TWELFTH by Janet Key

 

Twelfth by Janet Key

Realistic Fiction, Mystery, LGBTQIA+

354 pages

Description

School Library Journal (June 1, 2022)

Gr 4-8-It's June 2015 and 12-year-old Maren is not all that excited to be attending the Charlotte Goodman Theater Camp for the summer. However, Maren is soon drawn into a mystery involving a series of clues that may lead to the missing diamond ring of Charlotte "Charlie" Goodman, the famous director who was said to perish in a fire and for whom the camp is named. Maren soon befriends aspiring filmmaker Theo, and together they begin to unravel the mystery, hoping to find the ring to save the camp, which needs funding. The novel deftly tackles serious topics like depression, homophobia, and transphobia. It also is wonderfully inclusive, as Theo is nonbinary and Charlie is gender nonconforming. Key wisely uses Shakespeare's Twelfth Night as the backdrop for her narrative, serving as the camp's main theater production, the basis for the clues for the mystery, and as the lost film Charlie had been working on before her demise. The story includes flashbacks to Charlie in the 1940s and 1950s, interspersed between Maren's chapters, which are set in June 2015, only weeks before gay marriage was made legal. End notes feature facts on theater, film, and LGBTQIA+ history as well as information on ways readers can seek help if they are struggling with depression. VERDICT A engrossing mystery with a diverse cast of characters; an insightful exploration of the topics of gender, depression, and sexuality; and a satisfying and comprehensive conclusion. Highly recommended.-Laura J. Giunta © Copyright 2022. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

My Comments

Clever plot with a lot of action and suspense and a satisfying ending. Twelfth Night is the perfect backdrop with the themes of love, appearance, reality, ambition, grief, greed and deception. Gender identity, acceptance and forgiveness are major threads running through the story. The only criticism I have is that the story is a little long, so recommend to better readers, Grades 6-8.

KILLER OF THE FLOWER MOON: THE OSAGE MURDERS AND THE BIRTH OF THE FBI (adapted for young readers) by David Grann

 

Killer of the Flower Moon: The Osage  Murders and the Birth of the FBI (Young Readers by David Gran

Narrative Nonfiction, Human Rights, Native Americans, U.S. History

322 pages

Description

Kirkus Reviews (October 15, 2021)

A young readers’ adaptation of the 2017 title by the same name tells the story behind a series of murders in 1920s Oklahoma. Opening with the murder of Anna Brown, a 34-year-old Osage woman, readers are led through the chain of evidence as well as being introduced to critical background information such as the seizure of much Osage territory by the U.S. government and the consequences for Osage people of finding oil on their land. By the time FBI special agent Tom White was put on the case, an Osage man had been murdered and Anna’s mother had died under mysterious circumstances, contributing to feelings in the community that they were being targeted for their wealth. The book evokes the atmosphere of the time through photographs and the quoting of sensationalistic newspaper headlines, but the author handles the material respectfully and does not go into graphic detail about the deaths. Each chapter uncovers a new layer of exploitation and corruption in a system that required the Osage to have White guardians who dictated how and where they could spend their money. The bureau’s undercover operatives used the latest forensic and investigative techniques to confirm alibis and reveal false identities. The story unfolds in a gripping way, allowing readers to piece together what happened with the information given. This compelling page-turner highlights criminal exploitation of Osage people and the work of the modern FBI. (who’s who, glossary, note on sources, sources, notes, illustration credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

My Comments
A powerful and tragic story. So many people recommended this book to me for years, but I avoided reading it for this very reason. I am so, glad, however, that I finally did. There are so many lessons about the lure of greed, corruption, and the dehumanization of Native Americans. There are also examples of tremendous and courage and integrity. It's an important story that would make for deep conversations if read as a class or with a parent. This story is and should be unforgettable. Pair this with the fascinating Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies by Marc Aronson

THE INHERITANCE GAMES by Jennifer Lynne Barnes

 

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynne Barnes

Mystery, Puzzles, Romance, Wealth

374 pages

Description

School Library Journal (July 1, 2020)

Gr 7 Up-Barnes's meticulously crafted novel is like the film Knives Out for the YA world, perfect for any reader seeking suspense, romance, and glamour. This Cinderella story gets its twist when Avery Grambs, a teen living out of her car and dreaming of a financially stable future, inherits billionaire Tobias Hawthorne's fortune. Avery is sure she's never met a Hawthorne in her life, but she's just become the star player in Tobias's final puzzle. Forced to move into the rambling Hawthorne House to retain the inheritance, Avery discovers that hidden passageways aren't the only secrets on this estate. She strives to learn all about the enigmatic Tobias Hawthorne-and discovers this inheritance game was decades in the making. Armed only with the letters Tobias left his four grandsons, Avery becomes determined to solve their riddles if only to answer the question: Why her? The secondary cast of characters offers diversity in both race and sexual orientation, within the Hawthorne family and the private high school where Avery enrolls. Barnes crafts high-stakes tension, a swoony love triangle, and a large but memorable cast of characters. The novel manages to tie up the mystery and set up its sequel with a killer cliffhanger. VERDICT Fun and fast-paced, fans of Karen M. McManus's One of Us Is Lying and Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious will find a new home at Hawthorne House. Even reluctant readers will devour this book.-Emmy Neal, Lake Forest Lib., IL © Copyright 2020. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

My Comments

First in a trilogy (Book 2 The Hawthorne Legacy; Book 3 The Final Gambit) I read all three. Fans of The Queen's Gambit will love this. The puzzles are fun. A YA version of Mr. Lemoncello and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with some fun romance. This is a feel good, suspenseful trilogy that ends with good values. Recommend to McManus fans.