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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I liked this one better than the other Balliett book I've read, but it was just fine. The mystery is good, with lots of art history tucked into the story, but it just seems little far fetched that two middle school students could solve it. I would be interested in finding out what kids think about this book. The characters are interesting and realistic.
Audiobook note: the narrator occasionally pronounces Petra as “Peetra” which is an odd inconsistency. I didn’t particularly like the voice acting and thought that she makes both Petra and Calder sound childish and annoying, which is not what I want for the protagonists of a middle grade book who are supposed to be thoughtful and clever.
I suspect that this book loses a lot of its charm in audiobook form, since the reason I first picked it up in elementary school was solely for Brett Helquist’s illustrations. Still, I think it withstands the test of time better than some books from the same era, and I’d still recommend it to middle grade readers looking for smart, puzzle-solving protagonists.
I suspect that this book loses a lot of its charm in audiobook form, since the reason I first picked it up in elementary school was solely for Brett Helquist’s illustrations. Still, I think it withstands the test of time better than some books from the same era, and I’d still recommend it to middle grade readers looking for smart, puzzle-solving protagonists.
While Chasing Vermeer is often praised for its creativity and artistic inspiration, it ultimately didn’t resonate with us as much as we’d hoped. The story relied heavily on synchronicity and magical thinking, which made it difficult to take seriously as a real-world mystery. My son found the plot confusing, and the leaps in logic often left us scratching our heads rather than feeling intrigued.
That said, the book did succeed in sparking curiosity about Vermeer’s art. We ended up diving into research about his life and works, which was a wonderful learning experience. In fact, I rediscovered a catalogue from a Vermeer exhibit I attended at the National Gallery years ago, and sharing that with my son was a real high point.
Unfortunately, the story itself didn’t entice us to pick up the sequels, as the writing style and approach just weren’t our cup of tea. It’s clear the book has its fans, but for us, it fell short of its potential.
That said, the book did succeed in sparking curiosity about Vermeer’s art. We ended up diving into research about his life and works, which was a wonderful learning experience. In fact, I rediscovered a catalogue from a Vermeer exhibit I attended at the National Gallery years ago, and sharing that with my son was a real high point.
Unfortunately, the story itself didn’t entice us to pick up the sequels, as the writing style and approach just weren’t our cup of tea. It’s clear the book has its fans, but for us, it fell short of its potential.
Reading this book actually led me to read an adult novel involving Vermeer also (Girl with the Pearl Earring). This is a modern-day, middle readers mystery. I loved following the patterns that the kids find and questioning coincidence.
Nice read about two almost 12 year old kids getting the spotlight in a well written adventure. Love the intrigue, the patterns that Balliet set up, the thrill of the hunt, and of course all that fantastic talk and appreciation for art. Some great ideas here about how people can all be art experts depending on their views and what they choose to believe.
3.5 stars
This was an enjoyable, quick read, and I found myself relating a lot of the settings in the book to Nancy Drew books, which was a definite plus. The focus on Vermeer paintings was intriguing, especially since I love any Dutch classical art, and the codes in the book were simple, but fun to decode. There was always something to keep me engaged, and the suspense towards the end was well done, even though the end was a bit anti-climactic and predictable. I also would have loved to have been in Ms. Hussey's class, she sounds like one of the greatest teachers ever.
I did feel that the reliance on coincidences (although they aren't really termed that in book) was just TOO heavy--there were just too many random things that lined up perfectly to give Calder and Petra clues, and to tie the storyline together. While I definitely did enjoy the change in pace, and the creative twists the story took because of the coincidences, I think it would have done the entire plot a whole lot of good to incorporate some real, solid evidence into the case. While Petra finding the Fort book has a lot to do with it (and I definitely would love to read a book like that!), I think that, had she not found the book, there still could have been a good mystery, and a more believable one at that.
It's not perfect, but I loved the characters and the setting and the quirky history that's interspersed (I love when kids books do this, it gets them interested in obscure history early!). I'll definitely be checking out the next book in the series--I hope it'll rely more on quirky historical facts, and less on coincidences.
This was an enjoyable, quick read, and I found myself relating a lot of the settings in the book to Nancy Drew books, which was a definite plus. The focus on Vermeer paintings was intriguing, especially since I love any Dutch classical art, and the codes in the book were simple, but fun to decode. There was always something to keep me engaged, and the suspense towards the end was well done, even though the end was a bit anti-climactic and predictable. I also would have loved to have been in Ms. Hussey's class, she sounds like one of the greatest teachers ever.
I did feel that the reliance on coincidences (although they aren't really termed that in book) was just TOO heavy--there were just too many random things that lined up perfectly to give Calder and Petra clues, and to tie the storyline together. While I definitely did enjoy the change in pace, and the creative twists the story took because of the coincidences, I think it would have done the entire plot a whole lot of good to incorporate some real, solid evidence into the case. While Petra finding the Fort book has a lot to do with it (and I definitely would love to read a book like that!), I think that, had she not found the book, there still could have been a good mystery, and a more believable one at that.
It's not perfect, but I loved the characters and the setting and the quirky history that's interspersed (I love when kids books do this, it gets them interested in obscure history early!). I'll definitely be checking out the next book in the series--I hope it'll rely more on quirky historical facts, and less on coincidences.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Reread. I don’t think I’m going to rate this one because this is one of my favorite childhood books and I feel like my adult brain is conflicting with my child brain so I didn’t think I could settle on a star rating if I tried. But I did like this one. It’s whimsical and cute and is a little adventure. Also, arguably, there is kind of a speculative element to this book?!? I guess it depends on how you look at it, but it was unexpected to my adult eye and it was fun.
Actually listened to this noteworthy children's book. I like how so many of the modern children's book tell an adventurous story - in this case a mystery, are well written, add some life lessons to think about - and inform the reader with small factoids from Vermeer's life.
My main reaction is that Ms. Hussey was a very unprofessional teacher and her kids probably did not do terribly well on standardized tests. I'm also not overly fond of books that hinge on destiny/fate as a plot device, but this was a fun puzzle of a book.