Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying

(Hardback)

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Description

A young spy gets entangled in an action-filled, whodunit mystery! When Mabel's parents leave town without warning, she isn't worried. They're spies, after all. But when her beloved Aunt Gertie is arrested for leading a smuggling ring, then her obnoxious Uncle Frank and Aunt Stella show up, demanding to be let into the family's private museum . . . things begin to look fishy. Especially since Mabel hasn't heard from her parents in days. Tackling a mystery like this one is what she has been training for her whole, short life. Using her self-authored spy handbook, will Mabel be able to find her parents and unmask the real criminal before it's too late Rife with quirky characters, zany twists, and an unflinching look at the difficulty of learning to trust, Amanda Hosch's debut is sure to capture the hearts of secret-keepers, sleuths, and everyone in between. Ages 9 to 12 AUTHOR: Amanda Hosch loves writing, travel, and coffee. She lived abroad for ten years, teaching English as a Foreign Language. A fifth generation New Orleanian, Amanda now lives in Seattle with her husband, their two daughters, and a ghost cat. When not writing, she's a reading tutor for elementary school kids. SELLING POINTS: On trend: Spying is a popular topic Girl detective: humorous mystery with a spunky female lead sleuth Explores the challenges and responsibilities of keeping secrets First-person narration and fast-paced plot will keep readers engaged and make it a great read-aloud Geographic and historical hook: set in the foothills of Mt. Rainier National Park, the author uses the mountain itself, its natural scenary and Mabel's American history knowledge to drive the plot.

Reviews

A light and quirky mystery. Consider for large collections.-- "School Library Journal"
I can't recommend this one enough. If you love anything to do with spies I highly suggest reading this one. It's funny and amazing and you will not regret picking it up. Amanda Hosch is the queen of writing great characters with lots of heart.-- "YA Books Central"
It's not uncommon for middle-grade novels to build a story around a kid whose parents are spies, but Hosch manages to keep this premise fresh and entertaining in her new mystery. . . .Hosch works humor and suspense into the story, along with appealingly quirky characters and intriguing spy communications that will leave armchair detectives hooked and happy.-- "Booklist Online"
Mabel's first-person narration reveals a clearheaded and resourceful but lonely and somewhat resentful girl whose efforts to protect her parents' secrets deny her the normal social life she deserves. A suspenseful, multifaceted puzzler with a savvy girl sleuth.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Author Bio

Amanda Hosch loves writing, travel, and coffee. She lived abroad for ten years, teaching English as a Foreign Language. A fifth generation New Orleanian, Amanda now lives in Seattle with her husband, their two daughters, and a ghost cat. When not writing, she's a reading tutor for elementary school kids. Ira Sluyterman van Langeweyde studied design at the University of Applied Sciences in Mnster, Germany. She worked several years as a screen designer before she rediscovered her passion for illustration. Now, living in Munich, she makes character designs and illustrations for books, movies, TV shows, and other media. You can see more of her work at www.iraville.de.