhanging moments. I would give this three stars for my personal enjoyment but as a book for young/teen readers I thought it was successful, with comical dialogue and a facetious line in humour giving it appeal for the target readership. The tone often reminded me of Douglas Adams (high praise indeed), albeit without the top quality expression, surprise or layers of message/meaning that Adams delivers routinely.
I can't say I am in a hurry to read the next Emily Lime mystery, but there is no doubt that Dave Shelton is a capable writer with a warm, pleasant lightness of tone and vocabulary. His illustrations are entertaining too.
This is yet another book where I wonder what a publisher's editor actually does, with the word 'heaved' used four times in the opening few pages; surely any editor with actual editing skills would suggest a change or two? It's published by David Fickling Books, who have won prizes and whose production values are impressive, so why the sloppiness in the edit?
But all in all this was effective, well plotted, lighthearted, wholesome entertainment for capable readers of secondary school age.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young reader’s mystery about a stolen risqué book, daft adults, an old-timey boarding school...and, oh yes, librarians. Daphne has been sent to St. Rita’s school after the ‘unfortunate incident’. Her parents are thrilled...Daphne, not so much.

But, she is thrilled about being the assistant-assistant librarian. She loves to read. Yet, after visiting the nearly bookless library and meeting assistant librarian, Emily Lime, she is confused and befuddled.

Events happen quickly (sort-of) and they are aware of a sinister plot to steal the very risqué book. But, why? Eventually all clues sort out and Emily, Daphne, and their clumsy friend George are heroes! Lots of slapstick violence, unnecessary plot twists, and some young-reader-inappropriate words make this suitable for tweens, when it really should be a younger kids’ book.

[Eleah · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start off with, I enjoy reading all sorts of books regardless of the age they are targeted for and this one was a peach. With St. Trinian's vibes and a mystery that was actually intriguing this book has gone onto my list of books worth being read by children and adults alike. In fact I believe that more books for adults should take a page from this novel and add little pictures to break up the monotony of black type-print on white pages.
With that said however, I am unsure why this is called "An Emily Lime Mystery" when the focal character was Daphne and Emily Lime was borderline unlikable. Suffice it to say, naming the series after her was an interesting choice that I don't quite agree with. However, the book was still good so it can be overlooked. And yet, "A Daphne Blakeway Mystery" sounds equally as good.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decidedly British bit of whodunit fiction for kids. And if you can't translate British English, it will take you a while to catch on to this jumbly, wild, boarding-school tale in a Tale-of-Unfortunate-Events manner. It took ME a while to sort out as all the happenings seemed to occur very quickly and rather chaotically (as I assumed was the intention) but it left this (admittedly very grown-up) American reader feeling as though I was missing the point of something, somewhere. Perhaps a bit more explanation and description was missing, OR...I hate to say it...the dust jacket description fell short of preparing me for what I was getting into. After a good halfway through the book I skimmed and then skipped ahead to a jolly good wrap-up at the end.

[My shelf with books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Każdy kto zna mnie chociaż trochę, wie, że od zawsze jestem fanką literatury dziecięcej. W związku z tym często sięgam po tytuły z tego gatunku. Tym razem przyszła kolej na "Bibliotekę..." i muszę przyznać, że pysznie bawiłam się w trakcie lektury. Mamy tu połączenie kryminału i książki przygodowej. Atmosfera szkoły do której trafia główna bohaterka jak i biblioteki w, której ma pracować jest niesamowita, łatwo sobie wyobrazić obskurne, zaniedbana pomieszczenia, starego budynku. Mamy też świetne choć oczywiście (jak przystało na literaturę dziecięca) proste postacie, z którymi zaprzyjaźniamy się praktycznie od razu.
Mimo mojego zaawansowanego wieku, książka sprawiła mi mnóstwo frajdy, a gdybym miała jakieś 10-12 lat, na pewno chciałabym przeczytać coś dokładnie tego!