Who Would Like This Book:
If you love puzzles, codes, and a good old-fashioned whodunit, "Chasing Vermeer" is a real treat! This mystery weaves together art history, quirky coincidences, and clever clues for readers to unravel alongside two brainy sixth-graders. There's a secret code hidden in the illustrations, fun math connections with pentominoes, and interesting facts about Johannes Vermeer mixed right into the adventure. It's perfect for curious kids (ages 9–13), fans of books like "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler," art lovers, and anyone who enjoys stories where thinking outside the box leads to big discoveries.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found the story a bit slow to start and the heavy reliance on coincidences or intuition over classic clue-hunting to be a letdown. The characters might feel a little too brainy or unrealistic for some, and if you prefer mysteries solved strictly through logic and detective work, this story’s leaps of intuition could frustrate you. Also, if searching for codes in illustrations or solving puzzles as you read isn't your thing, you might get impatient with the extra layers built into the narrative.
About:
Three unidentified people get a mysterious letter one night, and soon after strange things start to happen to Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay. Seemingly unrelated events connect, and an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Soon after, the two new friends find themselves in the middle of an international art scandal. Petra and Calder befriend one another to track down a missing painting and its thief. Along the way, they both realize they share a love for art, museums, and even M&M's. 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.
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From The Publisher:
This bewitching first novel is a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery, disguised as an adventure, and delivered as a work of art.
When a book of unexplainable occurences brings Petra and Calder together, strange things start to happen: Seemingly unrelated events connect; an eccentric old woman seeks their company; an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal, where no one is spared from suspicion. As Petra and Calder are drawn clue by clue into a mysterious labyrinth, they must draw on their powers of intuition, their problem solving skills, and their knowledge of Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has stumped even the FBI?
Ratings (8)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (3) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (21):
Read It (10) | |
Want To Read (5) | |
Not Interested (6) |
1 comment(s)
This book was a bit strange. An interesting strange, a creative strange, but still a little out there. The person who wrote this book must've been very creative and open thinking. The characters are interesting, if a bit unrealistic for 6th graders. The mystery wasn't too intense, but it has many different pieces. There's a bit of magic-ish stuff in this book—it's really more of crazy, unbelievable coincidences—but if you don't think too much about it, it's not that weird.
What can you read after
Chasing Vermeer?
About the Author:
Blue Balliett was born and raised in New York City and loved to stop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Frick Museum on her way home from school. She's always loved museums, mysteries, and hearing about things that can't…
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