Chasing Vermeer

Book Description

Critics

• Chasing Vermeer By Blue Balliett

  Blue Balliett's beguiling tale makes children think twice about art Eight-year-olds should not be underestimated. Just ask author Blue Balliett, who says children of that age "have tremendous brain power and are not bound by convention." In fact, Bal ... (read full critics)

  bookpage published on Fri, 17 Sep 2010

• CHASING VERMEER by Blue Balliett

  CHASING VERMEER by Blue Balliett illustrated by Brett Helquist Scholastic ISBN: 0439372976 Ages 8-12 272 pages Secrets, lies and mysteries surround the work of one of the greatest artists of all time. Moonlit chases, hidden hiding places, and even a ... (read full critics)

  kidsreads published on Fri, 27 Aug 2010

2 Reviews

• 

  An entertaining and enjoyable enough mystery about two sixth-graders - Calder and Petra - who find themselves, through a number of coincidences, the only two people able to rescue a stolen painting by Vermeer. For the most part the book rolls along pretty quickly, but it's a bit draggy in some areas ... (continue)

  An entertaining and enjoyable enough mystery about two sixth-graders - Calder and Petra - who find themselves, through a number of coincidences, the only two people able to rescue a stolen painting by Vermeer. For the most part the book rolls along pretty quickly, but it's a bit draggy in some areas and the ending is ridiculous (the coincidences too many, and a bit too tidy a wrap-up). I imagine younger readers would enjoy the code aspect, but I found it annoying to decipher the letters from Calder's friend, so I quit trying and just relied on what came after to work out their contents.

  I'll probably never read this book again, but I'll keep it around in case I ever know a 11 year old in need of something to read.

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  Hold Your Spin said on Oct 21, 2009 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  I liked the general feel of the story and the search for patterns. However, the clues were unrealistic, based on feelings or psychic intuition rather than logic. The same story with more realistic clues would have made for a fantastic story.

  Also, I didn't like the reader's voices for children ... (continue)

  I liked the general feel of the story and the search for patterns. However, the clues were unrealistic, based on feelings or psychic intuition rather than logic. The same story with more realistic clues would have made for a fantastic story.

  Also, I didn't like the reader's voices for children (who were the protagonists).

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  Missmath144 said on May 11, 2008 | Add your feedback

Book Details

• Rating:
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• English Books
• Audio CD
• Edition: Unabridged
• ISBN-10: 0307206734
• ISBN-13: 9780307206732
• Publisher: Listening Library (Audio)
• Pub date: Nov 09, 2004
• Also available as: Mass Market Paperback, Paperback, Hardcover, Audio Cassette and Others

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