17-year-old Johanna Charette is the youngest curator ever selected to oversee the enchanted Library of Illumination, an ancient and magical place where books literally come to life. She accepts the job knowing surprises and danger lurk in her future. She also knows, in case of trouble, having an assistant can be invaluable, so she hires 16-year-old Jackson Roth to give her a hand after school, with the day-to-day operation of the library. Jackson gets off to a rocky start, but manages to prove his mettle. Besides, he’s kind of cute and a lot of fun, and ridiculously brave.
Johanna is brilliant and resourceful—a natural born leader. She keeps the library operating on an even keel. Jackson is clever and funny. He relies on his wits when trouble arises. Unfortunately, his derring-do is one of the reasons why they sometimes find themselves in awkward situations.
As the teens learn about the library, themselves, and each other, their fates become intertwined. But before long, their routines are upended when they stumble upon a scheme by someone in a distant realm to take control of all knowledge in the universe. And Johanna and Jackson are forced to put their lives on the line—battling an ancient foe.
