Product Description

When a book of unexplainable occurences brings Petra and Calder together, strange things start to happen: Seemingly unrelated events connect; an eccentric old woman seeks their company; an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal, where no one is spared from suspicion. As Petra and Calder are drawn clue by clue into a mysterious labyrinth, they must draw on their powers of intuition, their problem solving skills, and their knowledge of Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has stumped even the FBI?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3400 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.com
In the classic tradition of E.L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, debut author Blue Balliett introduces readers to another pair of precocious kids on an artful quest full of patterns, puzzles, and the power of blue M&Ms. Eleven year old Petra and Calder may be in the same sixth grade class, but they barely know each other. It's only after a near collision during a museum field trip that they discover their shared worship of art, their teacher Ms. Hussey, and the blue candy that doesn't melt in your hands. Their burgeoning friendship is strengthened when a creative thief steals a valuable Vermeer painting en route to Chicago, their home town. When the thief leaves a trail of public clues via the newspaper, Petra and Calder decide to try and recover the painting themselves. But tracking down the Vermeer isn't easy, as Calder and Petra try to figure out what a set of pentominos (mathematical puzzle pieces), a mysterious book about unexplainable phenomena and a suddenly very nervous Ms. Hussey have to do with a centuries old artwork. When the thief ups the ante by declaring that he or she may very well destroy the painting, the two friends know they have to make the pieces of the puzzle fit before it's too late!

Already being heralded as The DaVinci Code for kids, Chasing Vermeer will have middle grade readers scrutinizing art books as they try to solve the mystery along with Calder and Petra. In an added bonus, artist Brett Helquist has also hidden a secret pentomino message in several of the book's illustrations for readers to decode. An auspicious and wonderfully satisfying debut that will leave no young detective clueless. --Jennifer Hubert

From AudioFile
A Vermeer painting is stolen. Petra and Calder, two bright, quirky sixth-graders, come together to solve the crime that has the whole world baffled. Going beyond a simple mystery, this story explores the meaning of art and the nature of coincidence. Ellen Reilly shines as narrator, providing perfect voices for the protagonists and the host of supporting characters. Her pleasant pitch and well-tempered pace make it easy to follow the twists of a complex plot. Once the mystery is solved, however, the ending seems tacked on, falling flat. The book's illustrations contain an additional puzzle, so pairing the audio with the print edition should double the fun. E.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. The Westing Game, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler--how exciting to find a book that conjures up these innovative, well-loved titles. That's exactly what Balliett does in her debut novel, which mixes mystery, puzzles, possibilities, and art. The story is set in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood at the University of Chicago's Lab School, where Balliett was a teacher. There, outsiders Petra and Calder become friends as they try to find out what happened to a missing Vermeer painting. That's really all the plot one needs to know. More important are Balliett's purpose in writing and the way she has structured her story. The former seems to be to get to children to think--about relationships, connections, coincidences, and the subtle language of artwork. To accomplish this, she peppers her story with seemingly random events that eventually come together in a startling, delightful pattern. The novel isn't perfect. It glides over a few nitty-gritty details (how did the thief nab the picture), and occasionally the coincidences seem more silly than serendipitous. However, these are quibbles for a book that offers children something new upon each reading. Adults who understand the links between children's reading and their developing minds and imaginations will see this as special, too. Helquist, who has illustrated the Lemony Snickett books, outdoes himself here, providing an interactive mystery in his pictures. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Chasing Excellence...And not Quite Reaching it
On paper (which I guess is a phrase that doesn't work quite as well in regard to books), the concept of this book thrills me! Geometric puzzles, art history clues, and natural phenomenons? I love it all! And even when I first read this book, I was totally gripped by the story and all the layers of mystery and curiosity. It was in my second reading that this house of cards flattened out on me.

This book frustrated me much in the same way that Harry Potter has. The author just takes too many liberties to allow the reader to feel part of the story. It feels unfair when an author gets to have a surprise hidden panel in the wall at the end of the story. I don't know if this is so much true for all genres. A mystery, however, should be tight. It needs to feel like a completed puzzle at the end - either leaving you feeling satisfied that you called it right, or amazed at how well it all came together. When it feels like a jumble that nobody could have pieced together except the author (and even appears that the author took pains to make it more complicated than necessary) it just doesn't work. In some cases of literature (and art!), when you think "I could have made that," it is a compliment on how easy the creator made it look. In the case of Chasing Vermeer, and knowing full well my limitations as a writer, thinking "I could have written that" is not a good thing.

For a book club book, I think this will still be a delight to young readers. If the club is given all the extra ingredients to completely lose themselves in a world of mathematical and artistic mystery, fall in love with Chasing Vermeer. I have only read this book aloud with students. To independently read it as a book club, students would probably need to be older and have strategies for figuring out the references the book makes.

Clever premise, disappointing execution
My main problem with this book is the lack of realism in regards to the young protagonists. Children don't think, act, or speak the way Calder and Petra do in this novel. Their thoughts and actions reflect how an adult might like a child to think and behave. There is little or no authenticity in these characters.

Another issue is with the plot and the way in which the story progresses and ultimately resolves itself. Events are random and there is little causality. This might not have bothered me so much, though, if the characters had been engaging and realistic.

Cure for the DaVince Code
I have never tried so hard to not like a book. I'm not sure exactly what I had against the book, but I fully intended to read it and then pick it apart. I originally bought a copy for my little sister with the full intention of stealing it from her and finding out why it was so darn popular.But only after a few chapters I was sucked into the enchanting mystery. Balliett has made a fine puzzle with all the intricacies of "The Westing Game" and "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E.Frankweiler" and just as much human passion. It is a clever, pop-corn entertaining mystery that explains why this book is so darn popular. Even after the fluffiness, the book has plenty of its own emotional meant--the author cared for his characters and he cared for his story, even the itty-bitty minor things that in the end ironically proved to be of vast importance. I imagine Balliet originally writing this story simply to entertaing himself, which just so happens to be the origin of so many great stories.This is not just a story--this is about art and what makes various things art. It is about looking for beauty in unusual places and the emotional and mental journey it takes to discover that beauty. And it is all done without the hullaballo of snobby adult writers. The writing is simple, quick, with just a tinge of the right emotions, and I found myself getting very attached to the very real characters. Great plot, great characters, and simply a great idea. Excellent book.