In Konigsburg's novel, her two talented child protagonists, Jeanmarie and Malcolm, learn the three requirements for fame in a sometimes whimsical, sometimes mysterious tale. A study in ambition—its origins and effects—the story integrates a fantasy into reality when Jeanmarie and Malcolm meet Tallulah, a once-famous, long-dead actress. From her incorporeal luxurious room below Jericho Tel, Tallulah gives the children assignments to carry out "Topside" using a magic invisibility. The assignment: find Tallulah's street-performer friends and her servants who were present at the moment of her death and discover who took her precious Regina Stone. As the story opens, Jeanmarie and Malcolm, two lonely latchkey children, form an uneasy partnership when they create an animal cemetery, which they call Jericho Tel. Malcolm is not shy in declaring his talents of neatness and logical thinking, and his goal of becoming a famous chemist or physicist. Jeanmarie confides her ambition of being a famous actress. "You may not be pretty enough, but you sure are peculiar enough" is Malcolm's reaction, though he thinks she does have a talent for dramatizing things. Tallulah's influence on the two is reflected in her sayings which precede each chapter. For example, "The difference between going to school and getting an education is the difference between picking an apple and eating it." Or "A happy person strikes a balance between doing good and doing well." Or "If you must complain in public, either be amusing or outrageous." The first two essentials for stardom, the children learn, are talent and timing. The third requirement they realize when they discover the thief of the Regina Stone necklace from among the suspects: a ventriloquist, a singer, a record-shop owner, or the former butler; all were present at the moment of Tallulah's death. Konigsburg has once again brought her readers a set of memorable characters and a unique perspective on children's hopes and ambitions. The story is told with a light touch but contains some substance as well—a good exploration of aspirations to and attainment of fame.
Pub Date: March 1, 1986
ISBN: 0689823320
Page Count: 198
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1986
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A snappy mystery that’s full of heart.
A group of bright friends tackles the puzzle of their lives.
Elmwood, New Hampshire, 11-year-old Gina Sparks is small in stature but big on reporting ongoing dramas for the local newspaper with support from her journalist mom. When an unbelievable scoop comes her way, Gina must rely on her tightknit crew of sixth grade best friends whose initials happen to spell GEEK, a label they choose to proudly reclaim. She and science-minded prankster Elena Hernández, theater kid Edgar Feingarten, and driven math genius Kevin Robinson decide to get to the bottom of things when they learn that the Van Houten Toy & Game Company heir made elaborate plans to leave everything to the town of Elmwood before her death—but only if a member of the community could solve an intricate multistep puzzle. Gina hopes that deciphering the clues and finding the missing fortune will be just the thing to revitalize the down-on-its-luck town and bring the Elmwood Tribune back into the black, saving her mom’s job and Gina’s passion project. The GEEKs work together, using their individual talents and deductive reasoning skills to unravel the mystery. Infused with media literacy pointers, such as the difference between fact and opinion and reminders to avoid bias when reporting, the story encourages readers to think critically. Gina and Edgar read as White; Elena is cued as Latinx, and Kevin is implied Black.
A snappy mystery that’s full of heart. (Mystery. 9-13)Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-37793-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A candid and powerful reckoning of history.
Summer is off to a terrible start for 12-year old African-American Candice Miller.
Six months after her parents’ divorce, Candice and her mother leave Atlanta to spend the summer in Lambert, South Carolina, at her grandmother’s old house. When her grandmother Abigail passed two years ago, in 2015, Candice and her mother struggled to move on. Now, without any friends, a computer, cellphone, or her grandmother, Candice suffers immense loneliness and boredom. When she starts rummaging through the attic and stumbles upon a box of her grandmother’s belongings, she discovers an old letter that details a mysterious fortune buried in Lambert and that asks Abigail to find the treasure. After Candice befriends the shy, bookish African-American kid next door, 11-year-old Brandon Jones, the pair set off investigating the clues. Each new revelation uncovers a long history of racism and tension in the small town and how one family threatened the black/white status quo. Johnson’s latest novel holds racism firmly in the light. Candice and Brandon discover the joys and terrors of the reality of being African-American in the 1950s. Without sugarcoating facts or dousing it in post-racial varnish, the narrative lets the children absorb and reflect on their shared history. The town of Lambert brims with intrigue, keeping readers entranced until the very last page.
A candid and powerful reckoning of history. (Historical mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-545-94617-9
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
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