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freddiereadsalot's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
learned a lot from this one! wished i'd read it as a child
emsartorius's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
johannawilbur's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't love this book as much as I expected. Pulling heavily on The Westing Game, the mystery was fun and well-written done, but dragged a bit in places. I loved the Civil Rights story tied in, but all the different voices, and all the different characters got confusing at times.
mekeisha's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
christiana's review against another edition
4.0
So glad this Westing Game read alike/love letter exists in the world to give to kids. I liked that this was just hard enough that I couldn't figure it out, but easy enough that I figured out parts and easily understood when the solution was revealed. I liked that kids reading this will learn about race through showing, not telling. Excited to give this one out!
4saradouglas's review against another edition
4.0
Now this is a quality novel! It has all the things you would need for just a fun read... mystery, suspense, a great friendship, etc. However, it also delves into some really serious topics such as racism, systematic oppression, divorce, bullying, dealing with problematic older relatives, homosexuality, reputation... all sorts of things. Johnson covers all these topics really well and doesn't shy away from anything. He really doesn't shy away from anything, including the injustices and brutality of the past as well as how it continues now into the present. He somehow pulls it off in a way that it is not too much for a young middle-schooler to handle. It's like he did such a good job with the characters that they are there with you to help you through it all. Seriously, excellent book!
debbiebarr's review against another edition
5.0
What an outstanding book! It hits all the right notes of a story that would be interesting and exciting for kids to read, with many layers and references to unravel, study, and discuss in a classroom setting.
hayleybeale's review against another edition
5.0
This was the recent and most deserving winner of the Cybils award for middle grade fiction and I was one of the judges. Set in South Carolina, 12 year old Candice finds a letter addressed to her grandmother that offers the opportunity of finding $40 million by solving “a puzzle mystery that will take you deep into the city’s [Jim Crow] past.” It covers so many important issues without making them “issues,” and fully integrates them into an engaging and thought provoking novel. See my full review here.