Sammy’s hijinks and a surprisingly poignant ending make this a captivating addition to the series.
Thirteen-year-old Sammy has a habit of uncovering mysteries and finding trouble.
In her latest adventure, the dauntless sleuth seeks to decipher the secrets in her own life. Sammy is accustomed to subterfuge, living—covertly—in elderly housing with her grandmother while her mother pursues an acting career. Another enigma is Sammy’s father, whose identity her mother refuses to reveal. Sammy also continues her relationship with boyfriend Casey, despite his mother’s objections. When Sammy learns her mother is traveling to Las Vegas, possibly to marry Casey’s dad, she decides to confront her mother and demand the truth about her father. The result is an impromptu, clandestine trip to Las Vegas. Sammy demonstrates an abundance of ingenuity in her scheming, which includes enlisting an entourage of Elvis impersonators to track down her elusive mother. Yet Van Draanen subtly reveals Sammy’s vulnerability beneath her bravado. Through an unlikely collaboration with Casey’s sister—and Sammy’s longtime nemesis—Heather, Sammy not only discovers insights into Heather’s behavior, but gains a greater understanding of her own situation.
Sammy’s hijinks and a surprisingly poignant ending make this a captivating addition to the series. (Mystery. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-87053-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Award-winning Chilean author and poet Agosín’s debut for young people is a lyrically ambitious tale of exile and...
With a loving and financially secure family and a close group of friends, 11-year-old Celeste’s life in Valparaíso, Chile, is relatively carefree—until the coup that unseats the president and establishes a dictatorship.
People begin to be disappeared. Her parents, both doctors running a clinic for the poor, are now subversives who must go into hiding in order to keep themselves and Celeste safe. As the situation worsens, Celeste herself must leave her homeland to stay with her aunt in faraway Maine. She spends three years in this cold and solitary land. As she finally begins to fit in, the time comes to return home. She finds her country different, filled with the fog of sadness. But she also finds opportunities: to reconnect, rebuild and forgive. Though the size and scope of this novel may appear daunting, the beautiful language, compelling characters and short chapters make it a captivating read. For some, the extensive denouement may go on a touch too long, but most will be pleased to have a little extra time with Celeste as she and her community rebuild their lives in a new Chile.
Award-winning Chilean author and poet Agosín’s debut for young people is a lyrically ambitious tale of exile and reunification. (Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5344-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE NEWS
Readers may find they never want to leave Tupelo Landing.
What do you get when you combine Because of Winn-Dixie’s heart with the mystery and action of Holes? You get an engaging, spirit-lifting and unforgettable debut for young readers.
Turnage introduces readers to the homey yet exotic world of Tupelo Landing, N.C., well-populated with one-of-a-kind characters. A stranger with justice on his mind has just arrived in town, and Hurricane Amy is on its way. Rising sixth-grader Mo LoBeau leads the cast through a series of clues as the whole town tries to figure out who among them might be a murderer. The novel’s opening lines reveal the unflappable Mo LoBeau as a latter-day Philip Marlowe: “Trouble cruised into Tupelo Landing at exactly seven minutes past noon on Wednesday, the third of June, flashing a gold badge and driving a Chevy Impala the color of dirt.” This is the first of many genius turns of phrases. Pairing the heartbreaking sadness of children who don’t get their fair share from parents with the hilarity of small-town life, Turnage achieves a wickedly awesome tale of an 11-year-old girl with more spirit and gumption than folks twice her age. Mo LoBeau is destined to become a standout character in children’s fiction.
Readers may find they never want to leave Tupelo Landing. (Mystery. 10-14)Pub Date: May 10, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3670-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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