Brandon Sanderson

On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand which is immediately stolen by the evil Librarians who are trying to take over the world, and Alcatraz is introduced to his grandfather and his own special talent, and told that he must use it to save civilization.

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

Thirteen-year-old Alcatraz Smedry and his companions seek Al's father and grandfather in the Great Library of Alexandria, where they face undead, soul-stealing wraiths called the Curators of Alexandria, and one of the Scrivener's Bones, a part-human, part-machine mercenary.

Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones

Stef

Lebih menikmati buku kedua nya. Lucu nya tetep ada dan lebih suka dialog-dialog nya, perkembangan hubungan Al dan tokoh-tokoh lainnya. Ngga sabar baca buku selanjutnya

Traditional Chinese edition of Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. In Traditional Chinese. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

Ashley Wendt

This might be one of the most cleverly written middle grade fantasy series I’ve ever read. The juxtaposition of evil librarians and the amount of literary references is brilliant. This book is pure Sanderson. I hadn’t planned on burning through this series this winter, but I can’t wait to get my hands on Book 2.

This series is so funny and so clever. I listened to the graphic audio version for book 2 and it was perfection.

From Brandon Sanderson--#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stormlight Archive and Mistborn series—comes an incredible tale of courage and fellowship and blah blah blah blah etc... There, that ought to fool them. If you’re reading this, please understand right now that this book is not one of those loony fantasy novels. It just looks like one so those conniving Librarians won't find it and ban it. The truth is, everything you’re about to read really happened to me, Alcatraz Smedry. Well, it really happened to me and my grandpa, who found me when I was thirteen and showed me that my lifelong talent for breaking things was an actual Talent with a capital T. Everyone in the Smedry family (HOORAY!) has one. And we use them to fight the evil Librarians (BOO! HISS!) who are out to conquer everyone, everywhere (seriously, they really are a bunch of jerks). OK, stop! Wait! I forgot some people. Let’s try this again... Everything you’re about to read really happened to me, my grandpa, my Crystin Knight protector Bastille (she’s thirteen too, but really grouchy for her age), a couple of my cousins, my mom and dad (who I’d never met before), and a lot of other characters I can’t remember and don’t have the room to write about now anyway... Hold on...You’ve never heard of me? Alcatraz Smedry? The boy who saved the world? Seriously?!? Well, that’s because the Librarians have already gotten to you! If you want to learn the REAL story, all you have to do is buy this book (several copies, if you please) and read like the world depends on it... Because it just might. Praise for the Alcatraz series: “Like Lemony Snicket and superhero comics rolled into one (and then revved up on steroids).”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) “An excellent choice to read aloud to the whole family.” —NPR “Those who enjoy their fantasy with a healthy dose of slapstick humor will be delighted.” —School Library Journal “Genuinely funny...plenty here to enjoy.” —Locus “In this original, hysterical homage to fantasy literature, Sanderson’s first novel for youth recalls the best in Artemis Fowl and A Series of Unfortunate Events.” —VOYA

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians

Celeste Richardson

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions. 

Is anyone else hesitant to read a favorite author’s work outside of their usual genre? I’ve loved Brandon Sanderson for years, but I’ve been extremely reluctant to try his young adult or middle grade offerings. I know that he writes addictive, immersive adult fantasy and was afraid to find out if that carried over into other genres intended for radically different audiences. I shouldn’t have doubted him. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians was my first foray into Sanderson’s middle grade books, and it definitely won’t be my last. 
“If you don't believe what I'm telling you, then ask yourself this: would any decent, kind-hearted individual become a writer? Of course not.”
First of all, who names their protagonist Alcatraz Smedry? Sanderson, that’s who. The silliness of that name sets the tone for the entire book, in my opinion. His story opens on his 13th birthday when a gift from one or both of his birth parents arrives on the doorstep of his current foster home. It’s sand. Yep, sand. Not exactly the kind of gift you hope to receive from parents you’ve never met and aren’t even sure are still alive. So Alcatraz starts doing what he does best as he processes this unusual gift; he break things. It’s this talent for breaking things that has kept the multitude of foster families who have taken him in over the years from keeping Alcatraz for very long. And who can blame them? Alcatraz sure doesn’t.
“Authors also create lovable, friendly characters, then proceed to do terrible things to them, like throw them in unsightly librarian-controlled dungeons. This makes readers feel hurt and worried for the characters. The simple truth is that authors like making people squirm. If this weren't the case, all novels would be filled completely with cute bunnies having birthday parties.”
The story spirals from there. Alcatraz is visited by Grandpa Smedry, who he has never even met. The bag of sand, which Alcatraz had thought such a pointless gift, is actually super important and has been stolen by Alcatraz’s social worker while he wasn’t paying attention. Come to find out, said social worker is actually part of a cabal of evil librarians who have taken over the majority of the world. And Alcatraz is actually a member of a famous family of Free Kingdomers, those still battling against the librarians in hopes of saving the world. Who would’ve guessed?
“By now it is probably very late at night, and you have stayed up to read this book when you should have gone to sleep. If this is the case, then I commend you for falling into my trap. It is a writer’s greatest pleasure to hear that someone was kept up until the unholy hours of the morning reading one of his books.”
As he begins his search for this weirdly important bag of sand with Grandpa Smedry, Alcatraz learns that basically everything he knows is a lie. The world is not what he thinks it is. There’s a family out there that loves him, and sees him as smart and talented instead of a mess. And librarians are evil. Never forget that librarians are out to get you. Which I found surprising information, seeing as I once worked as a children’s librarian. Thank goodness I managed to escape before I got in too deep.
“You see, that is the sad, sorry, terrible thing about sarcasm.

It's really funny.” 
My favorite thing about this book is Alcatraz’s voice. He is one of the snarkiest, most sarcastic narrators I’ve ever come across and I absolutely love it. Very rarely is a narrator’s voice as strong and self-aware as the voice Sanderson delivered through Alcatraz, and I was ecstatic to find that in this book. Also, this book is just so funny on multiple levels. The plot and the characters are silly in the best way, which I think will really appeal to readers, especially those in the target audience. But Sanderson also uses Alcatraz to voice some hilarious views on books and reading and authorship, which to me was the best part of the story and is the one of the two reasons I rounded my 4.5 star rating up instead of down.
“Authors write books for one, and only one, reason: because we like to torture people.”
The other reason I rounded up my rating is how the magic system mirrors the foundation of Sanderson’s faith. In this novel, Alcatraz finds out that he is an oculator, one who can use different lenses to see or interact differently with the world. If you think that the idea of glasses helping to hone power feels oddly familiar, you’re not wrong. According to tradition, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was led by the angel Moroni to a set of golden plates that contained the Book of Mormon. Human eyes were unable to translate the markings, but two stones known as the Urim and Thummim were preserved in the same stone box as the plate. Smith used these stones as lens through which to translate the plates. While this legend has since been questioned by scholars both within and outside of the LDS church, I feel that it’s not a stretch to imagine that Sanderson used this story as a bit of inspiration for the Smedry family’s oculatory powers.
“Alcatraz actually knows a person named Brandon Sanderson. That man, however, is a fantasy writer and is therefore prone to useless bouts of delusion in literary form.”
This book was an absolute joy to read. If I was still a teacher, I would undoubtedly be reading this book to my classes, and pushing it into the hands of other students. I will definitely be reading the next book, and will probably read the rest of the series. Sorry for doubting you, Sanderson. I should’ve known that you can write amazing fantasy for any age, and that readers of any age could enjoy the books you aim at younger readers. I promise not to doubt you again.

As I am not a member of the LDS Church, please be aware that I can neither speak for the church nor explain their beliefs. If you’re interested in learning more about Joseph Smith, you can visit the Joseph Smith Foundation here. To learn more about the LDS Church, you can visit their official website here.

Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians

Alost

Foster child Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand which is stolen by the evil Librarians who are trying to take over the world, and Alcatraz is introduced to his grandfather and his own talent, and told that he must use it to save civilization.

Marsh Wu

David Sheley

The kids and I really enjoyed this book! It's filled with absurd humor that often leaves you scratching your head going, "Huh?!" and then laughing so hard. When you catch your breath again, the kids'll be saying, "Keep reading!" and "Next Chapter!" If you’re looking for a book to read with the kids, especially one that is part of a series, this one should be on your list. It’s fun to read, it won’t make you think too hard, and it’ll leave you and the kids wanting to read more. I’d say that’s a win!

Anna Campbell

** spoiler alert **
           What a frustrating book. I would give it 2.5 stars. 
I was excited for some Brandon Sanderson in a younger, faster book style. And the story was interesting, especially the dinosaurs and maps and lenses and languages. The conspiracy theories were fun. 
But the narration and “breaking the fourth wall” was just so frustrating and overbearing and completely ruined the book for me. I hated the side comments and silly stories, and it really just took me out of the fun story happening on the pages. 
I have the rest of the series out from the library, but I can’t stand to read them.

Fatih Akturk

It was a brilliant book. 
But I feel like I am already too late after finishing this gem.

Brent Nef

Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians rocked my socks off. It was hilarious.

Adam

Ok, this is pretty much Harry Potter. In an alternate history, Librarians secretly rule the world, dishing out misinformation and shaping the world. Upon reaching his 13th birthday, Alcatraz Smedry is met with an interesting gift -- a bag of sand -- which draws him into this world of lies, odd abilities and glasses that have special powers.

A fun, short read meant for kids, but still a lot of fun. I love the idea that the main good guys all have special powers that all seem to be awful at first glance. Alcatraz's ability is that he can accidentally cause things break things. Not good when you're burning down your foster parents house, but rather useful when you break the gun that someone is point at you. His grandfathers ability is to arrive late has similarly useful applications, but listing too many would spoil things. It's fun to see how Sanderson takes these "useless" powers and makes them useful.

Just as fun as the first one. Great next step to the story -- continuing on the overall narrative while having fun. Completely a kids book, but still solid.

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

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