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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.
onceuponacarm's review against another edition
3.0
An ambitious middle grade mystery that manages to touch on a number of important topics, including Jim Crow, racial profiling, police brutality, homophobia, bullying in general, divorce, coming out, poverty, passing, and more. While the main characters were likable and fairly well developed, there were too many side characters to keep track of, all with generic last names that blurred together as the story jumped back and forth in time. The main, present-day narrative followed 12-year-old Candice who had recently moved with her mom to her deceased grandma’s old house due to her parents’ separation. She enjoys reading and puzzles and becomes friends with a quiet neighbor, 11-year-old Brandon. Both kids are black, as are the majority of the present-day characters. They stumble upon a mysterious letter left for Candice by her grandmother promising a fortune to the city and the person who solved its mystery. Candice and Brandon devote their summer to this “research project” and solve clues while learning about the history of their town and a racially-heated tennis game that had major consequences for all involved. Chapters jump back in time to fill in more details about this history, revealing more to the reader than Candice and Brandon ever learn. The mysteries abound and the puzzles and clues they solve all come together, though there are a fair number of convenient coincidences and several of the major issues mentioned above feel superficial in how they are treated. There’s a lot to keep track of, but I can see this being enjoyed by 4th-6th graders who love a good mystery with some social justice themes woven in. The main characters’ love of books and the mentioning of several great titles (The Westing Game among them) will make many readers feel a connection with these kids and hopefully inspire them to read some of these books.
enchantedreads8's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? It's complicated
3.5
rachelschloneger's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Hate crime
migimon2002's review against another edition
5.0
This is an AMAZING book. I read it aloud to my grade 3-4 class (with only a few small 'cuts' in a few places) and they were enthralled with the mystery. It is a complex story that leads to thoughtful discussion. They learned a lot about accepting people for who they are. The varying timelines were masterfully woven together. One of the best middle-grade novels I've come across in a long time (that the kids enjoyed as much as I did)!!!!
sparklelys's review against another edition
5.0
This is a tough one to review because I don't want to spoil anything, and learning things as the kids discover them is so important. But any book that uses puzzles as a plot point and references a deep and abiding love of The Westing Game is one worth reading. This one even won a Coretta Scott King award recognizing an African-American author, as well as a Odyssey audipbook award.
I loved how the book changed narrators and times in which the story was being told, not just with a heading but literally using white text on black pages for one set of "when", to differentiate between "now", black text on buff, and "back then" as black text on grey pages.
I loved how the book changed narrators and times in which the story was being told, not just with a heading but literally using white text on black pages for one set of "when", to differentiate between "now", black text on buff, and "back then" as black text on grey pages.