Review: The Museum of Lost and Found

By Leila Sales

New York: Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, 2023. 297 pages.

Vanessa feels adrift. She is now in middle school and her best friend is ignoring her. Her dad is overseas for the military. Her older brother is annoyingly observant and wants to know what she is doing at all times. In order to cope, sometimes Vanessa goes around the city looking for new places to see on her own—and she discovers an old, abandoned museum. Vanessa crawls in through a window and decides that she will take over the building and make her own exhibit. Her hope is that if she displays all her past mementoes of their friendship, she will understand what happened between her and her best friend.

This is a great book full of heart, self-discovery, and kid-created museum exhibits. Readers who are looking for a book that takes a good look at the messy bits in life, family, and friendships will enjoy reading Vanessa’s story.

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