The 113th Assistant Librarian

By Stuart Wilson

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

Stuart is the author of the amazingly fun, creepy, weird and macabre middle grade adventures set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead, both reviewed in StoryLinks by Sarah Custance. His latest, a funny, fast- paced read, is set in a library, not an ordinary library, but one chock full of surprises and some very odd patrons.

Oliver who spent years ‘dreaming of his Calling, of adventuring to distant lands, slaying beasts, solving murders and searching for long-lost artefacts‘ is sure his new job in the library will be boring until he speaks to the librarian:

‘books are powerfull…They are more than simple bound pages. Books may record the past, predict the future, or hold the darkest of secrets. At their best, they are societal equalisers. At their worst…well!

How true! By the end of his first day Oliver has witnessed a death, been frozen by a book, and met a perplexing number of cats.  With only a mysterious girl called Agatha to help him he needs to learn fast, if he want to live longer than the 112 assistant librarians before him.

This story is such fun for anyone who knows even a little bit about how libraries are supposed to work. In the chapter on Occupational Hazards Oliver has a hilarious discussion with Agatha about classifying books: should books on Animal Husbandry be near books on Animal Worship? Domestic animals next to Religion? What about new topics? This is not just idle chit chat as Oliver has to fight for his life and knowing where certain books are becomes vital as Stuart has created a whole new (and terrifying) type of bookworm. But these are not the only dangers Oliver faces.

This is an exciting original fantasy written by a person who loves words, books and ideas. It has the usual middle grade themes of testing yourself, coping with high family expectations, and finding unexpected friendships, but it is also interlaced with some thought- provoking ideas about the nature and power of books, and the need for free access to knowledge. The publishers have done it justice with a great cover and a hardback giftable edition.  I do hope that Oliver and Agatha have some more adventures set in this truly splendid library.

Penguin 2024

Stuart Wilson