Editing Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

{{book
|cover=Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians Tor Hardcover.jpg
|released=October 1, 2007 <small>(Scholastic)</small>,<br />February 16, 2016 <small>(Tor)</small>
|series=[[Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (series)]]
|sequel={{b|a2}}
|publisher=Tor books
|ISBN=978-0-7653-7894-1
|page-count=287
|word-count=[[/Statistical_analysis|58,233]]
}}
'''''Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians''''' is a [[Wikipedia:Young adult fiction#Boundaries between children's, young_adult, and adult fiction|middle grade]] novel by [[Brandon Sanderson]]. It is the first volume of the five-part series [[Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (series)|Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians]].  It was originally published by [[Wikipedia:Scholastic_Corporation|Scholastic]] in October, 2007. After Brandon bought back the rights to the series, it was published by [[Wikipedia:Tor_Books|Tor]] on February 16, 2016.

== Synopsis ==
On his thirteenth birthday, foster child [[Alcatraz Smedry]] receives a bag of [[Sands of Rashid|sand]] in the mail, an inheritance from his lost parents. When it is immediately stolen, he learns that it is no ordinary bag of sand. With it, the evil [[Librarian]]s who secretly rule the [[Hushlands]]--Librarian-controlled nations, such as the United States, Canada, and England--will finally overtake the [[Free Kingdoms]] as well. Alcatraz and his ragtag band of freedom fighters must stop them, once and for all.

== Summary ==
{{for|/Summary|a complete chapter by chapter summary}}

Alcatraz Smedry is an orphan boy with a propensity for breaking things. On this thirteenth birthday, he receives a package, purportedly from his parents, containing his inheritance: a bag of sand. He also burns down his foster parents' prized kitchen.

His case worker, [[Ms. Fletcher]], arrives and informs Alcatraz that he will be placed in yet another home the next day. Unbeknownst to Alcatraz, she is actually a Librarian and has stolen the sand.

The next day, a loony old (but spry) man claiming to be his [[Leavenworth Smedry|grandfather]] shows up and asks about the sand. When he learns that a Librarian has stolen it, they hurry away to try to recover it. The sands are rare and can be forged into powerful [[Silimatic|Lenses]]. Alcatraz doesn't believe the man is his Grandpa, but he decides to go along with him after somebody shows up and tries to shoot him.

Alcatraz meets two cousins, [[Sing Sing Smedry]] and [[Quentin Smedry]], who have the Talents of tripping and talking gibberish, respectively. Alcatraz learns that his penchant for breaking things is actually a powerful Talent that he can learn to control. They all decide to infiltrate the evil Librarian fortress (the local library) to recover the sand. [[Bastille]], a [[Crystallia|Crystallin Knight]] about Alcatraz's age assigned to protect the Smedrys, is furious at such a reckless plan, but she has no choice but to follow along.

Sing creates a distraction by tripping and falling in the library, and the team heads into the employee entrance. They split up and search for the sands, but they are all eventually captured by the [[dark Oculator]] [[Radrian Blackburn]] and Ms. Fletcher. While Grandpa is tortured for information, Alcatraz and the rest of his crew escape from their prison and go to help. Fortunately, Grandpa is using his Talent of arriving late to postpone the pain and Quentin is just talking gibberish, so nothing has been revealed so far.

Alcatraz creates a distraction and rescues Grandpa, but Blackburn comes back, revealing that the Sands of Rashid have already been forged into Lenses. He and Grandpa have an [[Oculator]]'s duel, which Blackburn wins, but Alcatraz tricks Blackburn into using the Firebringer's Lenses on himself, allowing them to grab the Lenses of Rashid and escape.

== Main Characters ==
{{image|Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians Full.jpg|side=right|width=300px}}

The plot of the book revolves around the title character and a small group of freedom fighters operating against the cult of evil Librarians that secretly rule the world.  These freedom fighters include Alcatraz's grandfather, Leavenworth, usually just referred to as "Grandpa Smedry"; Bastille, Grandpa's bodyguard and a Crystin Knight; Sing Sing (Sing for short), Alcatraz's [[Mokia|Mokian]] cousin; and Quentin, another cousin.  The Librarians include Shasta Smedry/Ms. Fletcher, Alcatraz's case worker, who turns out to also be Alcatraz's mother, and Radrian Blackburn, a Dark Oculator.

== Setting ==
=== Smedry Talents ===
{{for|Smedry Talent}}
In the course of the book, it is revealed that Alcatraz's biological family -- and those that marry into the family -- all have Talents that would normally be annoying and frustrating human weaknesses. For example, they include losing things, breaking things, being a bad dancer, and always arriving late. As the Smedrys gain control over their Talent, they can use them to great effect. For example, Alcatraz can break a gun pointed at him.

== Adaptations ==
=== Film ===
Dreamworks Animation SKG acquired the film rights to '''''Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians''''' in June 2008.{{tweet ref|22126792596787200|Alacatraz movie has seen better days|date=2011-1-3}}

==Cover Gallery==
{{for|/Covers|a cover gallery of Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians}}

== Interior Art ==
{{for|/Interior art|a gallery of the book's interior art}}

== Statistical Analysis ==
{{for|/Statistical analysis|a full statistical analysis}}
''Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians'' consists of one foreword, twenty chapters, and one afterword, reaching a total 58,233 word count.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Word Count 
| style="text-align:center" | 58,233 
|
|-
! Page Count 
| style="text-align:center" | 306
| Tor hardback
|-
! Chapter Count 
| style="text-align:center" | 20
| Including foreword, and afterword.
|-
|}

== Notes ==
<references />
{{meta/partial}}
{{Alcatraz}}
{{books}}
[[category: Alcatraz| 1]]