December 1, 2008
Gr 6-8-Sammy Keyes is back, living her second 13th summer because her mother lied on her birth certificate to get her into school early. After two years of sneaking up and down the fire escape at the seniors-only residence where she lives with her grandmother, one would suppose that Sammy would not meet misadventure on her unique entrance to her home. But that's what happens when she assumes she has scared an elderly man to death after he has her toss three bundles of money into the bushes below. That event provides the mystery, and Sammy is off sleuthing again. The money is both trouble and a temptation as she retrieves it, keeps it secret, and spends it at the mall, buying her friend Marissa a bathing suit and giving some to Gram. Sammy is a whirlwind of activity, and the pacing is uneven as she spies on her friends from previous books, spies on elderly suspects, purchases a camera for sleuthing purposes, and gets a disguise. All of her old friends and enemies are back, and her budding romance with Casey Acosta continues. Van Draanen again deals with social issues with wit as Sammy charges through another mystery and walks a narrow line between opportunism and honesty."Kathryn Kosiorek, formerly at Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH"
Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from October 1, 2008
Grades 6-9 *Starred Review* No matter who asks Sammy Keyes the questionWhat are you up to? the answers always the same: trouble. While sneaking up the fire escapetoGrams apartment in a seniors-only complex, whereSammy illicitlyresides, she surprisesan old mansneaking down. The encounter is apparently too much for the gent, ashesuffersa heart attack and (after demanding thatSammyempty his pockets of greenbacks)kicks the bucket. To avoid jeopardizing her living arrangement, Sammy calls 911 from the apartment next door to Grams, which is occupied by elderly Mrs. Wedegwood. Then all hell breaks loose, and what seems to be adelicious monetary windfall for Sammy gives rise to both a mystery and a moral quandary.Adding zest andteen interesttothe quirky puzzle, whose geriatric backdropinitially seems an odd venue foryoung readers, are generous helpings of raucous comedy (most involving rotund Mrs. W.s inability to stay upright onher toilet), a wonderfully cheeky first-person narrative, andsmoothly integratedinteractionsbetween Sammy and herage mates.The result is an exceptionally good entry in an already remarkable series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2009
When a dying man tells Sammy to throw away bundles of cash, she doesn't exactly follow his instructions. Van Draanen balances the serious stuff (Sammy's red-hot conscience after spending the money, and her pursuit of would-be counterfeiters) with laugh-out-loud sequences (a neighbor repeatedly falls off the toilet) and some romance (Sammy discovers she's interested in locking lips with almost-boyfriend Casey).
(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)