Got a budding detective on your hands? If your reader loves lugging around their magnifying glass, hunting down clues, and figuring out how things work, they’ll be thrilled to join the adventure in the Libby book club, Big Library Read! This time, it's all about Montgomery & the Case of the Golden Key—a middle-grade novel that’s packed with history, mystery, and even a ghost!

From Nov. 7–21, readers worldwide can join the world’s largest digital library book club, where everyone can check out the same ebook and audiobook at the same time—no holds, no waitlists!

A great addition to your family reading time routine

Confident readers can cozy up with the book on their own or you can spend time reading together. Storytime can happen anytime—listen to the audiobook while driving to and from school or heading to dance class or basketball practice. Reading as a family is a great way to carve out time together, quiet their bodies before bed, or just cuddle up together on the couch.

Plus, to spark those creative minds and boost literacy skills, check out the list of focus questions like, “Have you ever tried to solve a mystery? What skills do you think it takes?” The story even comes with bonus activities, including lessons and worksheets to help kids dig deeper into the plot and uncover key takeaways.

There’s no better time to start reading with your kids! Download the free Libby app from your library and get started tonight.

About the book

Montgomery & the Case of the Golden Key by Tracy Occomy Crowder
🎧 Audiobook

In 2008 Chicago, in the Southside community of Washington Park, Montgomery “Monty” Carver had hoped for the best summer ever! Unfortunately, things aren’t going as planned. Monty is struggling to prove to his parents that he’s old enough to be without adult supervision—especially after a very embarrassing incident with a metal detector. Man!

So when Monty finds a golden key in Old Lady Jenkins’s sunflowers, he decides he’s going to unravel the key’s mystery all by himself, thank you very much. No parents allowed. Besides, he’s ten years old now, and he’s mastered the perfectly round 'fro! (It takes a protractor, you see.)

Soon Monty’s hunt to determine the origin of the key leads him to discover the rich history—like famous Black jockeys!—of his Chicago community, which has been speculating its future since one of their residents, Barack Obama, is running for president and the Olympics might come to town in 2016.

On top of all that speculating, there are rumors going around that a ghost is hanging out behind their apartment building, and that Monty’s elementary school may have to close.

So much to solve! Should the Olympics come to Washington Park? What happens if his school closes? Is there really a ghost? And where, oh where, did the key come from anyway? Monty is determined to find out.

“An engaging novel drawing strength from its rich narrative voice and celebrating Black historical luminaries." - Kirkus Reviews

Get creative to win an Explorer Prize Pack!

To celebrate this thrilling tale, we’re inviting kids ages 12 and under to create their own artwork inspired by the book to win an Explorer Prize Pack. Flex those artistic muscles!

Explorer Prize Pack includes:

💥 A signed copy of Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key
💥 A cool LCD display kids metal detector for real-life treasure hunting!
💥 A leather-bound journal with a vintage key enclosure for all their notes and discoveries
💥 An Instant Print camera to capture every adventure
💥 A pair of Belkian Soundform Headphones for diving into audiobooks

How to enter:

1. Encourage your child to create artwork inspired by the book. One post = one entry, so get creative!

2. Post it on social media (with parent permission or from a parent’s account) with the hashtag #BigLibraryRead from Nov. 7-21 to enter for a chance to win the Prize Pack!

Good luck and happy creating!

See official rules for details.

Join the all-ages author event

Grab the whole family and join virtually on Zoom for a live Q&A session, book reading, and story-writing fun with author Tracy Occomy Crowder!

📅 Nov. 21 | 6-7 PM CST
🎉 FREE
🏛️ Hosted by Legler Regional Library
➡️ Register to attend

Keep those imaginations running wild with more books like this one at biglibraryread.com.

The next Libby book club pick will be announced soon. Get notified about the next selection (plus get tons of great book recs while you wait!) by subscribing to Libby Life.