**Please note: The following book review has been completed as part of coursework at Texas Woman's University.
1. Bibliography
Krosoczka, Jarrett J. (2009). Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians. New York: Knopf.
2. Plot Summary
In this episode of Lunch Lady, Hector, Dee, and Terrance uncover a secret plot by the librarians to destroy all video games because they are keeping children from reading. The League of Librarians ambush the workers who are unloading the X-Station 5000 video games. They attack the workers with the Book Beasts from well-known novels such as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and when Lunch Lady and Betty show up, it's a fight between the Book Beasts and Lunch Lady's weapons like the electronic bananarang and smoke can of peas. Hector, Dee, and Terrance join in to defeat the League of Librarians. Lunch Lady comes up with a plan to save the Read-a-Thon by telling students they can read while they wait to play the new X-Station 5000.
3. Critical Analysis
Quirky and lovable, Lunch Lady will be an instant favorite heroine. She and her sidekick Betty are always the good guys, and readers will cheer them to victory. Lunch Lady is an unassuming superhero, and the humorous plot will keep readers entertained. Like all fantasy books, this story contains a quest to defeat the villains, the evil League of Librarians. The setting is in a school, yet the time period could be in any era. The theme of good versus evil is reflected in the actions of the characters, and through a difficult fight battling the Book Beasts, the good guys come out on top and provide hope to the children who get to read and play the new video game. The author's humorous, light-hearted style is consistent within the series and will keep readers smiling.
4. Review Excerpts
Two-time Children's Choice Book Award winner
Will Eisner Comic Industry Award nominee
The Lunch Lady series is currently in development for a feature film
School Library Journal review: "With its appealing mix of action and humor, this clever, entertaining addition to the series should have wide appeal."
Boolist review: "This tongue-in-cheek superheroine graphic novel will hit the spot for chapter-book readers."
5. Connections
For fun activities to accompany the book, visit the author's site: Lunch Lady Activities
Readers will be interested in reading the entire series of Lunch Lady adventures:
Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute
Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta
Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown
Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit
Lunch Lady and the Mutant Mathletes
Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril
Teachers can access a graphic novel educator's guide for information about how to incorporate graphic novels into lessons: Graphic novel teacher's guide
If you enjoyed the Lunch Lady series, you might want to check out other award-winning graphic novels such as the Babymouse series or the Squish series, both by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm or the Stone Rabbit series by Erik Craddock.
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