Synopsis: On a trip to Woodstock, England with his father, Calder Pillay is thrilled to see that in the town square of this remote village sits an Alexander Calder sculpture. Named for this amazing artist, Calder is entranced by the modern sculpture, but the locals think it is abhorrent. Soon both Calder and the sculpture disappear. Calder's two best friends, Tommy and Petra fly to England to aid in the search for Calder and the missing art.
Review: I sometimes wonder if I'm not a discerning enough reader. I sort of know in my head that The Calder Game isn't quite as good as Chasing Vermeer or The Wright 3. The relationship between Calder, Petra and Tommy isn't quite so dynamic. In large part, this is due to Calder's absence for a large portion of the novel. His character provides the balance for the threesome, and his disappearance makes it impossible for him to fulfill his standard role and means there is a lot of bickering between Tommy and Petra. Next, I know that these kids have grown up in the third largest city in the United States, but I find it hard to believe that any parent in today's world would let their child wander around even a small English town on their own. I find it even less likely that Tommy and Petra would be allowed to go to England to help in the search for Calder. In order to account for the readers' skepticism, there are numerous references made to how safe Woodstock is, but this makes the book less exciting. In the other two books, the setting of big bad Chicago is enough to put the reader on edge. I thought the kids were allowed to wander around a bit too much in the previous books, but the danger of the various situations kept me from thinking about it too much. There are so many references made to the safety of this remote village that it was much harder to stay in the story and believe that something truly sinister had happened to Calder. It was pretty clear from the get go that his disappearance was likely some sort of blunder. Having said all this, I still devoured the book in less than 24 hours. I loved learning about Alexander Calder's work. I loved Brett Helquist's marvelous illustrations, and when I finished the book, I went back to figure out the message written in Calder code. In other words, I can't think of a much better way I could have spent a rainy Sunday than reading this book.
If you enjoyed this novel, you might also like The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman.
Review: So I think every bibliophile has one or two authors that can do no wrong. Sarah Dessen is one of my two. As a matter of fact, since I left my buying position at Borders I have not asked my friends to secure me an advance reading copy of any other book but Lock and Key. I just couldn't wait. I read the book back in January, but have patiently waited until now to post anything because the book is not actually available to purchase until later this month. It seemed kind of cruel to talk about a book that people couldn't actually read yet. Of course, when the book does publish two weeks from now, I don't think Dessen's fans will be disappointed. Ruby is a typical Dessen character. She thinks she can handle everything on her own. She doesn't need her mother. It's not like her Mom has ever been all that reliable anyway. She just needs to remain cool until she turns 18 and is legally an adult. Of course, Ruby doesn't count on the pipes bursting at the kitchen sink or the dryer breaking, forcing her to hang a clothesline in the kitchen where her nosy landlords, the Honeycutts, can see it. The Honeycutts turn her in and big sister Cora is suddenly back in her life after 10 years. A lot has changed for Cora in 10 years. She's graduated from college, is a public defender, and is married to a wealthy internet entrepreneur named Jamie. Ruby can't believe this is Cora's life, and she wants no part of it. But then she meets Nate, the friendly, dependable boy next door, and her brother-in-law is just so nice. Her new private school isn't as bad as she thought, and she even manages to find a job at the mall that she likes. Soon Ruby learns that it's nice to be needed, and it's okay for her to need someone every once in a while too. Now if only we could all be so wise at 17 and learn those most important life lessons. I think that's what I love about Dessen's characters. They're not perfect. They don't all wear designer clothes, have great popularity, have the best boyfriends or even the best grades, but they are certainly all smart. As teenagers they somehow manage to learn lessons that a lot of adults never comprehend. Oh, to have a daughter and have her be like a Ruby or an Annabel from Just Listen or a Remy from This Lullaby. And since I only have two sons, oh to have them date a Ruby or an Annabel or a Remy. Wouldn't that be lucky? 
