It's Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday with a review of The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon

The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon 
Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Format:  E-ARC
Number of pages:  384 pages
Publishing:   May 7th, 2024
Source:  Edelweiss+

Opening Line:  "Dally paused with her hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath."

Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Dally crossed all her t's and dotted all her i's while preparing her presentation for her mother.  She double, triple checked all her graphs and pie charts and even has a hard copy ready for her just in case.  She's determined to convince her mom to allow her to join the Adventure Club, a new after school program.  But ever since her grandpa died, Dally's mom has restricted her activities and has been grooming her to take over the family business.  Filling her time after school with tutoring lessons in economics, finance and enrichment courses in science and math.  Time that she previously spent with her grandpa playing together, roaming and have long talks.  At first the presentation seems to be going well, but in the end Dally's mother still refuses.  

Then Dally recalls an envelope her mother received at her grandfather's funeral.  Despite it clearly being addressed to her, Dally's mom put it away in the safe.  But now, Dally plans to retrieve it.   Inside the envelope is a letter and a map showing the distance to various locations around town.  Deciphering the map further, Dally finds her way to a library, a secret library.  More precisely, a library of secrets.  Each book in the library holds a secret, a portal that takes the reader to the actual moment the secret takes place.  It's a very precise moment in time, shrouded by fog that forms a boundary within the memory, which must never be crossed.  Patrons are allowed to pursue these secrets but must practice "discretion" and never reveal someone else's secrets.  Suddenly, Dally is visiting the library on a daily basis to uncover more and more secrets, not only does she delve deep into her family's past, but she also gets a new perspective on her present with her mom.  At the same time, Dally is learning that everyone who finds the library is meant to be there, but the library has a few secrets that it's been keeping too.  

The Secret Library is part portal story, a mystery, and adventure.  It's also a deep dive into Dally's family's history.  Dally's family acquired their wealth from their business that has been passed down from one family member to the other.  From Dally's grandpa and now on to her mom.  It's stressful having the business and disheartening that it is Dally's mom's number one priority.  Dally is biracial and hasn't spent much time within the black community and given her wealthy family, she mostly grew up around white people and privilege.  She is very eager to learn more about her identity and heritage.  Each of Dally's trips into a secret have a purpose bringing her one step closer to understanding her families past.  Taking her aboard a pirate ship in the 1850's hunting down treasure and meeting other characters in an interracial relationship.  Moving on to times during the underground railroad and on into the 1960's meeting many more ancestors from the past.  The story is interesting in the way that it plays with the timeline, allowing her to see these memories/secrets that existed in her present but are now in the past for her, even delving into the future.  Very interesting to get this perspective of your family's secrets.  The story touches on the subjects of interracial relationships, racism, slavery, and passing as white to escape slavery.  Money, and privilege versus appreciating every penny you have and knowing what it's like to live without are also addressed.  An engaging time travel fantasy adventure and exploration of family secrets.   

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE