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The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill
Hazel Kaplansky is a firm believer in the pursuit of knowledge and truth—and she also happens to love a good mystery. When suspicions swirl that a Russian spy has infiltrated her small town of Maple Hill, Vermont, amidst the fervor of Cold War era McCarthyism, Hazel knows it’s up to her to find a suspect… starting with Mr. Jones, the quietly suspicious grave digger. Plus she’s found a perfect sleuthing partner in Samuel Butler, the new boy in school with a few secrets of his own. But as Hazel and Samuel piece together clues from the past and present, the truth is suddenly not what they expected, and what they find reveals more about themselves and the people of their cozy little town than they could ever have imagined.
Audio CD
First published February 4, 2014
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About the author
Megan Frazer Blakemore
18 books170 followersMegan Frazer Blakemore is an author for children and young adults. She lives with her husband and children in Maine. She has worked in both school and public libraries, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in library science at Simmons SLIS.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
October 15, 2014
Really did not care for this book; I disliked Hazel as well as almost all the other characters. Numerous oddities seemed to spring out (yet ANOTHER reference to a librarian having a master's degree--enough with the Education, okay? sincerely doubt a ten-year-old girl would have noticed, known, or cared, especially since later she doesn't know what a PhD is; a reference to a black-and-white TV, as if there was any other kind; a fairly lengthy discussion about a book that hadn't been published yet). The Communism plot just seemed overdone, in general, or maybe I'm just tired of reading about it. I could go on and on, but mostly it's that I didn't like Hazel, who is full of herself and unkind, and that I didn't find the plot compelling.
February 24, 2015
We went to Hawaii for a week and I read eight books and decided to write the reviews when I got back. Great plan except this book is a blank slate or blank plate. I'm hungry. I had to go back and reread other reviews to remind myself what it was about. Like butter on top of a pancake, the characters and plot just went poof! sliding off and out of my memory. Hazel, the protagonist, is swept up in the hysteria of McCarthyism during the Cold War. Rumors have it that there is a Russian spy in Hazel's small town of Maple Hill and Hazel, an avid reader of Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew, is the sleuth that is going to figure out the traitor. Suspect number one is Mr. Jones, the caretaker at the cemetery her parents own. She enlists the help of newcomer, Samuel Butler, a new boy that is smarter in school than Hazel. This causes her some insecurity as she is not confident in many things except that she is the smartest girl in her class. Now that someone smarter has come along, she's not sure how to deal with it. She changes throughout the story from accepting media whoop-la to one that learns to think for herself.
Hazel thinks highly of herself. She can be cocky and arrogant, but also strong-headed and daring. It isn't easy creating a character that is full of himself or herself and while the author does an okay job, I did lose interest when Hazel had negative inner monologues. The stereotypes of the bullies and crabby librarian with no-nonsense glasses and shoes that didn't like books out-of-order contrasted with the nice pretty librarian also fell flat. Hazel's mom sometimes would say something wise to Hazel, but then would make a petty comment about the pigeon-toed bully's sidekick that seemed inappropriate. The music teacher sometimes seemed like a ding-dong that didn't get the dynamics of her class but other times would cruelly laugh at Hazel and play favorites. There is one kind teacher, but I found myself put off more times than not. Perhaps if there was less focus on looks and superficial characteristics and the balance not so tipped toward the negative, I would not have kept losing interest in parts and skimming.
The story takes place in the 1950's and the author does a good job capturing small town life and the historical setting. Hazel builds a bomb shelter in a mausoleum as a way to deal with the Communist threats to her community. Her best friend has moved away and she is bullied mercilessly by two girls at school. Hazel is very impulsive and doesn't think before she acts causing quite a bit of harm to those in her path. But she also has a sensitive side and when she helps Samuel deal with his grief at the end it is a nice touch. I really liked this author's book "The Water Castle," but this one fell short for me. I'm gonna cut this review short as I feel like the runaway pancake. Hmmm, pancakes. I haven't had them in ages. Like I said, I'm hungry.
Hazel thinks highly of herself. She can be cocky and arrogant, but also strong-headed and daring. It isn't easy creating a character that is full of himself or herself and while the author does an okay job, I did lose interest when Hazel had negative inner monologues. The stereotypes of the bullies and crabby librarian with no-nonsense glasses and shoes that didn't like books out-of-order contrasted with the nice pretty librarian also fell flat. Hazel's mom sometimes would say something wise to Hazel, but then would make a petty comment about the pigeon-toed bully's sidekick that seemed inappropriate. The music teacher sometimes seemed like a ding-dong that didn't get the dynamics of her class but other times would cruelly laugh at Hazel and play favorites. There is one kind teacher, but I found myself put off more times than not. Perhaps if there was less focus on looks and superficial characteristics and the balance not so tipped toward the negative, I would not have kept losing interest in parts and skimming.
The story takes place in the 1950's and the author does a good job capturing small town life and the historical setting. Hazel builds a bomb shelter in a mausoleum as a way to deal with the Communist threats to her community. Her best friend has moved away and she is bullied mercilessly by two girls at school. Hazel is very impulsive and doesn't think before she acts causing quite a bit of harm to those in her path. But she also has a sensitive side and when she helps Samuel deal with his grief at the end it is a nice touch. I really liked this author's book "The Water Castle," but this one fell short for me. I'm gonna cut this review short as I feel like the runaway pancake. Hmmm, pancakes. I haven't had them in ages. Like I said, I'm hungry.
May 8, 2014
Review first published on RedeemedReader
I thoroughly enjoyed Blakemore's The Water Castle which just came out last year. So, when I had the chance to scoop up her next one as a pre-publication copy at ALA this January, I jumped at it. Spy Catchers is geared to a slightly younger audience than Water Castle and has a different feel entirely.
Hazel Kaplansky is a young sleuth hot on the heels of a presumed spy. She's growing up amidst the fear of the McCarthy era, and therefore has come to the firm conviction that Mr. Jones, the gravedigger at the cemetery her parents own and run, is a Red spy. No doubt about it. Her friend Samuel tries to interject reasoned cautions into Hazel's speculations, but he also good naturedly joins in with her crazy stakeout ideas. At school, Hazel is a bit of a misfit; so is Samuel, so they make a natural pairing.
As the story progresses, Hazel begins to unravel a lot of smaller mysteries, including one about Samuel's own past. She also gains a better understanding of the individual selves around her. This is right on target for Hazel's age and part of what makes this novel a good fit for its target audience. As children near puberty and young adulthood, they also begin to understand the people in their lives as separate entities with their own passions, dislikes, quirks, and personalities--not just "Mom," "Dad," "the crazy old lady." Blakemore shows Hazel's growing awareness clearly and draws the reader right alongside.
Spy Catchers tackles an important part of history--one that can be hard to communicate to children. The atmosphere of fear, the rumor spreading, the snap judgments that filled that era of American history are not unique to the 1950s, though. And they're certainly not uncommon in children this age! Good discussion topics with this book include how we should handle rumors, how we treat people around us, how we let family background govern our understanding of a person, when we trust or don't trust the government, and other related questions.
Spy Catchers is part mystery, part historical fiction, and all character driven. A bit contemplative for a mystery, this is a good fit for avid readers who enjoy immersing themselves in the lives of the characters they read about. Those who crave quick, action-packed adventures may have trouble hanging in there with Hazel. Spy Catchers of Maple Hill is out this month!
Note for concerned parents: the reading level and subject matter in general make this a good fit for younger, precocious readers (2nd-3rd grade or so). That being said, Samuel's past includes the fact that his parents weren't married--this is not a huge deal, but it comes out clearly enough that if your children aren't ready to discuss that, hold this one in reserve a bit longer.
I thoroughly enjoyed Blakemore's The Water Castle which just came out last year. So, when I had the chance to scoop up her next one as a pre-publication copy at ALA this January, I jumped at it. Spy Catchers is geared to a slightly younger audience than Water Castle and has a different feel entirely.
Hazel Kaplansky is a young sleuth hot on the heels of a presumed spy. She's growing up amidst the fear of the McCarthy era, and therefore has come to the firm conviction that Mr. Jones, the gravedigger at the cemetery her parents own and run, is a Red spy. No doubt about it. Her friend Samuel tries to interject reasoned cautions into Hazel's speculations, but he also good naturedly joins in with her crazy stakeout ideas. At school, Hazel is a bit of a misfit; so is Samuel, so they make a natural pairing.
As the story progresses, Hazel begins to unravel a lot of smaller mysteries, including one about Samuel's own past. She also gains a better understanding of the individual selves around her. This is right on target for Hazel's age and part of what makes this novel a good fit for its target audience. As children near puberty and young adulthood, they also begin to understand the people in their lives as separate entities with their own passions, dislikes, quirks, and personalities--not just "Mom," "Dad," "the crazy old lady." Blakemore shows Hazel's growing awareness clearly and draws the reader right alongside.
Spy Catchers tackles an important part of history--one that can be hard to communicate to children. The atmosphere of fear, the rumor spreading, the snap judgments that filled that era of American history are not unique to the 1950s, though. And they're certainly not uncommon in children this age! Good discussion topics with this book include how we should handle rumors, how we treat people around us, how we let family background govern our understanding of a person, when we trust or don't trust the government, and other related questions.
Spy Catchers is part mystery, part historical fiction, and all character driven. A bit contemplative for a mystery, this is a good fit for avid readers who enjoy immersing themselves in the lives of the characters they read about. Those who crave quick, action-packed adventures may have trouble hanging in there with Hazel. Spy Catchers of Maple Hill is out this month!
Note for concerned parents: the reading level and subject matter in general make this a good fit for younger, precocious readers (2nd-3rd grade or so). That being said, Samuel's past includes the fact that his parents weren't married--this is not a huge deal, but it comes out clearly enough that if your children aren't ready to discuss that, hold this one in reserve a bit longer.
August 11, 2015
The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill threw me off at first because I didn’t realize it was going to be set back during the Cold War. Once I adjusted to the time period, I was easily swept up into Hazel’s world. As a girl, I was a huge Nancy Drew fan and found of inventing my own mysteries. Hazel takes the cake at mystery hunting as she embarks on finding out the truth about who the spies are in her town. She finds some bumps along the road as she befriends a boy named Samuel, who seems to have his own mysterious past that everyone knows about except her.
Hazel is fixated on their new gravedigger, as he is seen doing some suspicious things, like cleaning graves in an area of a graveyard where no one goes. She is intent on finding proof before she comes forward with her accusations, but finds herself in a whole lot of trouble in the meantime. I really love this book for it’s way it expresses friendship, the strength of Hazel’s character and how it shows that not everything is as it seems to be.
My only concern is I’m not sure how well it will appeal to my students at my school. There’s some references they wouldn’t quite understand, but I think the characters will make up for their lack of knowledge. I love stories told from flawed characters, Hazel having some problems with being a bit overwhelming at times and very much in the moment. I really enjoyed the story overall, but the characters really made everything about this book pop. Also, how many books do you read about a girl whose parents maintain a graveyard?
Verdict:
An amusing middle grade set during the Cold War and involve a multi-layered mystery. Also, may have teared up at one point towards the end of the book, so bonus points for almost making me cry.
Hazel is fixated on their new gravedigger, as he is seen doing some suspicious things, like cleaning graves in an area of a graveyard where no one goes. She is intent on finding proof before she comes forward with her accusations, but finds herself in a whole lot of trouble in the meantime. I really love this book for it’s way it expresses friendship, the strength of Hazel’s character and how it shows that not everything is as it seems to be.
My only concern is I’m not sure how well it will appeal to my students at my school. There’s some references they wouldn’t quite understand, but I think the characters will make up for their lack of knowledge. I love stories told from flawed characters, Hazel having some problems with being a bit overwhelming at times and very much in the moment. I really enjoyed the story overall, but the characters really made everything about this book pop. Also, how many books do you read about a girl whose parents maintain a graveyard?
Verdict:
An amusing middle grade set during the Cold War and involve a multi-layered mystery. Also, may have teared up at one point towards the end of the book, so bonus points for almost making me cry.
February 17, 2014
Hazel Kaplansky is a growing up in scary times: the McCarthy era of secrets and spies. Hazel, a ten year old only child, is taking the circumstances very seriously, secretly converting a mausoleum into a bomb shelter and watching carefully for suspicious and traitorous acts within her hometown. Her parents, caretakers of Maple Hill, the town’s cemetery, are oblivious to Hazel’s worries and schemes as they are wrapped up in their own passion with botany and the beautification of the cemetery. Hazel is very bright but socially inept and is often a target for classroom bullies. When a new student arrives at the school, Hazel and Samuel form a friendship that just might be the most influential of young Hazel’s life. Samuel himself is wrapped in mysteries and poses an interesting puzzle for Hazel. Hazel considers herself a sleuth after her hero Nancy Drew but this plot is moved along only by Hazel making poor assumptions and believing whole heartedly in rumors. Hazel is an unbecoming narrator, full of herself and too consumed with whether she is smarter than others. With historical events of the 1950s referenced throughout this story, this is far more an historical fiction than mystery novel. Far better stories exist with young sleuths as the protagonists.
Optional purchase for grades 4-6.
(I'm currently listening to Three Times Lucky by Susan Turnage and wish that Hazel had a tenth of Mo LeBeau's spunk! It might have turned this story around to have some humor and humility.)
Optional purchase for grades 4-6.
(I'm currently listening to Three Times Lucky by Susan Turnage and wish that Hazel had a tenth of Mo LeBeau's spunk! It might have turned this story around to have some humor and humility.)
April 25, 2015
I liked that this mystery was written with respect towards children. The main character in the story, Hazel Kaplansky, is convinced that the grave digger at her parents' cemetery is a communist. She has little evidence - only the knowledge that he regularly cares for the grave of a child named Alice.
Many children's mysteries written for children tend to be a little shallow - ordinarily Hazel would prove her case, and then the bad guys would chase after her. But, this is real life, and it's Hazel's imagination that needs to be reigned in. She learns the value of finding out the truth before casting judgment, and the good she can do by using her relentlessness to help her friends instead of hurting others.
Many children's mysteries written for children tend to be a little shallow - ordinarily Hazel would prove her case, and then the bad guys would chase after her. But, this is real life, and it's Hazel's imagination that needs to be reigned in. She learns the value of finding out the truth before casting judgment, and the good she can do by using her relentlessness to help her friends instead of hurting others.
July 24, 2014
I was hoping for more of a mystery with more clues, but it came to a satisfying ending. My favorite parts were probably when Hazel was extolling the virtues of libraries and herself:
p. 45: If her parents were ever to die in a horrible, tragic accident, she hoped that Miss Lerner would adopt her, and they would catalog books all the time.
p. 46: The people in the books she liked to read were always taking strolls in the fresh country air to clear their heads and their lungs, and so it made her feel grown-up and European to do it.
p. 185: "I think I would be considered quite the catch."
p. 289: She pulled one knee up and put her foot flat on the tree branch, then she put her cheek on her knee. She figured that if someone saw her from afar, this position would show them just how melancholic she was.
p. 45: If her parents were ever to die in a horrible, tragic accident, she hoped that Miss Lerner would adopt her, and they would catalog books all the time.
p. 46: The people in the books she liked to read were always taking strolls in the fresh country air to clear their heads and their lungs, and so it made her feel grown-up and European to do it.
p. 185: "I think I would be considered quite the catch."
p. 289: She pulled one knee up and put her foot flat on the tree branch, then she put her cheek on her knee. She figured that if someone saw her from afar, this position would show them just how melancholic she was.
July 8, 2014
3.5/5
This is often categorized as a mystery, but really it's more of a misunderstanding, so I consider it to just be straight-up historical fiction. Not too many mystery-lovers would be satisfied with this book, I think, but historical fiction lovers would enjoy it.
I found Hazel at turns adorable and beyond irritating. Her runaway imagination is endearing but her know-it-allness was not, but I guess that's kind of a common kid trait, so.
Overall this was a very solid book, imparting (gently) some important lessons, but it did not capture my imagination as I'd hoped it would.
P.S. Bonus points for a Smith grad and a look at what women had to and STILL have to give up!
This is often categorized as a mystery, but really it's more of a misunderstanding, so I consider it to just be straight-up historical fiction. Not too many mystery-lovers would be satisfied with this book, I think, but historical fiction lovers would enjoy it.
I found Hazel at turns adorable and beyond irritating. Her runaway imagination is endearing but her know-it-allness was not, but I guess that's kind of a common kid trait, so.
Overall this was a very solid book, imparting (gently) some important lessons, but it did not capture my imagination as I'd hoped it would.
P.S. Bonus points for a Smith grad and a look at what women had to and STILL have to give up!
March 6, 2015
As someone who grew up in the 50's and 60's, I can vividly remember the fallout shelters, the civil
defense drills in school, and the fear of the Russians. Not to mention my obsession with
Nancy Drew. My friends and sister and I had a race to see who could read them all first.
Therefore this story, and Hazel Kaplansky, with her obsessive drive to solve a mystery, ran very true to me.
I loved this book - a mystery, a comedy, historical fiction, and ultimately, a book about friendship and trust.
defense drills in school, and the fear of the Russians. Not to mention my obsession with
Nancy Drew. My friends and sister and I had a race to see who could read them all first.
Therefore this story, and Hazel Kaplansky, with her obsessive drive to solve a mystery, ran very true to me.
I loved this book - a mystery, a comedy, historical fiction, and ultimately, a book about friendship and trust.
February 9, 2014
Megan has done it again! Middle grade readers will connect with Hazel and as she navigates the world and forges friendships in this historical fiction novel.
September 9, 2015
Absolutely fantastic. Megan Frazer Blakemore is one of my favorite middle grade authors and I think this is my favorite yet of hers. I utterly adored Hazel. This was great on audio, too.
June 5, 2017
Wonderful main character, excellent as an audio. Looking forward to more from this author.
May 24, 2021
I stumbled across this when looking for Cold War era historical fiction. We loved her sci-fi duology last summer, and I always like to have several novels set in any given time period to recommend to students. So I thought I'd give this a try, although it's a bit older by now. It's a fine addition to an elementary classroom shelf.
Set in 1953 it fits the bill, but tangentially through the main character's attitude, as it's set in the sleepy town of Maple Hill, Vermont. McCarthy's reach was quite long and it stretches right into the imagination of the main character, 12-year-old Hazel Kaplansky, who very quickly (and with no basis at all) pegs her parents' new gravedigger (they run a cemetery) as a spy.
Exactly what he's spying on in Vermont (?!) is never really addressed and perhaps may be the point. McCarthy's hysteria touches even this little girl.
She manages to rope another child, a boy her age, Samuel Butler, into her spy-conspiracy theory. He's much better at reserving judgment, but agrees to help her research at the public library a name on a headstone: Alice. It comes to their attention after the gravedigger leaves a Russian nested doll behind.
Hazel is so young and zealous about catching spies that it never occurs to her to see the man's actions as expressions of obvious pain and grief. As an adult you see it a mile away and it's cringe-worthy. It leads to Hazel causing a lot of pain and grief for others -- the gravedigger, her parents, Sam. Her assumptions and ill-founded judgments harm pretty much everyone she comes into contact with.
Is there any way she can make things right? She tries for her friend, Sam, but for the gravedigger the damage is done.
While a powerful narrative, this wasn't quite what I was looking for, and while set in 1953, there are several other McCarthy era middle grade novels that have come out since that capture the milieu much better. See my reviews of The Enemy, Suspect Red and Spy Runner.
But for a student who needs a slightly gentler read, this would fit the bill. It's also not quite as focused on the history of the epoch. It's more about Hazel's struggles to see things beyond her own assumptions. Therefore, it's not quite as good for building students' background knowledge of the era, but is still appropriate for lower elementary grades.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Set in 1953 it fits the bill, but tangentially through the main character's attitude, as it's set in the sleepy town of Maple Hill, Vermont. McCarthy's reach was quite long and it stretches right into the imagination of the main character, 12-year-old Hazel Kaplansky, who very quickly (and with no basis at all) pegs her parents' new gravedigger (they run a cemetery) as a spy.
Exactly what he's spying on in Vermont (?!) is never really addressed and perhaps may be the point. McCarthy's hysteria touches even this little girl.
She manages to rope another child, a boy her age, Samuel Butler, into her spy-conspiracy theory. He's much better at reserving judgment, but agrees to help her research at the public library a name on a headstone: Alice. It comes to their attention after the gravedigger leaves a Russian nested doll behind.
Hazel is so young and zealous about catching spies that it never occurs to her to see the man's actions as expressions of obvious pain and grief. As an adult you see it a mile away and it's cringe-worthy. It leads to Hazel causing a lot of pain and grief for others -- the gravedigger, her parents, Sam. Her assumptions and ill-founded judgments harm pretty much everyone she comes into contact with.
Is there any way she can make things right? She tries for her friend, Sam, but for the gravedigger the damage is done.
While a powerful narrative, this wasn't quite what I was looking for, and while set in 1953, there are several other McCarthy era middle grade novels that have come out since that capture the milieu much better. See my reviews of The Enemy, Suspect Red and Spy Runner.
But for a student who needs a slightly gentler read, this would fit the bill. It's also not quite as focused on the history of the epoch. It's more about Hazel's struggles to see things beyond her own assumptions. Therefore, it's not quite as good for building students' background knowledge of the era, but is still appropriate for lower elementary grades.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
December 28, 2021
Hazel is obnoxious, but she doesn't know it. She knows a lot of other things, and when smart Samuel arrives, she feels threatened, but they soon become friends as she ropes him into her investigation of their family cemetery's gravedigger. The HUAC is looking into the local factory for spies, which sets Hazel's Nancy Drew-reading imagination wild.
Her logic is wildly flawed, which numerous people (Samuel, her parents, the children's librarian) try to point out, to no avail, until it all blows up in her face.
I liked the friendship between the two outcast kids ("triangle people"), and how she recovers from feeling betrayed by Samuel when he caves to the bully girls. The bullies are not redeemed, but Hazel learns a about rushing to conclusions and thinking about the people she is tempted to judge.
How do adults respond to her suspicions?
Her logic is wildly flawed, which numerous people (Samuel, her parents, the children's librarian) try to point out, to no avail, until it all blows up in her face.
I liked the friendship between the two outcast kids ("triangle people"), and how she recovers from feeling betrayed by Samuel when he caves to the bully girls. The bullies are not redeemed, but Hazel learns a about rushing to conclusions and thinking about the people she is tempted to judge.
How do adults respond to her suspicions?
January 9, 2019
I really liked it. The best quote "My moms a great cook as long as it comes out of a can!" Hazel is a young lady who likes to "judge the book or people by what the cover looks like" If the paper says it's true it must be? Seems like the typical town. The old person who keeps a record of everyone and everything whom would like for people to talk to. The town library, One librarian is overbearing thinking of Hazel as a young person. While the other tries to give her different ways to think about life. Hazel's friend Samuel wants Hazel as a friend badly, though he would like her to have her own thoughts rather than others. In the end Hazel comes to have empathy towards others and comes up with excellent ideas how to really make a difference in her real friends lives. So worth reading.
June 8, 2019
1953 story of a small Vermont town disrupted by a Red scare and investigation. The story is told from the view of a mystery-loving school girl whose best friend has recently moved away. She learns about jumping to conclusions, friendship, importance of knowing the past, how some people really are just bullies, and apologies. Brings up some weighty issues such as séances and premarital sex, but only briefly and with an innocence appropriate to juvenile fiction. Author's note at end explains more about McCarthy, Communism, and the time. Might be worth looking up the 1950 speech by Senator Margaret Chase Smith (Declaration of Conscience). Great for middle school study of this decade. 40 chapters plus note. 310 pages.
February 25, 2023
I wanted to love this book. It started out strong. I was pre-reading it to see if it would be good for my kids since we are studying the Cold War. It does a good job of presenting the feelings of a community during that time period - all fearful and suspicious of one another, but it had several aspects that make it not something I feel completely comfortable recommending.
- Talk of alcoholism. One main character's mother is an alcoholic
- Out of wedlock pregnancy discussed
- Main character Hazel thinks her parents don't pay attention to her or are capable of keeping her safe
- Hazel steals and thinks it's ok
- Hazel creates a lot of chaos by jumping to the wrong conclusions. You think she has learned her lesson but the last page makes it clear she has not and is right back to it.
- Talk of alcoholism. One main character's mother is an alcoholic
- Out of wedlock pregnancy discussed
- Main character Hazel thinks her parents don't pay attention to her or are capable of keeping her safe
- Hazel steals and thinks it's ok
- Hazel creates a lot of chaos by jumping to the wrong conclusions. You think she has learned her lesson but the last page makes it clear she has not and is right back to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2018
This was a fun little read my boys (11 and 9) enjoyed it more than I did. I thought a lot of the dialogue was cheesy but my boys didn't seem to think so.
There where a lot of very obscure historical references that I thought would make it hard to hold their interest but instead it lead to some fun conversations. If we had had more time we would have probably researched some of the things mentioned.
My 11 year old said that preferred this book over other mysteries like 39 clues because the situations the characters found themselves in are much more believable and relatable.
There where a lot of very obscure historical references that I thought would make it hard to hold their interest but instead it lead to some fun conversations. If we had had more time we would have probably researched some of the things mentioned.
My 11 year old said that preferred this book over other mysteries like 39 clues because the situations the characters found themselves in are much more believable and relatable.
February 21, 2018
The Premise: Blah, blah blah, blah. Blah blah! Blah blah blah, blah, blah blah blah blah. Blah blah. Blah! Blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah. Blah, blah, blah blah, blah, blah. Blah.
I didn't finish it because it dragged on so much. I could barely even tell what the characters were trying to do, because the plot was so boring. Also, I read this book a while ago, so I don't exactly remember the characters, but Hazel... ugh. I forgot what exactly was so terrible about her, but I couldn't stand her for a moment. And did Sam's mom really have to be "empty"? It contributes nothing to the plot. So overall, I wouldn't waste your time, because this book is soooooooo slow.
I didn't finish it because it dragged on so much. I could barely even tell what the characters were trying to do, because the plot was so boring. Also, I read this book a while ago, so I don't exactly remember the characters, but Hazel... ugh. I forgot what exactly was so terrible about her, but I couldn't stand her for a moment. And did Sam's mom really have to be "empty"? It contributes nothing to the plot. So overall, I wouldn't waste your time, because this book is soooooooo slow.
Want to read
November 6, 2021Hazel has read every single Nancy Drew book and written all of her observations in her Mysteries notebook, but nothing has come of all this preparation until one day when she sees two men stash a box in a locked toolshed at the graveyard her parents own. This has a fun Hermione Granger type main character, and is a good match if you like funny and relatable realistic fiction, slice of life type stuff, and historical fiction (it’s a good readalike for We Dream of Space + mystery).
June 22, 2018
I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I usually do. Hazel can be clueless and sometimes annoying. There’s the usual mean girl, inattentive parents, teachers who don’t understand, smart loner boy who keeps to himself. Set in the Cold War during the McCarthy era.
Note- listened to the audio book and it was decent
Note- listened to the audio book and it was decent
May 22, 2024
Excellent middle grades historical fiction. Deals with 1950s McCarthyism, roles of women in post war American culture, and the ever-present mean girls in school. Warnings for parents: delicately handled sub plot about a child born out of wedlock; themes of depression, and a scene in which kids try to perform a seance in a cemetery. Nothing graphic, explicit, or inappropriate; no bad language.
June 27, 2019
This was a random audiobook choice from the library. I don’t do that often and this book is the reason- a little too close to demonic spirits and a lot of information on an unwed teenage mother that lead to some eye opening conversations with my 11 and 9 year olds.
July 4, 2022
I remember reading this book years ago, I enjoyed it immensely. The story was so heartbreaking, and not what I thought it would be. This is a book I read when I was still very into spies, and even though the story takes an unexpected turn it was still so good.
April 7, 2023
Fun mystery set in the height of post-WWII Cold War. Neat how it revolved around a new friendship as well as dealing with the loss of a best friend who moved away.
Content: mythology, alcoholism discussed, séance, pentagram, cremation discussed, unwed pregnancy discussed
Content: mythology, alcoholism discussed, séance, pentagram, cremation discussed, unwed pregnancy discussed
April 18, 2024
I gave this book three stars because it’s neither a great book nor a bad book. But my son (who I read this too) did not like the book at all. I actually found the author’s note in the back the best part of the book.
June 25, 2024
A young schoolgirl tries to uncover a communist spy in her town with the help of a mysterious young boy during the height of Cold War-era America. The author does a great job exemplifying the neighbor against neighbor anxiety that happened.
August 21, 2018
The kids enjoyed it. I was a bit surprised by some of the more mature topics covered (alcoholism, pregnancy out of wedlock, etc). I just wasn't expecting it from the cover art.
August 28, 2018
This book is not a mystery. It is part "Harriet the Spy" and part "Because of Winn Dixie", without the satisfying ending of either of them.
June 6, 2019
Listened to one hour of the audio. Gave up.
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