Book Review Jennifer Chambliss Bertman: Book Scavengers: The Unbreakable Code

Illustrated by Sarah Watts

 

Book Scavenger: The Unbreakable Code, a New York Times best seller by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman nods to Mark Twain while he lived in San Francisco. The second book in the Book Scavenger series, Ms. Bertman’s mystery includes ciphers, games, rivalry and arson. Illustrations by Sarah Watts complement the novel which was published in 2017 by Henry Holt and Company; today’s middle grade students would have been newborns and toddlers at the time and this page turning novel will be new to them. Twelve year olds, Emily and James, eat delicious food, attend junior high and solve puzzles, unaware that an arsonist is dangerously close.

Ms. Bertman vividly describes main and secondary characters as well as the city of San Francisco. Humor delightfully breaks the tension.

Interview – An extensive interview with the author is included in the back matter of the book.

Source: Purchased. Will be reread and then given as a present. At 384 pages long including an author’s note with historical explanations and the aforementioned interview, Book Scavenger is recommended for nine years and older.

 

Links:

Visit Greg Pattridge host of: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Previous interview with Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Visit author: Jennifer Chambliss Bertman 

Visit illustrator here:  Sarah Watts 

Visit book designer: April Ward  

Learn more about: Transamerica Redwood Park and here.

Learn more about Mark Twain: San Francisco Digital Archive  

Visit your local book store: Boulder Bookstore 

Book Review Emily Ecton's The Great Pet Heist

  

Illustrated by David Mottram

Emily Ecton’s The Great Pet Heist published in 2020 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, is a hilarious romp through an apartment complex from the viewpoint of the pets. Animal tracks decorate the chapters. Dave Mottram rendered the humorous pet illustrations digitally. Ms. Ecton touches on homelessness, empathy and problem solving. Butterbean, a dog, Walt the cat and a host of pet friends engage in witty conversations and antics while attempting to preserve their living situation. Mostly, this is a funny book about pets and I laughed on almost every page. The Great Pet Heist is the first book in a series of five.

Source: I purchased this book and it will be given as a present. It is designated for ages 8 - 12 years and grades 3 – 7 with 272 pages. 

 

Many thanks to Greg Pattridge for hosting: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Links:

Visit author: Emily Ecton 

Visit illustrator: Dave Mottram

     Examples of character design: Dave Mottram Character Design

 Interior Book Design: Tom Daly

 Visit your local book store: Second Star to the Right

Imagine the Future, Poems

 

Blue Sky and Colorado Snow photo by ET Charles

 

 Happy New Year 

 Delighted to have my poems fly on The Dirigible Balloon which is edited by the brilliant Jonathan Humble.

 On the theme of Imagine the Future

 “Abundance,” The Dirigible Balloon, August 2025. 

 “Meadows,” The Dirigible Balloon, August 2025. 

 “Ceres,” The Dirigible Balloon, August 2025. 

 

 

  “December Moon,” The Dirigible Balloon, December 2025. 

  “Mountain Wave Sunrise,” The Dirigible Balloon, December 2025. 

 

  Note: Photo was taken in the winter of 2016. It is far too dry this winter.

  More poems and photographs of Colorado

 

  Poems, Summer 2025 

 

  Poems, Winter 2024 

 

Interview with Jennifer Chambliss Bertman: Book Scavenger

Illustrations by Sarah Watts

 

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman nods to Edgar Allan Poe and his short story The Gold-Bug. Ms. Bertman’s mystery includes ciphers, a game, school rivalry and a crime which begins with the shooting of an eccentric publisher in San Francisco. Illustrated by Sarah Watts complement the novel which was published in 2015 by Henry Holt and Company; today’s middle grade students would have been newborns and toddlers at the time and this engaging book will be new to them. Twelve year olds, Emily and James form a friendship and solve ciphers and puzzles while unaware that the publisher’s assailants are hunting them.

This is a lively mystery with vivid descriptions of San Francisco and memorable, humorous depictions of main and secondary characters.

At 343 pages long plus an author’s note with historical explanations, Book Scavenger is recommended for nine years and older.

One Question Interview with Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

ETC: Welcome Jennifer. What advice would you give to those in K - 12 school who would like to write?

JCB: My advice to young writers is to make it fun! Write as a form of play. Write to entertain yourself. Write yourself a story you want to read. If you're not sure where to start, try different writing prompts as a jumping off point. (You'll find many prompts in my Substack newsletter: https://jenniferchamblissbertman.substack.com/.) And remember, all writing counts. There are many different ways to tell a story. When I was young, I wrote plays for my Cabbage Patch Kids and skits with my friends. Once we even wrote a script for a murder mystery party!  You can tell stories in the form of comics or poetry or make a zine or create art to go along with your words--follow where your imagination leads you. And have fun!

ETC: What a nice suggestion, “Make it fun.” Thank you for visiting, Jennifer.

Links:

Visit author: Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Visit illustrator: Sarah Watts 

Book design by: April Ward  

Visit Greg Pattridge host of:  Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Learn more about Edgar Allan Poe:

 Edgar Allan Poe Library Sullivan's Island, setting for The Gold-bug.

Richmond, Virginia Museum: Poe Museum 

Baltimore, Maryland Museum: Poe in Baltimore

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site 

Visit your local book store: Boulder Bookstore

Interview with Megan E. Freeman: Away

Cover art by Pascal Campion. Location Tattered Cover, Aspen Grove.

 

 

 

 

With Away the companion novel to Alone, Megan E. Freeman has written another New York Times bestselling novel. Away published by Aladdin an imprint of Simon & Schuster in 2025, caries one to a dystopian future with engaging, captivating characters.  

Pascal Campion’s cover art invites the reader into the novel in verse. Away is told from four points of view in a varied format which includes: newspaper articles, letters, and screenplays. Ms. Freeman demonstrates prescience with her depiction of evacuation scenes and camps. The main characters solve the puzzle and the novel concludes with hope and a satisfying ending.  

Clay Hobson rendered the interior illustrations and Heather Palisi designed the book jacket. The novel is 480 pages and was purchased and will be given to a grandchild.

 

One Question Interview with Megan E. Freeman

ETC: Welcome Megan. I loved the Pax character, vomit and all. What was your inspiration for her?

MEF: I knew when I was writing AWAY that I wanted to have multiple points of view and that the main characters would span a variety of ages and be from different parts of Colorado. But I also liked the idea that at least one of them would have a sibling. Making Pax quite a bit younger than Harmony opened the door for some levity, as well as created a proxy character who could ask questions and be curious about things the reader might also wonder about. Pax also introduced some occasional conflict, either directly with her sister or when the friends had to censor their conversations in front of her. Her maturation throughout the story also helped illustrate the passage of time.

ETC: Thank you for visiting, Megan.

Links:

Visit author: Megan E. Freeman

Visit cover illustrator here: Pascal Campion

Visit Greg Pattridge host of: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Previous interview with: Megan E. Freeman: Alone 

Visit your local book store: Boulder Bookstore