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Summary
Summary
A mysterious treasure hunt helps to heal a broken family in critically acclaimed author Kristin Levine's first contemporary tale-perfect for fans of Wendy Mass and Jennifer L. Holm
Claudia Dalton's father has disappeared. What began as a late night at work has spiraled into a missing persons case-one that's left twelve-year-old Claudia questioning everything she's ever known about her father and their family.
But when she finally gets word from her dad, it turns out he isn't missing at all. He's just gone to "think things over" and visit an old friend, whatever that means. Feeling confused and helpless, Claudia starts to assemble a scrapbook, gathering emails, receipts, phone transcripts and more, all in a desperate attempt to figure out what's happening with her dad. Claudia's investigation deepens at her grandfather's house, where she receives an envelope containing a puzzle piece and a cryptic message.
It's this curious first clue that sets Claudia on an unexpected treasure hunt that she hopes will bring her dad home and heal whatever's gone wrong with her family. Told through the pages of Claudia's scrapbook, The Jigsaw Jungle is a moving story of a family lost and then found, with a dash of mystery and loads of heart, from award-winning author and middle-grade master Kristin Levine.
Author Notes
Kristin Levine debut novel was The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had, which was featured on the American Library Association¿s 2010 list of Best Books for Young Adults. She received the New York Historical Society¿s Children¿s History Book Prize for The Lions of Little Rock novel.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-When 12-year-old Claudia's dad goes missing and her mom must go out of town for a business trip, Claudia goes across the state to her recently widowed paternal grandfather. Along with her new friend, Luis, she uses puzzle-piece clues and old VCR tapes to unravel a mysterious treasure hunt arranged by her dad and find a time capsule he'd hidden years ago. Claudia records her quest in a scrapbook that includes phone call transcripts, her grandfather's memo log, map directions, and texts with her best friend, Kate. Claudia also records how her father is finally found and shares his long-kept secret. Erin Cahill narrates happy, sad, and tense moments very ably. VERDICT The story is well suited to fans of puzzles and treasure hunts, as well as listeners with a parent who is coming to terms with their sexual identity. A useful addition to public and school libraries.-Barbara S. Wysocki, formerly with Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Levine (The Lions of Little Rock) crafts a powerful puzzle of a novel about a missing father and his daughter's search for the truth. The memorable narrator, 12-year-old Claudia, pieces together this "scrapbook" of a story through an inventive collection of notes to the reader, texts, emails, video transcripts, phone logs, Google directions, receipts, and other items. The fragments and ephemera serve to document and help Claudia to come to grips with the sudden, unexplained disappearance of her father. When Claudia's mother must attend a work conference in Switzerland, Claudia has to stay with her introverted grandfather, Papa, who is still grieving the recent death of her big-hearted grandmother. As Papa and Claudia forge a closer relationship, she also meets a budding filmmaker, who helps her decipher the intricate clues that her father (a lover of brainteasers) left behind. Through the story's patchwork format, Levine reveals characters' inner complexities while maintaining tension and uncertainty leading up to the story's moving revelation. This taut mystery is also a portrait of a family coming to terms with truth and identity. Ages 10-up. Agent: Kathy Green, Kathryn Green Literary Agency. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Twelve-year-old Claudia's father has mysteriously left, and she's staying with her grandfather. The intergenerational pair follows a scavenger hunt that ultimately reveals a truth Claudia's father has been hiding for a long time. The story is told in a multimedia format, including texts, video transcripts, and Claudia's "notes to the reader." Although this format is likely to appeal to young readers, it slightly impedes Claudia's character development. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Levine sends her readers on a quest for buried treasure and buried truths.In 2015, Claudia Dalton's life is suddenly turned upside down. On the last day of school, Claudia's father, Jeff, sends a short email to his family saying that he will be home lateand then does not return. A few days later, Claudia's mother, Jennifer, attends a conference in Switzerland, and Claudia stays with her recently widowed and still grieving paternal grandfather, Walter. While with Walter, Claudia frequently emails her father and finally receives an unlikely answer: a puzzle piece with a cryptic message telling her to find a time capsule buried in Jeff's youth. With the help of her new friend, budding filmmaker Luis, Claudia begins a quest to find the time capsule and the secret that has suddenly separated her family. Using emails, text messages, telephone transcripts, Luis' video footage, and other artifacts, Levine has created a masterwork of mystery that slowly unravels as Claudia learns more about her father's life. Astute readers may guess what life-changing secret drove Jeff away from his family, but even if they do, they'll keep reading to find out how this saga ultimately ends. The biggest trick is Levine's ability to keep the characters both likable and realisticthis holds especially true for Jeff's disappearing act and Jennifer's slow-burn emotional journey. Both an excellent read and an excellent puzzle. (Mystery. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Note to Reader: I used to think that life was like a puzzle, and if I was organized and worked really hard, I could make all the pieces fit neatly together. Turns out, I was wrong. This scrapbook tells the story of how I learned that. It's full of emails and phone conversations, receipts and flyers. Transcripts of old hom movies that I typed up. It's the story of how we lost my dad and how we found him again, all organized in a binder with headings and labels, colored tabs and archival scrapbooking tape. Because if you ask me, there's nothing like a good list to make you feel calm and in control. Guess I'm just weird that way. I needed to put this all in one place, to see how the clues and pieces all came together to reveal the truth about me and my family. And if there's only one thing you learn about me from this collection of documents (and I hope there's not jsut one, but if there is just one), it's this: I really do love a good puzzle. Claudia Dalton Email: From: Jeffery Dalton Date: Friday, June 26, 2015 To: Claudia Dalton , Jennifer Dalton Subject: Will be home late My favorite girls, Something came up while I was at work. Not quite sure when I'll be home. Don't wait up! Love you both, Dad Excerpted from The Jigsaw Jungle by Kristin Levine 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.