{"product_id":"smashie-mcperter-and-the-mystery-of-room-11-isbn-9780763690977","title":"Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11","description":"\u003cb\u003e“Smashie will endear herself to many readers. . . . A gentle and humorous mystery for younger middle grade readers.” — \u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe day the hamster disappears from Smashie McPerter’s class begins like any other. As Room 11 descends into paranoia-fueled chaos, as natural suspects produce natural alibis, and as motives remain unmotivated, Smashie and her best friend, Dontel, are forced to the limits of their parlor-room detecting to set things right.Griffin writes a consistently smart book, layering subplots and red herrings on her central mystery and unapologetically using $20 vocabulary. She carefully provides context clues that will help her young middle-grade audience understand challenging words, introducing Smashie's discomfort at \"the weight of [her classmates'] unjust censure\" with the crystalline observation that they \"were angrier at her than ever!\" A singularly appealing group of kids populates this nifty mystery for readers ready for a challenge.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGriffin uses humor to tackle issues most children grapple with at some point, and Hindley’s loose b\u0026amp;w sketches play up the madcap energy at Rebecca Lee Crumpler Elementary School. Smashie’s ... positive energy and determination are impressive. Readers will be learning and laughing heartily as Smashie dons her “Investigator Suit” and uses “thinking power” to try to prove herself\u003cbr\u003e—Publishers Weekly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe story is well written and evenly paced, with great supporting characters to root both for and against. ... A gentle and humorous mystery for younger middle grade readers.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReaders will have fun going with Smashie’s flow—her custom-made outfits (“Investigation Suit,” “Distracting-Adults-from-Messes Suit”), shaky logic (“A little soft creature should have little soft feet!”), wrongheaded accusations, and triumphant redemption. Black-and-white illustrations throughout display Smashie’s individuality and verve.\u003cbr\u003e—The Horn Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eN. Griffin's charming book, SMASHIE McPERTER AND THE MYSTERY OF ROOM 11, solidly combines a day in the life of a normal third grader with some kid-level, hard-boiled sleuthing. Accompanied by a collection of illustrations by Kate Hindley, this book balances itself as an adorable and wonderfully character-driven story.\u003cbr\u003e—KidsReads.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis fine story of investigation and discovery is perfect for advanced elementary to middle school leisure readers.\u003cbr\u003e—Children's Bookwatch\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmashie is a unique and engaging heroine, and her relationship with the likable Dontel is credible and endearing. Plentiful humor in the colorful characterizations and amusing phraseology (“The children waved their outerwear like pitchforks”) make this an excellent readaloud selection as well.... Kids moving up from Cam Jansen will find Smashie an entertaining next step.\u003cbr\u003e—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books\u003cb\u003eN. GRIFFIN \u003c\/b\u003eis the author of the Smashie McPerter series, as well as \u003ci\u003eThe Whole Stupid Way We Are\u003c\/i\u003e, for which she was named a \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/i\u003eFlying Start author. Her other books include \u003ci\u003eJust Wreck It All \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eTrigger\u003c\/i\u003e. She received her MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKate Hindley\u003c\/b\u003e has illustrated many books for children, including \u003ci\u003eWorst in Show \u003c\/i\u003eby William Bee. She lives in Worcestershire, England.","brand":"Candlewick","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302450680037,"sku":"NP9780763690977","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780763690977.jpg?v=1767736800","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/smashie-mcperter-and-the-mystery-of-room-11-isbn-9780763690977","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}