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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
This proved to be a delightful book with great illustrations as well and will have great appeal with the late elementary / early adolescent set. First, I like the character’s names. They do not allow you to have an automatic sense of the type of homes they come from or the population of the school. Chicago can mean many things and I like the way the author structures the setting. More kids can perhaps relate who are not Caucasian.
Petra is a bit of a geek; Calder is fumbling with how to act around girls and adults. Many kids can relate to these personas. I also like how they show it is okay to work as a team, use your intelligence, love art, and enjoy adult company.
There are clear messages about ethical behavior and good manners. Not looking at someone else’s mail, offering to help the bookstore owner, and simply trying to save a painting that is so very meaningful are all examples of maturing behavior.
There is an important subtle message within the story, i.e, that everything is not always what it may seem to be. Scary old ladies can be quite likeable. Ordinary people can have really interesting stories to tell. The reader is encouraged to look closely for truth. Isn’t this a good habit for life?
This is also a very good mystery. I could not see where it was going. As the story progressed, the reader cannot help but use their mind to sift through the clues and analyze the illustrations. This falls into the category of a good ‘page turner.’
Petra is a bit of a geek; Calder is fumbling with how to act around girls and adults. Many kids can relate to these personas. I also like how they show it is okay to work as a team, use your intelligence, love art, and enjoy adult company.
There are clear messages about ethical behavior and good manners. Not looking at someone else’s mail, offering to help the bookstore owner, and simply trying to save a painting that is so very meaningful are all examples of maturing behavior.
There is an important subtle message within the story, i.e, that everything is not always what it may seem to be. Scary old ladies can be quite likeable. Ordinary people can have really interesting stories to tell. The reader is encouraged to look closely for truth. Isn’t this a good habit for life?
This is also a very good mystery. I could not see where it was going. As the story progressed, the reader cannot help but use their mind to sift through the clues and analyze the illustrations. This falls into the category of a good ‘page turner.’
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i simply love the thinking. the plot is good but the way they think simply draws me in. i spent a whole day tring to veiw things the way petra or caulder would and it was amazing. this is an amazing book.
I was disappointed with this book. I felt like it dragged on and on. It was hard for my kids and me to keep focused on the story. It wasn't until the last 20 pages with the end In sight that we were able to plow through it and finish it, not so much to find out what happened but for it all to be over. I felt like there were too many puzzle sand numbers and tie-togethers that it bogged down the story. I am glad the book didn't end with a cliff-hanger so I am not compelled to continue the series.
Maybe I was too old for this book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. There were places in the book that were written in code, and the author provided a chart for me to decode. I never put in the time, and the story didn't seem to hurt by it. As a kid, I probably would have gotten out a paper and pencil and sorted it out.
The book was a fast read, and I appreciated it being written in the Chicago area, but for a book that was trying to be realistic fiction, it felt almost too unreal in plot and in characters. This was also a mystery, and I will say the author did keep up the suspense, and I would not have been able to guess the ending. But I did feel that sometimes it was randomly dark (we are told that someone was murdered so they wouldn't talk).
As a kid I probably would have liked this more, but as an adult I would rather read The Westing Game. That being said, I still gave it three stars because I was never bored and the suspense kept me engaged enough to want to finish it.
The book was a fast read, and I appreciated it being written in the Chicago area, but for a book that was trying to be realistic fiction, it felt almost too unreal in plot and in characters. This was also a mystery, and I will say the author did keep up the suspense, and I would not have been able to guess the ending. But I did feel that sometimes it was randomly dark (we are told that someone was murdered so they wouldn't talk).
As a kid I probably would have liked this more, but as an adult I would rather read The Westing Game. That being said, I still gave it three stars because I was never bored and the suspense kept me engaged enough to want to finish it.
An amusing and engaging mystery with a number of different puzzles. A few details were a bit far-fetched but overall I liked the characters and would read more adventures with Petra and Calder. Also fun to learn a bit about Vermeer and his work. I'll read the next one.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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