A boy opens his front door and to his surprise, he finds a penguin. Deciding the penguin was lost, the boy sets out to help the sad-looking bird find its way home.

Librarian Martha Storm has a problem with saying no. She cared for her parents for many years before they passed away and now she continues to put others before herself and receives no appreciation whatsoever for it, especially from her sister Lillian. In fact, it seems everyone takes advantage of Martha's kindess.

There is this lovely dual narrative between the past and what happened to fracture this family and the present where Martha is learning the truth. And the secrets!! The regrets!! It has all the drama you want with a family's dirty laundry. When a family harbors closely-guarded secrets, one has to feel empathy for Martha, the main character, who is also a librarian. She comes off sounding like a doormat, trying hard to please everyone, as well as being a nervous, shameful hoarder; however, her issues make sense, coming from a family where her father was emotionally abusive to her mother as well as to her. Also, the loss of her beloved grandmother, Zelda, was her breaking point. Throughout the story, Martha comes into her own, developing interesting relationships along the way. Her debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, was translated into over twenty languages worldwide and has been optioned by a major Hollywood film studio.

The Library of Lost and Found WILL NOT disappoint a reader who LOVES women's lit, book clubs will have tons to discuss from sister relationships to family secrets to a woman's self-care and even a can lightly touch upon same sex relationships and British culture! It has a ton to plumb while being an easy read!! I will stake my reputation on you being blown away by Lost & Found. It is brilliant and profound and charming, all at once.” —Anne Lamott All the secondary characters are ingratiatingly stereotypical; the male librarian who is fond of Martha, the quirky; library patrons; her wild, spirited grandmother, Zelda; Martha's insecure, mousy mother; the colleague who eventually becomes Martha's only good friend, the mean sister. When librarian Martha Storm discovers an unique collection of fairy tales dedicated to her by her grandmother, Zelda, predeceasing the woman's death, her journey to investigate the origins of the book leads her to discover what caused a rift that nearly tore her family apart years ago. The Library of Lost and Found is a heartwarming story about family and letting go of the past to make the most of the time we have.

I have created literacy graphic organizers for Lost and Found. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age. They include activities for: After Schulz’s father’s death, the seeds he planted in her life continue to bloom. In her case, these seeds were healthy ones. She writes: “I’d recognized love when I’d found it because I had seen it from my earliest days. … I had always known what it would look like: loyal, stable, affectionate, funny, forbearing, enduring.” She quotes her sister, who says their parents “had given us a love of ideas, and also the idea of love.” This is an enviable stance; I found it refreshing. I’m having a crustacean section next week.” “A cesarean?” … “The baby is lying in a beach position.” “Do you mean breach?” An animated short film adaptation was made by Studio AKA in 2008. It was directed by Philip Hunt and broadcast on Channel 4. [3] Reception [ edit ] A deeply moving, richly illuminating exploration of loss and bliss. Schulz is never anything but the very best company, speaking nuanced truths from and about the deepest reaches of the heart.” — LESLIE JAMISON, AUTHOR OF THE EMPATHY EXAMS

Taste wise I really love books with an uplifting message. And I hate rationalization in book characters, especially when its the protagonist. This has the dual one-two punch of not being uplifting to me and also having a character who rationalizes their choices instead of giving me the raw inside look of what it means to regret and choose now instead. As a woman it is VERY easy to relate to doing to much for others. We all do it in some capacity. Where is the line? When is it TOO much? How much should you sacrifice? Through Martha a great discussion about self-care could be explored and really help readers think about their own lives. Find out about the South Pole… Try to find it on a globe. Where is in relation to where you live? How far away is it? If you wanted to go there, how would you travel?However, as the book progressed you get to witness Martha realising how much of herself she gives to others and that it is time to say no. She might have been a middle-aged woman but it was wonderful to watch her grow as a person. I also loved Suki, who worked with Martha, and the wrong words she used all the time (cat’s eyes instead of capsized etc). A HUGE message that even rang true with me is that the past is past. We have to make our decisions for now. It's too late for anything else. Anger, regret, shame... these don't help us live happily now. This is a great theme in the book that any reader will appreciate. Her constant need to be liked and perform chores for neighbors was not a selfless act; it was an act of a person who possessed no self esteem or regard for oneself. Parts of the book might be cathartic for people who grew up in dysfunctional households. Specifically Martha’s father is shown to be a bully and emotional abuser of his family. His emotional abuse has had a profound effect on how Martha feels about herself and how she lives her life. If someone has experienced this type of abuse in their own life, they may find it comforting to see, at least in the world of fiction, that they are not alone. An unfolding astonishment to read.” —Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home and The Secret to Superhuman Strength