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Book Review By Sandra Calhoune
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay are both in Ms. Hussey's sixth grade class. When they strike up an unlikely friendship they discover they have a lot more in common that their age (11) and their deep appreciation for their sixth grade teacher. For starters they both love art, museums and blue M & M's. When a thief steals a pricey Vermeer painting en route to Chicago, Petra and Calder team up to solve the mystery and recover the painting. As the thief leaves clues in the local newspaper, Petra and Calder use all their resources before the painting is destroyed as the thief has indicated. With the help of a set of a mysterious book about unexplained phenomena, Calder and Petra race against the clock to chase down the painting and catch a thief.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - upbeat
Time/era of story - 2000+ (Present Day)
Kids growing up/acting up? Yes
Kids: - solving crimes (scooby doooo!)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Age 11-14
Age group of kid(s) in story: - grade school

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - a kid
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - natural phenomena

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 9 ()
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
City? Yes
City: - Chicago

Writing Style
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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