Tracking Daddy Down

by Marybeth Kelsey

Billie Wisher's daddy isn't a no-good bank robber . . . is he? Billie's daddy is on the run. If the police catch him, it's off to Pendleton Penitentiary for sure. And she just got him back, after he spent years away in California. She had big plans for the summer—plans that won't be any fun without Daddy. It must all be a mistake. Daddy didn't mean to rob that bank. If Billie finds him before the cops do, she can help him put everything right. She has an idea where he might be holed up. But Mama keeps asking what she's up to, and Billie's new stepfather, Daddy Joe, is always around, poking his nose in her business. With her family at stake, Billie's determined to track Daddy down at all costs—but will anything turn out the way she expects?

Genres: Middle Grade

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Dale Zweibohmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a story about a young girl who loves her father. He robs a bank, she wants to find him and get him to return the money and say he was wrong so they could live happily ever after. But she and her friends have many challenges along the way to find her father. In the end, she grows up and can
see what her future will be. There are lots of lessons in this book.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Billie Wisher’s daddy robs the bank in the next town and then flees to hide, Billie is determined to find him before the police do. She figures that if she can convince him to give the money back nicely that he won’t have to be imprisoned in Pendleton. But Billie is only eleven and a resident in small town Myron, Indiana, where everyone knows everyone else’s business. With the police on her daddy’s trail, an annoying girl who’s always trying to get Billie into more trouble, and some other mishaps, it’s getting more difficult for Billie to find her daddy first and save him from being caught.

I was surprised with how much I liked this book. Billie’s character is adorable, stubborn, and brave all at once. She knows what she wants and is determined to get it. Billie seems like such a good character through the other characters that contrast her, such as her mother, her little sister Carla, and various neighbors. I thought it was funny, but fitting, that Billie always saw injustice in pretty much everything an adult made her do; after all, she’s only eleven-years-old. I was a little disappointed in the ending of the book. While Billie does reconcile her relationship with her stepfather, her relationship with her mother and her real daddy are left up in the air. For me, that almost defeated the purpose of the book. Nevertheless, though, watching Billie mature was what made Tracking Daddy Down such a great story.

I recommend Tracking Daddy Down for the middle grade audience, though older readers may enjoy this novel too.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Wisteria Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracking Daddy Down, by Marybeth Kelsey is too outrageously funny. I couldn t get to the end fast enough. I fell in love with all the characters, but most especially Billie Wisher. Billie is the daughter of a bank robber and she wants to find him and convince him to give himself up. [return][return]Beneath the humor is the serious lesson that Billie learns when she finds her daddy but discovers more than she was looking for. You can t help but chuckle when this mighty master of the mouth speaks. She is the future captain of the debate team without a doubt. Billie made me think of Gillie, from The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson. Both have the same funny, quick witted, sassy backtalk that you just have to love because it is so genuinely real. [return][return]This writer defines each character with perfection by giving them a natural voice that is believable. I love her writing style and wit. I hope this becomes a character series because the main character is too good to say goodbye to.[return][return]This book would be suitable for read aloud grades 3-6 and independent readers age 8-12. Teachers would find this ideally suited for literature circles or readers workshop. [return]In doing a brief search online, I believe this is the author s first book. She hit it this one out of the park, and in my opinion, after reading this treat, we can expect more of the same.

[Karen Keyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pitch perfect fiction for the tweens. I can't recommend Tracking Daddy Down highly enough. Any book that can make me laugh and cry at the same time is one I want to give to all my bookloving friends.

Just a few days before Billieanne Wisher’s eleventh birthday her Daddy steals $10,000 from the Henderson County Bank in Millerstown, Indiana.

“He did it in broad daylight with his older brother, Warren, and from what I heard, they never even bothered to disguise themselves. All they did was tie checkered bandanas over their mouth, so of course they were recognized right off.”

While everyone is Billie’s tiny home town of Myron is all agog with the news, she realizes two things: first, and most importantly, she has a good idea where Daddy and Uncle Warren are hiding; and second, she has to get to them before anyone else does and convince Daddy to give the money back and turn himself in.

This is all easier said than done. Her cousin Tommy (Warren’s son) is strangely reluctant to help Billie carry out her plan. On top of that, Billie’s stepfather, Daddy Joe, keeps turning up at exactly the wrong moment to foil Billie’s plans.

I adored this sweet funny story about a very smart young lady and her unexpected discoveries about what makes a family.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Billie Wisher is exactly like an 11-year-old girl in a small Indiana town would be during the book's time period. (I should know, I was one of those! :^) )

I was drawn into Myron, IN and the surrounding countryside, by Kelsey's wonderful descriptions and laughed out loud at her metaphors, similies & analogies. She's quite an engaging wordsmith & writer. And what a great plot - it's exactly the sort of thing kids of that age/time would do.

& Billie has such a wonderful voice! I heart her!

This is a great read for middle-graders & there's a lot here besides just an adventure. Family, friends, values and love. Parents will find it entertaining & then there's all sorts of things they can talk about with their kids.

I think Marybeth Kelsey hit a home run with her debut!

[Karen Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billie Wisher's father is on the run after robbing a bank in the next town with his good-for-nothing brother. Billie lives in the small town of Myron, Indiana with her mother, stepfather and little sister Carla, and she desperately wants her father back in her life. She's determined to find him and get him to give the money back so he won't have to go to Pendleton state prison, but in Myron, everybody knows everyone else's business, and Billie has to figure out how to do this without being noticed or caught. Billie is a delightfully stubborn and courageous eleven-year-old who sees injustice everywhere she looks, and she knows exactly what she wants. What she gets is something different, but it turns out to be more what she needs than she knows. Wonderful characters! 6th grade.

[Edie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book is somewhat predictable (the ne'er do well Daddy really is ne'er do well ) and the new "step" daddy really has a heart of gold and does the right thing and finally wins the heart of our narrator Billie Wisher, the voice of Billie, an independent, more "innocent" than she realizes young girl who loves her "real" daddy and only wants to believe the best about him, is really genuine and grabs you from the very beginning she matter-of-factly describes her father's role in robbing a bank. I think young readers will be drawn to her honesty and desire to believe the best, even in the fact of the worst.
Edie

[Ann Likes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I grew up in a small Indiana town near some railroad tracks and can relate to the adventures of Billie and her friends.
You can feel the excitement of summer vacation and remember the things that mattered most, fun playing with your friends and riding bikes.
Billie is dealing with some complex issues such as worry over her father's possible involvement in a robbery and her dislike of her stepfather's interference in her life, but she shows loyalty and courage in finding her way through the situations.
Her character emerges at the end having matured and grown in acceptance of the changes in her life. A terrific read!

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, it's a young person's novel and no, I'm not. Nevertheless, it's good! The fact that I used to work for the author's sister-in-law does not at all affect my opinion as I am painfully honest.

The book is, I guess, one of them coming of age thing. The story is told by the main character who can't see the good things in her life because she still chooses to see the world by the smoking torch of her irresponsible father who ran off on her family and has now returned to them only to run off again and rob a bank.

It's good! I recommend it.

[Leeanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your a fan of fiction and mystery, than this is the book for you!!! I recommend this book to all kids of all ages. If you read this book and see what the main character is going through then I think you can really relate to her. Tracking Daddy Down is about a girl named Billie, and her dad just robbed a bank she is also having troubles adjusting to her new stepfather, Joe. She has her 2 best friends by her side to be on the hunt to track her dad down and find out why he robbed the bank and what made him do it.

[Martha Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a passable book. Billie is a lovable character as she stays true to her crook of a dad, trying to prove he did not rob a bank with her uncle. Despite all the best efforts of her stepdad, she rejects his attempts to help the family, and keeps going to the empty well. A nice character study in what really makes a family, and a heart-rending look at the loyalty of a little girl who finally sees the light.

[Auralia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally stopped reading this one, I couldn't do it anymore. I thought that it was not that engaging and I also felt that there was some language in the book that was not age appropriate. I hope that my decision was the right one, all I can say is that I haven't lost any sleep over not finishing this one.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK read about an irresponsible father and his devoted daughter who gradually comes to see him for what he is. The story opens when Billie learns that her father has robbed a bank. She's determined to track him down and set things right, but her stepfather always seems to foil her plans. The small town setting adds an element of charm.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Sentence Review: I would have a hard time writing a longer review of this because while I liked it I never could quite figure out if Billie's naivete was forced or utterly consistent with her character.

[Marcy Skelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every page of this book. It evoked the same emotions I felt when I read To Kill A Mockingbird in my youth. Move over Scout & Atticus Finch, the lessons of life, love and friendship for today's generation will come from Billie and Daddy Joe.

[McKayla Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

i personally loved this book it was a great book and i wanted to read it 24 7 and once i was done i was sad there was no more!

[Aesha☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST BOOK THAT I EVA READ! 5 MILLION STARZ PPL!

[raewyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a really good book because it lets you ponder about whats going to happen next.