AT THE SOUND OF THE BEEP

When the Greens decide to divorce, it doesn't occur to them that their allocation of Mathilda to Mom and Mathew to Dad is the reverse of the twins' own perference—or that each is less willing to give up the other than to give up either parent. Unable to persuade their parents that the present plan is unacceptable, the twins bolt to Uncle Ben, whom they assume will quietly take them in, since (according to Mom) he and Mom have barely spoken since she was seven. But Ben isn't home; hoping for his return, the kids hang out in nearby Golden Gate Park, where they become acquainted with the various homeless—a fatherless family with three little children; a vague, erudite botanist who eats rare plants; other sad derelicts and crazies. Funds low, the twins learn that garbage can be edible. Meanwhile, interpolated headlines report the police search for them, plus an ominous series of murders of the homeless in the park—with the suspects including the homeless themselves. In a satisfyingly suspenseful conclusion, one twin is a near-victim, the other an inspired detective, and there are some surprising revelations of true identity. As in Konigsburg's From the Mixed-Up Files. . ., the runaways here are unique, engaging personalities; their experiences enhance their knowledge of themselves and the world; their techniques of survival are well-calculated to engage young readers. Sachs presents a pervasive current problem with insight and sympathy. A well-structured, thought-provoking novel; a real page-turner.