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A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall
From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Rover's Story and Other Words for Home comes an extraordinary story about two friends, a ghost, a missing painting, and a turtle named Agatha. The perfect next read for fans of The Swifts, Kate DiCamillo, and Erin Entrada Kelly.
A painting has been stolen…!
When Rami sees a floating girl in the museum, he knows he has seen her somewhere before. Then he realizes: She looks just like the girl in the painting that has gone missing. But how does her appearance connect to the theft?
Agatha the turtle knows—she has been watching from the garden. But she can’t exactly tell anyone…can she?
Will Rami, with the help of his classmate, Veda, be able to solve the mystery? The clues are all around them, but they’ll have to be brave enough to really look.
This is a whimsical, moving story about the universal desire to be seen and understood and how art can help us find connection, even when we are at our loneliest.
A painting has been stolen…!
When Rami sees a floating girl in the museum, he knows he has seen her somewhere before. Then he realizes: She looks just like the girl in the painting that has gone missing. But how does her appearance connect to the theft?
Agatha the turtle knows—she has been watching from the garden. But she can’t exactly tell anyone…can she?
Will Rami, with the help of his classmate, Veda, be able to solve the mystery? The clues are all around them, but they’ll have to be brave enough to really look.
This is a whimsical, moving story about the universal desire to be seen and understood and how art can help us find connection, even when we are at our loneliest.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
147 people are currently reading
6436 people want to read
About the author
Jasmine Warga
23 books2,331 followersJasmine Warga is a writer from Cincinnati, Ohio who currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. She is the internationally bestselling author of My Heart and Other Black Holes and Here We Are Now. Her books have been published in over twenty-five countries and optioned for film. Her debut middle grade novel, Other Words For Home, will be published in Spring 2019. Jasmine lives in an apartment filled with books with her husband, two tiny daughters, large dog, and mischievous cat.
**I am only on Goodreads when one of my publishers sets up a Q&A for me, so the best way to contact me is through my website: www.jasminewarga.com or on twitter: @jasminewarga. Thank you so much for reading my books!**
**I am only on Goodreads when one of my publishers sets up a Q&A for me, so the best way to contact me is through my website: www.jasminewarga.com or on twitter: @jasminewarga. Thank you so much for reading my books!**
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
September 10, 2024
Won via Instagram giveaway from @theshelfstuff
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Nice book for the younger ones who are looking for a mystery that doesn't have super high stakes and to get them in the fall mood.
I let myself glide along with the story and didn't try to figure it out.. my brain ended up making some guesses anyway 🙃.
Would have loved some more twists and a few things expanded on but still enjoyed the read... got my mind off my worries for a little while.
Gonna donate this to a little free library when I get down that way again.
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Nice book for the younger ones who are looking for a mystery that doesn't have super high stakes and to get them in the fall mood.
I let myself glide along with the story and didn't try to figure it out.. my brain ended up making some guesses anyway 🙃.
Would have loved some more twists and a few things expanded on but still enjoyed the read... got my mind off my worries for a little while.
Gonna donate this to a little free library when I get down that way again.
April 9, 2025
this was such a charming & unique middle grade mystery! i was smiling from ear to ear as the story wrapped up. and i have to say, agatha stole the show— she was such an observant & gifted little turtle. absolutely precious! read this if you love animals, art museums, and a little touch of the supernatural. 🐢💝
May 31, 2024
i’ll read anything Jasmine writes and you should too
July 9, 2024
I think I may have found my first read aloud with my 4th graders students in the fall! Grateful to have the chance to read and review this advanced reader’s copy of Jasmine Warga’s newest, A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall.
Rami is a lonely 6th grader. His two close friends have suddenly ditched him, and he struggles with his confidence and feeling seen. When a painting goes missing from the art museum where his mom works, she becomes a suspect. One day while at work with his mom, a mysterious floating girl appears to Rami in the hall - the same hall where the painting disappeared from! After running into his classmate Veda at the library (she’s researching the case), the two pair up to try to solve two mysteries - who stole the painting, and who is the floating girl?
With themes of finding your voice and the connectivity of art, this middle grade novel has it all: short, accessible chapters, heartprint characters (including a turtle and a ghost!) and an art museum mystery. Publishes 9/10/24.
Favorite lines:
Page 51:
Art, she understood, was a wish that you made with your hands.
Page 171:
He thought about what his mom had said. About how art was about making a connection, about not only sharing what you see, but inviting someone else to find what they can see.
Page 189:
Sadness, he learned, was not a feeling you could outrun. Like a tide – it might ebb and flow – but it was always there.
Rami is a lonely 6th grader. His two close friends have suddenly ditched him, and he struggles with his confidence and feeling seen. When a painting goes missing from the art museum where his mom works, she becomes a suspect. One day while at work with his mom, a mysterious floating girl appears to Rami in the hall - the same hall where the painting disappeared from! After running into his classmate Veda at the library (she’s researching the case), the two pair up to try to solve two mysteries - who stole the painting, and who is the floating girl?
With themes of finding your voice and the connectivity of art, this middle grade novel has it all: short, accessible chapters, heartprint characters (including a turtle and a ghost!) and an art museum mystery. Publishes 9/10/24.
Favorite lines:
Page 51:
Art, she understood, was a wish that you made with your hands.
Page 171:
He thought about what his mom had said. About how art was about making a connection, about not only sharing what you see, but inviting someone else to find what they can see.
Page 189:
Sadness, he learned, was not a feeling you could outrun. Like a tide – it might ebb and flow – but it was always there.
February 5, 2025
No one at the Penelope L. Brooks Museum witnesses the art theft that sets A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall into motion. No one, that is, except a turtle named Agatha, who plays a larger role in what comes next than one might think possible. Eleven-year-old Rami Ahmed is having a tough year. At the start of sixth grade his two best friends decided they wanted nothing to do with him, seemingly for no reason. His father left the family when Rami was too young to remember, and his mother works long hours at the Penelope museum to make financial ends meet. The theft of a famed painting called Untitled, created by reclusive artist Hannah Frances Bottemtow, brings scrutiny on Rami's mother. She was one of the only people in the building; could she have swiped it?
Rami's desire to exonerate his mother takes a weird turn when a young female apparition approaches him at the museum. No one else can hear the ghostly girl, and she pleads for Rami's help. She can't remember how she came to be here or even who she is. Rami is spooked, but feels uncomfortable telling his mother he met a ghost. An old friend of his, Veda, turns out to be the one he spills his secret to. A connoisseur of true crime tales, Veda believes the ghost—whom they nickname "Blue"—is linked to the stolen painting. But how can they help her when she can't recall her own identity?
Is it possible, Rami suggests, that Blue is the mysterious girl pictured in the painting called Untitled? The resemblance is undeniable. The museum bosses grow increasingly suspicious that Rami's mother is the thief, and Rami knows he must soon prove who the real perpetrator is. The security guards, Ed and Theodore, were personally suspicious of Rami even before the theft, and now they're determined to make it difficult for him to come and go. Can he and Veda reveal the truth behind the heist, a sad story of love lost to time and misunderstanding?
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall has a lighter tone than Jasmine Warga's earlier novels. Her sense of humor is quirky in just the right way to feel original. I might rate this book two and a half stars; some fantastical elements don't mix as thoroughly as would be ideal, but the story has heart, and the message of persevering until you find people who love and accept you is evergreen. I'm glad we have Jasmine Warga adding to the expansive legacy of American youth literature.
Rami's desire to exonerate his mother takes a weird turn when a young female apparition approaches him at the museum. No one else can hear the ghostly girl, and she pleads for Rami's help. She can't remember how she came to be here or even who she is. Rami is spooked, but feels uncomfortable telling his mother he met a ghost. An old friend of his, Veda, turns out to be the one he spills his secret to. A connoisseur of true crime tales, Veda believes the ghost—whom they nickname "Blue"—is linked to the stolen painting. But how can they help her when she can't recall her own identity?
Is it possible, Rami suggests, that Blue is the mysterious girl pictured in the painting called Untitled? The resemblance is undeniable. The museum bosses grow increasingly suspicious that Rami's mother is the thief, and Rami knows he must soon prove who the real perpetrator is. The security guards, Ed and Theodore, were personally suspicious of Rami even before the theft, and now they're determined to make it difficult for him to come and go. Can he and Veda reveal the truth behind the heist, a sad story of love lost to time and misunderstanding?
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall has a lighter tone than Jasmine Warga's earlier novels. Her sense of humor is quirky in just the right way to feel original. I might rate this book two and a half stars; some fantastical elements don't mix as thoroughly as would be ideal, but the story has heart, and the message of persevering until you find people who love and accept you is evergreen. I'm glad we have Jasmine Warga adding to the expansive legacy of American youth literature.
January 25, 2025
A nice story about being seen. There’s art, a ghost, and a clever turtle named Agatha.
June 17, 2024
Absolutely loved this poignant mystery in which a missing painting brings friends together. 6th grade has been hard for Rami, and he has lost his confidence, feeling invisible. When a painting goes missing in the art gallery where his mom works, and a mysterious girl appears only to Rami, he is intrigued. When his classmate Veda catches the scent, they partner up to solve the mystery of who stole the painting and why, who witnessed the crime, and who the mysterious floating girl is that only the two kids can talk to and see.
A mystery with links to the past, written in a tone reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo's work, this is a compelling read that is hard to put down. I was impressed with how the characters came to life, how the story felt both simple and profound, and how expertly the story was paced. Well done, Jasmine Warga!
A mystery with links to the past, written in a tone reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo's work, this is a compelling read that is hard to put down. I was impressed with how the characters came to life, how the story felt both simple and profound, and how expertly the story was paced. Well done, Jasmine Warga!
March 23, 2026
Huge fan of Jasmine Warga's books, and A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall is such a sweet and heartwarming middle-grade read! Loved the writing style, which was short and fast, but also so very descriptive, and I loved the mystery element this book had! Rami and Veda are such brilliant friends, and I greatly related to all the struggles that Rami has.
And the turtle!!!
This book has a few, brief chapters told from the POV of the turtle, which I loved .
Overall, this is a gorgeously written, very heartwarming middle-grade book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading!!
And some quotes:
And the turtle!!!
This book has a few, brief chapters told from the POV of the turtle, which I loved .
Overall, this is a gorgeously written, very heartwarming middle-grade book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading!!
And some quotes:
Our story might not truly begin with the turtle, but I'm going to start there.
"People don't float. It doesn't make any sense." The girl shrugged. "I do."
"Mom," he said. "I'm almost twelve." He realized this statement probably didn't have the oomph he wanted because he was hugging a stuffed shark.
October 3, 2025
This is a younger middle grade book, and I was expecting it to read a little older. Younger kids would probably get into the art theft mystery plot and enjoy the slight spookiness. It would be a good mystery for that age group. However, reading this as an adult who likes middle grade, it didn’t really draw me in. I’ve read the author’s other works and was impressed, but this didn’t hold the same standard. The plot was too convenient and some liberties taken to solve the mystery that were a big stretch. The turtle specifically. I listened on audio and it was an easy listen.
August 19, 2024
3.5 ✨️
October 13, 2024
A younger middle grade mystery with art theft and museum elements, friendship themes, family struggles and consequences, and a (non scary) ghost.
September 3, 2025
Jeez Louise, this book was wow it had ghosts and mysteries! If you like both ghosts and mysteries but can’t find a book with both? This book is definitely for you! I highly recommend!
November 7, 2024
A rather ho hum mystery. I’m not a fan of “The ghost cracked the case” solutions. After reading The Sherlock Club this just paled in comparison.
December 30, 2024
I'm on the fence about this book. I read as part of SLJs Mock Newbery and honestly, I'm struggling to see why this book was nominated and in our top 15.
Let me be clear there is nothing wrong with this book. Indeed I am excited by the fact that there is a younger middle grade mystery out there. One that also has a "moaning Myrtle" like character named Blue who flats around the halls of the museum. What's the story there? Who did steal the untitled painting? And can a turtle really draw?
The ending was very sweet and made me like the book more than I did going into the last quarter of it. When I think about Newbery criteria, words like delineation of setting, character, and style all come to mind. I always felt that as the reader, I was more "flying high" over the whole plot and area as opposed to feeling immersed in it. I didn't care as much as I wanted to. So that puts it lower down on my list of prospective mock winners.
Let me be clear there is nothing wrong with this book. Indeed I am excited by the fact that there is a younger middle grade mystery out there. One that also has a "moaning Myrtle" like character named Blue who flats around the halls of the museum. What's the story there? Who did steal the untitled painting? And can a turtle really draw?
The ending was very sweet and made me like the book more than I did going into the last quarter of it. When I think about Newbery criteria, words like delineation of setting, character, and style all come to mind. I always felt that as the reader, I was more "flying high" over the whole plot and area as opposed to feeling immersed in it. I didn't care as much as I wanted to. So that puts it lower down on my list of prospective mock winners.
September 15, 2024
When a painting is stolen from the museum, Rami spots a girl who eerily resembles the missing artwork and teams up with his classmate Veda to unravel the mystery. With Agatha the turtle observing from the garden, they must courageously piece together the clues to solve the case and uncover a deeper connection between art and understanding.
@jasminewargabooks has done it again. My HEART. This book was such a warm hug. It’s so charming and fun and whimsical. I wanted to hug Rami and Veda, but especially Rami. My sweet boy, he was so lonely and sad. My heart broke as you learn his story. I loved how much he loves his mom.
Rami and Veda’s friendship is truly the shining star of this book. I absolutely adored Veda’s wit and charm, and Rami’s bewilderment. As they learned to work together to solve the case, they grow closer and their bond gets stronger. The ending was so lovely I was tearing up. Just a truly gorgeous story from Jasmine Warga. 🥹💙
Also, a moment for this gorgeous cover and the stunning artwork throughout please???
@jasminewargabooks has done it again. My HEART. This book was such a warm hug. It’s so charming and fun and whimsical. I wanted to hug Rami and Veda, but especially Rami. My sweet boy, he was so lonely and sad. My heart broke as you learn his story. I loved how much he loves his mom.
Rami and Veda’s friendship is truly the shining star of this book. I absolutely adored Veda’s wit and charm, and Rami’s bewilderment. As they learned to work together to solve the case, they grow closer and their bond gets stronger. The ending was so lovely I was tearing up. Just a truly gorgeous story from Jasmine Warga. 🥹💙
Also, a moment for this gorgeous cover and the stunning artwork throughout please???
March 9, 2025
I really like this author so I wanted to read her new book - a middle-grade mystery where kids uncover the case of stolen artwork. The short chapters and shifting moments may feel disconnected at times, but I think the author intentionally leaves space for readers to think about how these elements connect the story.
November 9, 2025
Really enjoyed reading this! 🐢🫶🏼
April 26, 2025
This was a fun book. The major drawback for me was how long it took me to get into it. Most of the twists were predictable, at least for adults. I think this would review better for students in 5th or 6th grade.
August 13, 2024
This book had a great premise, but it's not my favorite from Warga.
Each element of this story was excellent from the ghost and the turtle to the single mother and the kooky best friend. Warga dreamed up something truly unique, but I wish the elements interacted a little more. The story was tied up nicely, but I would've liked a few more twists and turns.
I do think that this book is perfect for a spooky mystery lover or someone looking to get in the Fall mood. I would recommend this book to 3rd and 4th grade readers, but probably not 5th grade.
Hopefully Warga will take another stab at a mystery because I love her writing style and I'm excited to see what she comes up with next.
This e-ARC was provided by NetGalley.
Each element of this story was excellent from the ghost and the turtle to the single mother and the kooky best friend. Warga dreamed up something truly unique, but I wish the elements interacted a little more. The story was tied up nicely, but I would've liked a few more twists and turns.
I do think that this book is perfect for a spooky mystery lover or someone looking to get in the Fall mood. I would recommend this book to 3rd and 4th grade readers, but probably not 5th grade.
Hopefully Warga will take another stab at a mystery because I love her writing style and I'm excited to see what she comes up with next.
This e-ARC was provided by NetGalley.
October 16, 2024
When a painting goes missing from the museum his mom works for, Rami with the help of his new friend Veda, a floating girl that suspiciously looks like the girl in the painting, and a turtle will slowly uncover the truth to find the missing art.
This middle grade mystery from the award-winning author Jasmine Warga will appeal to young mystery readers. The pieces of the mystery are so elegantly put together as each piece comes together in its satisfying conclusion. Warga makes the reader care about each and every one of the characters, even those who may appear to be gruff and prickly.
It is my sincerest hope that this book is considered for award season, especially the Newbery in January 2025.
I would highly recommend this book for purchase by elementary school and public libraries.
This book was provided as an ARC at a fall publishing event for librarians, CATS Title Talk.
This middle grade mystery from the award-winning author Jasmine Warga will appeal to young mystery readers. The pieces of the mystery are so elegantly put together as each piece comes together in its satisfying conclusion. Warga makes the reader care about each and every one of the characters, even those who may appear to be gruff and prickly.
It is my sincerest hope that this book is considered for award season, especially the Newbery in January 2025.
I would highly recommend this book for purchase by elementary school and public libraries.
This book was provided as an ARC at a fall publishing event for librarians, CATS Title Talk.
October 24, 2024
This MG book is great for fans of The Swifts and Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring!
🖼️
Rami is upset that the painting he stares at in Cherry Hall, a wing at the museum where his mom works, has been stolen. When Rami sees a floating girl that no one else can, he realizes it’s the girl from the painting. Together with a new friend, Veda, and a turtle named Agatha, they search for clues to see if they find out who took the painting and why.
🐢
This novel was a sweet story about a boy who lost his friends and learns to make new ones, as well as deal with the abandonment from his father. It does a good job of addressing the concept of loneliness for kids as well. This title is out now!
CW: bullying, parental abandonment, coma, medical content
2.5 ⭐️ my least favorite of her books 😔
🖼️
Rami is upset that the painting he stares at in Cherry Hall, a wing at the museum where his mom works, has been stolen. When Rami sees a floating girl that no one else can, he realizes it’s the girl from the painting. Together with a new friend, Veda, and a turtle named Agatha, they search for clues to see if they find out who took the painting and why.
🐢
This novel was a sweet story about a boy who lost his friends and learns to make new ones, as well as deal with the abandonment from his father. It does a good job of addressing the concept of loneliness for kids as well. This title is out now!
CW: bullying, parental abandonment, coma, medical content
2.5 ⭐️ my least favorite of her books 😔
January 2, 2025
First book of 2025 is complete. After looking back on my year and doing some self-examination, I’m happy to return to the sweet simplicity of middle grade fiction with Jasmine Warga’s “A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall.” This is a perfect early chapter book. I have 2nd and 3rd graders and a strong and/or adventurous second grade reader could definitely read this and grasp it, and I think it’s perfect for 3rd-6th grade. Rami has to find the painting missing from the art museum where his mom works. He wants to clear her name but he’s also self-conscious from his own rough beginning to sixth grade. I loved that this is a mystery mixed with a little bit of fantasy, and a curious turtle who sees and knows everything.
March 20, 2025
OLA 2026 Sequoyah Children's Masterlist (grades 3-5)
Quick Thoughts: I cannot wait to share this one with students! Perfect for our 3-5 graders. Major friendship themes: finding your friend group, loneliness, making new friends, being seen. I also loved the focus on art and family as well. There are some discussions that I would want to have with my children regarding this story re: sneaking out and lying, but I think those are good open conversations to have. There's also not any closure with Rami's father and while that wasn't really a major part of the story, it did leave me with questions which I think some students/children may have as well. Overall, a great story that I think students will love.
Quick Thoughts: I cannot wait to share this one with students! Perfect for our 3-5 graders. Major friendship themes: finding your friend group, loneliness, making new friends, being seen. I also loved the focus on art and family as well. There are some discussions that I would want to have with my children regarding this story re: sneaking out and lying, but I think those are good open conversations to have. There's also not any closure with Rami's father and while that wasn't really a major part of the story, it did leave me with questions which I think some students/children may have as well. Overall, a great story that I think students will love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2024
“The stolen painting was called untitled. Literally, that’s what it is named. Its name was its lack of name.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a middle grade mystery book.
Two friends Rami and Veda work to solve the mystery of a stolen painting where Rami’s mother works. They work together to follow the clues and find the motive of who would steal the painting. Strangely enough, it involves a ghost and a turtle.
This was a super cute, fast and overall fun read. I liked it and would highly recommend it to any middle grade reader.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a middle grade mystery book.
Two friends Rami and Veda work to solve the mystery of a stolen painting where Rami’s mother works. They work together to follow the clues and find the motive of who would steal the painting. Strangely enough, it involves a ghost and a turtle.
This was a super cute, fast and overall fun read. I liked it and would highly recommend it to any middle grade reader.
December 17, 2024
A great middle grade mystery. Not a lot of suspense, but it is a great easy story for mystery lovers. The book follows Rami, a boy that has felt like an outcast without many friends. His mom works at the museum where a painting had just been stolen. While wandering the halls, he spots a ghostly girl that looks similar to the one in the stolen painting. Rami teams up with his classmate Veda and an unsuspecting turtle to try and solve the mystery of what happened in Cherry Hall. There is a great connection on the appreciation of art.
CW: medical content, parent abandonment
CW: medical content, parent abandonment
February 26, 2025
3.5. This was a really cute and simple mystery. I agree with others that it reads younger than I thought it would. I liked the main character’s internal consternation and budding friendship with Veda. It could’ve gotten a little deeper about the feelings he had about his home and friend life. But I really do like how Warga writes, effortless and sweet. Sadly, the mystery was getting really good and then it was solved super quickly. I liked the turtle side character, very Katherine Applegate-esque.
January 7, 2025
This was a short and sweet mystery novel reminiscent of Chasing Vermeer except that the mystery wasn’t that deep. The inclusion of the very perceptive turtle and the “ghost” of the girl in the missing painting were fun. The ending wrapped up super neatly and the characters were very endearing. I would definitely hand this to a kid looking for a mystery novel but I will be surprised if we see it get much recognition in the youth media awards (4 hours)
December 27, 2024
"Jasmine Warga has crafted a clever mystery that unfolds in unexpected ways and answers the question not only of “Whodunnit?” but more importantly the greater mystery of “Who am I?” It is powered by good friends, true fears, and the importance of taking time to notice things that are easily overlooked." [author James Ponti]
September 17, 2025
A very famous painting has been stolen from Cherry Hall; and Rami’s mother works there as a cleaner. Rami is very worried that she might be blamed for the theft. He decides to try and solve the mystery.
This was cute; but I kind of found the turtle aspect a little unbelievable. Overall, it was cute.
This was cute; but I kind of found the turtle aspect a little unbelievable. Overall, it was cute.
December 17, 2024
This was a nice enjoyable story. This is great for kids who like mystery but not too much of a thriller. I kept thinking about its gentle approach. I also like the length because I work with kids who don't want to read big, thick fantasies. Plus, it'll be fun to book talk!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews