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| Cover art by Craig Phillips |
Wendelin Van Draanen’s Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief was first published in 1998 by Penguin Random House and won an Edgar Award in 1999. Ms. Van Draanen’s award winning mystery is still in print and the paperback cover art was illustrated by Craig Phillips. Today’s middle grade students were not born in 1998 and this novel will resonate with them as the story is fun, fast paced and despite her best efforts Sammy manages to get into trouble. Sammy lives with her grandmother who has lots of love and very limited finances. This makes the absence of cell phones and other technology understandable and keeps the novel current. While looking out her grandmother’s apartment window, Sammy sees a robbery and then tries to solve it. She visits a market, the mall, the hotel and a few other spots with her best friend Marissa and they put the clues together.
The paperback version was published in 2017 by Penguin Random House and has 162 pages of story with additional discussion questions.
Visit author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Visit illustrator: Craig Phillips
Visit the Edgar Awards: Best Juvenile Mysteries Edgar Awards
Visit Greg Pattridge host of: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Laura Parnum Interviews Wendelin Van Draanen: Eastern PennPoints
Interview with Wendelin Van Draanen: Analog Magazine
Interview with Wendelin Van Draanen: M Liz Boyle
Visit your local book store: Second Star to the Right
Mysteries are perennially popular! Sounds like this one has stood the test of time. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM Valinora. Thanks for visiting.
DeleteI always love a good mystery. And it's an interesting look at time before the technology kids (and adults) now take for granted.
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM Natalie. Yes, I like mysteries too.
DeleteMysteries are favorites of mine so I'm not sure why this one has never been in my future read pile. Thanks for bringing it to my attention and for being a part of MMGM this week.
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM Greg. I too like mysteries.
DeleteSounds wonderful and loved seeing that it stands up well for current children too. Happy MMGM to you.
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM Brenda. The grandparent aspect helps dim the technology gap.
DeleteI read this awhile ago, and it is one of my favorite kid mysteries. I also read several of the other books in this series. Thanks for reminding me of it!
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM Jenni. It is a fun series. I have only read a few of the books.
DeleteWendelin and her husband Mark Parsons attended our author festival last year in Eureka, California. Besides writers, they run in half marathons and play in a band together. How cool is that? I got to accompany her to a middle school. If you haven't read her book, Flipped, I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM. Thanks for the recommendation. I will look for Flipped.
DeleteI have a soft spot for mysteries, and this one sounds very interesting. Thanks for pointing it out!
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM. Thank you for visiting.
DeleteI'm not acquainted with this MG mystery--I should take a look. Since I'm old I don't see anything odd about a world without cell phones :D
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM. I too remember the time before cell phones. Thanks for visiting.
DeleteGood mysteries are timeless. I'm sure young readers will like this. And it's good for them to know about the "before" times -- before phones, before personal computers, etc. Things are too easy for kids today.
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM Rosi. Thanks for visiting. You are correct: "Good mysteries are timeless." Not sure that things are too easy for kids.
DeleteThanks for spotlighting Sammy Keyes! Writing around shifting technology is always a challenge, but I hope readers think the series feels timeless. Sammy has been such a big part of my life--18 books in a series spanned as many in real time--so I always feel a kinship to readers who love her, too. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHappy MMGM Wendelin. Thank you for visiting and commenting.
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