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Summary
Summary
Fans of Chasing Vermeer will love this clever mystery about art, artifice, and the power of community.WATCHER. SHADOW. FUGITIVE.Harlem is home to all kinds of kids. Jin sees life passing her by from the window of her family's bodega. Alex wants to help the needy one shelter at a time, but can't tell anyone who she really is. Elvin's living on Harlem's cold, lonely streets, surviving on his own after his grandfather was mysteriously attacked.When these three strangers join forces to find out what happened to Elvin's grandfather, their digging leads them to an enigmatic artist whose missing masterpieces are worth a fortune-one that might save the neighborhood from development by an ambitious politician who wants to turn it into Harlem World, a ludicrous historic theme park. But if they don't find the paintings soon, nothing in their beloved neighborhood will ever be the same... In this remarkable tale of daring and danger, debut novelist Natasha Tarpley explores the way a community defines itself, the power of art to show truth, and what it really means to be home.
Author Notes
Natasha Tarpley is the author of the bestselling picture book I Love My Hair! and other acclaimed titles for children and adults. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, among other awards. When she is not writing books, Ms. Tarpley can usually be found reading them. She has also taken up the cruel and unusual hobby of running marathons. Ms. Tarpley is the cofounder of Voonderbar! Media, a multicultural children's book publishing and media company. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Tarpley (Destiny's Gift) introduces a diverse trio of 12-year-olds trekking through the streets of Harlem to solve an increasingly complicated mystery. Jin, whose Korean grandparents run a bodega, is intrigued by the stealthy good deeds of an African-American girl, Alex, who is ashamed of her family's wealth and keeps it secret. Jin contrives to work with Alex on a school project; circumstances quickly throw the girls together with tiny brown-skinned, dreadlocked Elvin, newly arrived from Berkeley, whose grandfather was assaulted and is in a coma. As the threesome focuses on figuring out who attacked him, their relationship evolves from an uneasy alliance to a warm fellowship as clues lead them to uncover layers of local corruption. The fast-paced story takes readers to landmarks such as the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and St. Nicholas Park, as the amateur detectives learn about the neighborhood's history in the tumultuous 1960s. While the history lessons are occasionally a bit heavy-handed, Tarpley creates a strong sense of Harlem's rich past and present, conveys the importance of art, and raises thoughtful questions about service and justice. Ages 8-12. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
The many worlds of Harlem come together in this exciting, mysterious story of art and adventure. Korean American Jin spends her time staring out the window of the bodega belonging to her halmoni (grandmother) and haraboji (grandfather). Alexandra is determined to use her family's wealth to help improve the lives of everyone in her neighborhood. And Elvin, new to New York City, finds himself barely scraping by on the streets, utterly alone and locked out of his apartment after his grandfather is mysteriously attacked. When these three friends come together to solve the mystery of Elvin's grandfather, they instead find themselves thrust into the story of an enigmatic artist whose recently unearthed painting may be the key to saving their entire community. The novel's inner-city setting is masterful, and readers will quickly connect the glory and the struggles of the Harlem Renaissance to the Harlem of the present. With a diverse cast of characters, Tarpley's story is a warm and endearing portrayal of the ways a community brings people together, and the power of art to endure and inspire.--Kuss, Rebecca Copyright 2016 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-What makes a community? What role does the past play in our present and future? These are the overarching questions posed in this Harlem-set mystery with its cast of three disparate seventh graders. Jin, who lives with her grandparents and helps run their bodega, is a keen observer of human nature and records all in her ever-present notebook. Alex, an extremely wealthy girl, spends her free time trying to help the disadvantaged, while being rude and abrasive to her fellow classmates. Elvin, who becomes the linchpin of the trio, has just arrived in Harlem to live with his estranged grandfather. When disaster strikes and his grandfather is brutally attacked, Elvin becomes homeless and the girls swoop in as caretakers. As the three begin to investigate the assault, they learn of a fascinating chapter in the Harlem art scene that has far-reaching ramifications for the present. The author's note will be helpful in classroom discussions and may prompt further reading. VERDICT Exploring themes such as art, social justice, and the corporatization of historic settings, this selection will have strong regional appeal and will interest those who enjoyed Blue Balliett's Chasing Vermeer.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The worlds of three Harlem kids collide in an intriguing historical mystery. Jin spends most afternoons minding Halmoni and Harabeoji's bodega until a mysterious black girl from her class sticks a free MetroCard to a jar of pickles. Cautious but intrigued, the Korean-American girl confronts Alexandra at school to try and join in on the secret acts of charity. Although Alex has enjoyed her independent, low-key philanthropy, meeting Jin helps her expand her good deeds around the neighborhood. On their way to drop food off at the homeless shelter, a small black boy in an oversized coat attempts to steal a loaf of bread. Elvin's failed bread-heist introduces him to two new, generous friends. When he shares that his grandfather fell into a coma after an attack in the community garden where a rare painting was found, the trio sets out to unearth the truth. Tarpley welds the past and present perceptions of Harlem in her latest book. Jin, Elvin, and Alex cherish their community while respecting their different approaches to justice for its residents. The history, urban planning, and out-of-touch politics wrapped around the neighborhood can be applied to any inner city. The young detectives' curiosity, passion, and belief in one another carry the plot smoothly from start to finish. A story that motivates justice and inspires kindness, this will have readers hoping for another outing with these appealing protagonists. (authors notes) (Mystery. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Elvin pressed his ear to the wall. He could hear two men Elvin pressed his ear to the wall. He could hear two men talking. "How could you have made so many mistakes?" a new voice boomed, deep and stern. "How could you have let that kid discover the painting? The garden was on the list. That should have been us. And then the old man gave you nothing." "I didn't let anyone do anything," the whiny voice complained. "And besides, if it wasn't for that kid, we wouldn't have even known about the painting." At that moment, Jin and Alex were sizing up a pile of damp lumber. Jin tucked the notebook she'd been carrying beneath her armpit, and the two of them bent to pick up the wood. Once they lifted it, Jin saw hundreds of black spots, one on top the other. "Ants!" she panted, trying her best to swallow the scream that was mounting in her throat. "Ants!" When Alex saw the squirming black spots, she threw the wood down with a loud thunk! and started hopping around wildly, shaking out her long black jacket. Next door, the men stopped talking. "What was that?" one of them asked. Elvin scrambled down the pile of lumber. "They're coming! We have to hide," he said, and ran toward the kitchen sink and pantry in the corner with Jin and Alex right behind him. Once they were safely hidden, Jin realized that in her haste, she'd made a terrible mistake. "My notebook, it's out there," she whispered hoarsely as blood rushed to her ears and her neck got hot with panic. She peered around the edge of the sink. Her pale pink notebook lay, exposed and vulnerable, on the floor in the middle of the room. And now, as the two men from next door came charging into the room, it was too late to rescue it. Excerpted from The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
