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Lunch Lady #2
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians
From the author of National Book Award finalist Hey, Kiddo .
Serving justice . . . and lunch!
Lunch Lady can sniff out something rotten like no one else—and there’s definitely something rotten going on in the library. The usually friendly librarians have become cold and secretive. Even Dee can’t seem to crack a smile out of them. What darkness may lurk in the hearts of librarians? Lunch Lady is on the case! And Hector, Terrence, and Dee are along for a wild ride!
Serving justice . . . and lunch!
Lunch Lady can sniff out something rotten like no one else—and there’s definitely something rotten going on in the library. The usually friendly librarians have become cold and secretive. Even Dee can’t seem to crack a smile out of them. What darkness may lurk in the hearts of librarians? Lunch Lady is on the case! And Hector, Terrence, and Dee are along for a wild ride!
96 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2009
118 people are currently reading
1454 people want to read
About the author
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
66 books923 followersJarrett J. Krosoczka, known since boyhood as "JJK," is the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator behind more than forty books for young readers, including his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, select volumes of the Star Wars™: Jedi Academy series, and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award Finalist. Krosoczka creates books with humor, heart, and deep respect for his young readers—qualities that have made his titles perennial favorites on the bookshelves of homes, libraries, and bookstores over the past twenty years.
In addition to his work in print, Krosoczka produced, directed, and performed in the full-cast audiobook adaptations of his graphic novels. The Hey, Kidoo audiobook garnered both Audie and Odyssey Awards for excellence in audiobook production. The Lunch Lady audiobook cast is led by Kate Flannery (The Office) and is rounded out by famed audiobook narrators and real kid actors! Krosoczka has been a guest on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, has been profiled in The New York Times, was featured on Good Morning America, and has delivered three TED Talks, which have accrued millions of views online. Krosoczka has garnered millions of more views online via the tutorials he has produced for YouTube and TikTok. As well as working on his books' film and television adaptions, Krosoczka has also written for The Snoopy Show (Apple TV+) and served as a consultant for Creative Galaxy (Prime Video), and appeared in live segments for the show.
Realizing that his books can inspire young readers beyond the page, Krosoczka founded School Lunch Hero Day, a national campaign celebrating school lunch staff. A consummate advocate for arts education, Krosoczka also established the Joseph and Shirley Krosoczka Memorial Youth Scholarships, which fund art classes for underprivileged children in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts.
Krosoczka lives in western Massachusetts with his spouse, their three children, pugs Ralph and Frank, and a French bulldog named Bella Carmella.
In addition to his work in print, Krosoczka produced, directed, and performed in the full-cast audiobook adaptations of his graphic novels. The Hey, Kidoo audiobook garnered both Audie and Odyssey Awards for excellence in audiobook production. The Lunch Lady audiobook cast is led by Kate Flannery (The Office) and is rounded out by famed audiobook narrators and real kid actors! Krosoczka has been a guest on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, has been profiled in The New York Times, was featured on Good Morning America, and has delivered three TED Talks, which have accrued millions of views online. Krosoczka has garnered millions of more views online via the tutorials he has produced for YouTube and TikTok. As well as working on his books' film and television adaptions, Krosoczka has also written for The Snoopy Show (Apple TV+) and served as a consultant for Creative Galaxy (Prime Video), and appeared in live segments for the show.
Realizing that his books can inspire young readers beyond the page, Krosoczka founded School Lunch Hero Day, a national campaign celebrating school lunch staff. A consummate advocate for arts education, Krosoczka also established the Joseph and Shirley Krosoczka Memorial Youth Scholarships, which fund art classes for underprivileged children in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts.
Krosoczka lives in western Massachusetts with his spouse, their three children, pugs Ralph and Frank, and a French bulldog named Bella Carmella.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews
February 26, 2019
I kinda want to be on the Librarian's side...
September 24, 2009
I do not hate video games. I am not an evil librarian. Despite these blasphemous implications, I will recommend this book to second and third graders who enjoy graphic novels or would like to give one a try. Also, I will advise having snacks on hand. This book made me hungry.
March 8, 2020
This was a really cute story! I enjoyed it!
August 13, 2016
This is 5 stars because of the librarians
December 30, 2021
This is probably just because I am a librarian, but this is one of my fave graphic novels. Very funny weapons.
September 7, 2022
This book 🥑🍆🥝🥝🥬🥒🍅🍑🍒🍌🍉🍇🥭🍍🍓🍈🥥🥦🥕🌽🌶🥐🥔🍠🥨🥖🥞🥓🥩🥐🧀🥚🍗🍳🍖🍕🍟🍔🌭🦴is great 👍🏻!
June 18, 2017
Finally! A book series that dismantles the common stereotypes of lunch ladies (except maybe those that would prefer to be called "cafeteria workers") as mean, horrid, child-hating purveyors of slop and doom. (Although gravy on pizza? Gravy on french fries? I hate gravy. Something must be done about that part.) Of course, pretty much every other adult in the school ends up in their stereotypical role (except the math teacher - would a math teacher really be in the running for most popular teacher? Okay, maybe Dr. Archer in my high school days. And Mrs Bazell, our 9th grade math teacher. She was pretty awesome. But in general? And besides, that was a plot device in The Cyborg Substitute, not this book, so I shouldn't mention it in this review).
What I don't like is how BOOKS are made out to be WEAPONS, instruments of doom and evil. How come no other reviewer has commented on that? Sure, books are powerful and mind-changing, but they're not out to eat you up. And the lion in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe certainly wouldn't be out to get you, unless maybe you were one of the White Witch's minions.
By the way, Lunch Lady and her sidekick inventor remind me of the two characters in Pajama Sam: Thunder and Lightning Aren't So Frightening. Oops, that's a video game. The League are going to come after me...
Back to the book at hand: This felt more fragmented and underdeveloped than Cyborg Substitute, but my boys still loved it. My favorite piece in both books comes in Book 1, where you see the principal on the phone with a parent, saying "Your dog needs to stop eating homework." Book 3 has been requested via inter-library loan, and I will be asked many times a day until it arrives, "did you get the book yet?"
What I don't like is how BOOKS are made out to be WEAPONS, instruments of doom and evil. How come no other reviewer has commented on that? Sure, books are powerful and mind-changing, but they're not out to eat you up. And the lion in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe certainly wouldn't be out to get you, unless maybe you were one of the White Witch's minions.
By the way, Lunch Lady and her sidekick inventor remind me of the two characters in Pajama Sam: Thunder and Lightning Aren't So Frightening. Oops, that's a video game. The League are going to come after me...
Back to the book at hand: This felt more fragmented and underdeveloped than Cyborg Substitute, but my boys still loved it. My favorite piece in both books comes in Book 1, where you see the principal on the phone with a parent, saying "Your dog needs to stop eating homework." Book 3 has been requested via inter-library loan, and I will be asked many times a day until it arrives, "did you get the book yet?"
September 27, 2011
Something strange is going on with the librarians. And it involves the Book Fair and the new X-Station 5000! Luckily, Lunch Lady, her trusty sidekick Betty and the Breakfast Bunch are on the case!
Adorable. Hysterical. I love the Lunch Lady series. I love the gadgets Betty makes, like the Taco-vision Night Goggles and Sonic-Boom Juice Boxes. Lunch Lady is dedicated to fighting crime, but doesn't let that get in the way of her duties as a lunch lady.
One problem: It sort of made me sad that even in an adorable elementary level graphic novel the librarians are evil technology haters. Sigh. They're planning on destroying all the X-Station 5000s so people will have to read books. And then they'll take over the world. Like you do.
It takes Lunch Lady to put the two together and have an awesome Book Fair where students can also play the new X-Station 5000. Because all librarians are against gaming in the library. So again: sigh. I really like this series, and I don't even mind the librarians being made evil. I just wish they'd been made evil in some way not relating to hating technology, that's all.
On the plus side, the librarian's evil weapons were releasing "beasts" from various books - the three little pigs, the black stallion, the wolves from Call of the Wild, various characters from Alice in Wonderland and so forth. Awesome weapon.
But this is a GREAT series and I highly recommend it for your elementary grade students!
Adorable. Hysterical. I love the Lunch Lady series. I love the gadgets Betty makes, like the Taco-vision Night Goggles and Sonic-Boom Juice Boxes. Lunch Lady is dedicated to fighting crime, but doesn't let that get in the way of her duties as a lunch lady.
One problem: It sort of made me sad that even in an adorable elementary level graphic novel the librarians are evil technology haters. Sigh. They're planning on destroying all the X-Station 5000s so people will have to read books. And then they'll take over the world. Like you do.
It takes Lunch Lady to put the two together and have an awesome Book Fair where students can also play the new X-Station 5000. Because all librarians are against gaming in the library. So again: sigh. I really like this series, and I don't even mind the librarians being made evil. I just wish they'd been made evil in some way not relating to hating technology, that's all.
On the plus side, the librarian's evil weapons were releasing "beasts" from various books - the three little pigs, the black stallion, the wolves from Call of the Wild, various characters from Alice in Wonderland and so forth. Awesome weapon.
But this is a GREAT series and I highly recommend it for your elementary grade students!
November 6, 2009
Action! Silliness! Pictures galore! It's no wonder that comic books and graphic novels are a big hit with kids. We've loved how authors artists are creating fun graphic stories for younger readers. This new series will find many fans among 1st through 3rd graders looking for a fun adventure in their comics.
In this second book of the series, our secret crime-fighting duo takes on the evil schemes of the school librarians. Kids will love the plot, as the librarians try to destroy all video games and achieve world domination. The snazzy gadgets continue, with Taco-vision Night Goggles, Hover Pizzas and Sonic Boom Juice Boxes. I loved how the librarians unleashed creatures from stories to battle Lunch Lady and her gang.
I especially liked how Krosoczka created an action-packed comic book with a goofiness that makes it perfect for this younger set. This doesn't have any of the dark undertones that some graphic novels or comic superhero stories have. This is not a book with a lot of character development, but I think its purpose is to hook readers and make them laugh.
In this second book of the series, our secret crime-fighting duo takes on the evil schemes of the school librarians. Kids will love the plot, as the librarians try to destroy all video games and achieve world domination. The snazzy gadgets continue, with Taco-vision Night Goggles, Hover Pizzas and Sonic Boom Juice Boxes. I loved how the librarians unleashed creatures from stories to battle Lunch Lady and her gang.
I especially liked how Krosoczka created an action-packed comic book with a goofiness that makes it perfect for this younger set. This doesn't have any of the dark undertones that some graphic novels or comic superhero stories have. This is not a book with a lot of character development, but I think its purpose is to hook readers and make them laugh.
January 16, 2018
Great quick read for young readers that reminds me of THE TEACHER FROM THE BLACK LAGOON series.
August 2, 2019
I loved it but again it was too short!!
Got it from my local library💓
Got it from my local library💓
October 17, 2019
Of course, I had to read this, because I love libraries and evil librarians! In this second volume, some entertaining re-occurring characters cameo again (like the goofy janitor from Boston.) And the League of librarians is plotting a conspiracy (Pretty much exactly what goes on in meetings with Becky B. and me.)
I love in the fight scene (in that same old warehouse) that the librarians use book characters popping out of the books as weapons. That's right, kids, books are dangerous!
Had me laughing out loud yet again!
I do get surprised though that this has to be geared toward kids who love video games more than reading! Our kids LOVE to read! I think it rivals video games for them! That's why I am a happy evil librarian.
I love in the fight scene (in that same old warehouse) that the librarians use book characters popping out of the books as weapons. That's right, kids, books are dangerous!
Had me laughing out loud yet again!
I do get surprised though that this has to be geared toward kids who love video games more than reading! Our kids LOVE to read! I think it rivals video games for them! That's why I am a happy evil librarian.
May 20, 2022
Art
Minimal lines; a simple art style that is appealing to younger readers but lacking the depth that appeals to me personally.
Characters
Shallow, stereotypical tropes. The Lunch Lady isn't even given a name despite being the most important character. I think Betty had more dialogue.
Story
I can see how the idea centralizing an overlooked job is original, however most of the plotline is fairly cliché. Again, this may be appealing to younger readers but it doesn't hold up for adults who want, well, more than this.
2/5
My dad works for Chartwells Food Service and he assigned me to read the first two of these comics to see if they are any good. His district apparently won them in some event. I wouldn't have read them otherwise.
Minimal lines; a simple art style that is appealing to younger readers but lacking the depth that appeals to me personally.
Characters
Shallow, stereotypical tropes. The Lunch Lady isn't even given a name despite being the most important character. I think Betty had more dialogue.
Story
I can see how the idea centralizing an overlooked job is original, however most of the plotline is fairly cliché. Again, this may be appealing to younger readers but it doesn't hold up for adults who want, well, more than this.
2/5
My dad works for Chartwells Food Service and he assigned me to read the first two of these comics to see if they are any good. His district apparently won them in some event. I wouldn't have read them otherwise.
January 31, 2019
It seems all of the students are excited about the new X-Station 5000 video game system, and very few are excited about the Read-A-Thon next week. The librarians are not having it, and are planning a takeover that will put all of those electronic-loving kids in their place. But the lunch ladies are on to them, will they be able to stop them in time?!
A really fun graphic novel!
A really fun graphic novel!
April 5, 2017
Oikeudenpuolustajakeittäjättären seikkailut jatkuvat. Tämä jätti allekirjoittaneen melko kylmäksi, sillä en aivan pitänyt siitä asenteesta, millä kirjastonhoitajat oli tarinaan laitettu. Mutta kyllä tämä varmaan joitakuita huvittanee.
July 27, 2023
I thought it was funny and light. I mostly picked it up because my students read Hey, Kiddo at the beginning of the year and this novel is by the same author. I thought they might like this one too since they liked Hey, Kiddo.
July 23, 2022
Librarians in cahoots to take over the world?! Sounds good to me! ;)
November 23, 2024
As a librarian who is not part of the evil league (I like video games too much) I loved this book. It was funny and filled with great characters.
January 5, 2018
I like when she found out who was doing all of this and I also liked how the kids helped
November 2, 2009
While some librarians might take umbrage with Krosoczka's depiction of librarians as mean and evil "shusher", I loved this book. Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians is one of two books in the Lunch Lady graphic novel series (two more books will be coming out in the next few months). In The League of Librarians the Lunch Lady and her sidekick Betty, who are undercover crime fighters, must foil the League of Librarians' plans to destroy a shipment of the newest video game consoles and games. While trying to defeat the Librarians, Lunch Lady and Betty are captured. Three small undercover crime fighters, students at the Lunch Lady's school, come to her rescue.
I don't see how kids could not like this book. The settings are ones that children are very familiar with (a school, and a library), and the story has the perfect mix of action and humor. The Librarians fight with creatures that pop out of famous books (their secret weapon), and the Lunch Lady and Betty fight with food. The books are intended for children ages 9 to 12. While the text is not very challenging for middle school readers, I think that they would like the story just the same. I would definitely recommend this book to reluctant readers, and any child who is interested in graphic novels.
I don't see how kids could not like this book. The settings are ones that children are very familiar with (a school, and a library), and the story has the perfect mix of action and humor. The Librarians fight with creatures that pop out of famous books (their secret weapon), and the Lunch Lady and Betty fight with food. The books are intended for children ages 9 to 12. While the text is not very challenging for middle school readers, I think that they would like the story just the same. I would definitely recommend this book to reluctant readers, and any child who is interested in graphic novels.
November 16, 2013
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarret J. Krosoczka is a cute and easy read for grades two through four. The staff in the library is mean and insensitive to the children of the school. The students suspect something is going on when they see all the library staff plotting together one day. The students involve the lunch lady when they discover the staff is trying to take away all the video games. The lunch lady saves the day.
I prefer this to the Babymouse book. I don’t think this has the dark undertones that some graphic novels or comic superhero stories have. The message here is funny and silly. I think it’s a great way to encourage those hard to please readers.
I prefer this to the Babymouse book. I don’t think this has the dark undertones that some graphic novels or comic superhero stories have. The message here is funny and silly. I think it’s a great way to encourage those hard to please readers.
December 18, 2009
Second adventure of our hero, the undercover lunch lady. In this volume, she defeats the league of librarians in their quest to rid the world of video games. A few digs at librarians (or librarian stereotypes), and oh so very fun.
May 3, 2010
librarians wanting to take over the world, yet they call it fiction? the librarians are the evil doers in this book, but i was rooting for them. i bought the book.
series recommended by www.unshelved.com
series recommended by www.unshelved.com
September 29, 2009
This new series is going to be popular at my library--a lunch lady superhero who uses food and cooking utensils as gadgets to defeat the bad guys!
January 24, 2010
Oh, those evil librarians who want to get rid of all the video games in the world! They can learn a thing or two from Lunch Lady!
May 16, 2010
The negative messages about reading really bugged me. I was rooting for the librarians!
March 19, 2012
Another fun installment of the Lunch Lady graphic novel series! I liked the new layers added and the importance of books (for good or for evil...) in this installment.
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May 8, 2014Dear Ali,
I promise I will stop reading these now. I needed something to read over lunch the other day and I couldn't help myself.
Love,
Katie
I promise I will stop reading these now. I needed something to read over lunch the other day and I couldn't help myself.
Love,
Katie
August 28, 2024
Cute, but I think Alcatraz called dibs on Evil Librarians, haha!
This is another "superhero has children tag along on adventures" story, but with less focus on the children (at least in this volume, not sure about others since this is the only one I've read). You know, as opposed to the children being the superheroes.
I'm a little less than excited about this specific story, since , but at least the kids ARE reading, I guess? Even if the ending is a bit farfetched (I can't imagine that being significant enough incentive).
Otherwise, a cute idea, since ALL school jobs are underappreciated!
This is another "superhero has children tag along on adventures" story, but with less focus on the children (at least in this volume, not sure about others since this is the only one I've read). You know, as opposed to the children being the superheroes.
I'm a little less than excited about this specific story, since , but at least the kids ARE reading, I guess? Even if the ending is a bit farfetched (I can't imagine that being significant enough incentive).
Otherwise, a cute idea, since ALL school jobs are underappreciated!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews