Finders Keepers - Softcover

Tougas, Shelley

3.7

115 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1250090520 ISBN 13: 9781250090522

Publisher: Square Fish, 2016

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From the author of The Graham Cracker Plot, a story about two friends playing finders keepers for the missing loot of Al Capone.

Christa spends every summer at the most awesome place in the whole world: her family's cabin on Whitefish Lake, Wisconsin. Only her dad recently lost his job and her parents have decided to sell the cabin. But not if Christa can help it. Everyone knows there is Al Capone blood money hidden somewhere in Whitefish Lake, and her friend Alex's cranky grandpa might have the key to finding it. Grumpa says the loot is gone, or worse―cursed!―but Christa knows better. That loot is the only thing that can save her family.

Finders Keepers by Shelley Tougas is a brilliant story full of heart about family, love, and the treasure hunt of a lifetime, from the author of The Graham Cracker Plot and A Patron Saint for Junior Bridesmaids.

"A charming story of family history and personal connections (both lost and found) that is reminiscent of Blue Balliett and the Penderwicks' adventures." ―Booklist, starred review

“The fast-paced ending has enough bite to satisfy. The premise will cause inevitable comparisons to Gennifer Choldenko's Alcatraz tales, but the story stands on its own. Entertaining and humorous; good light fare for middle graders.” ―Kirkus Reviews

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About the Author:

Shelley Tougas is an award-winning writer of nonfiction for children, including Little Rock Girl 1957, and the author of The Graham Cracker Plot, her debut novel. She lives in Hudson, Wisconsin.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 4–6—Blessed with an active imagination, 10-year-old Christa Boyd-Adams and 11-year-old Alex Clark take to the outdoors, pretending to climb Mount Everest with plastic cup oxygen masks, butter knife ice picks, duct-taped fork boot spikes, and walkie-talkie cassette tapes. Life at the summer cabin is Christa's favorite place to be, but things change when her father loses his job as a history teacher and the cabin goes up for sale. The friends plot to undermine any attempt to sell it. During one of their escapades, the duo unearths money hidden long ago, and old stories of Al Capone burying his loot start to surface. Christa and Alex want to find the cash to save the cabin, but they discover others have joined the game. Readers will enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humor and fast-paced story that revels in outdoor summertime fun. Family issues drive the heart of the narrative, and Christa, described as immature by her family, must face events as they unfold. Lovable and somewhat prone to mishap, Christa learns about the angst a struggling family must endure and the dynamics of true friendship from young and old. VERDICT Lighter than Gennifer Choldenko's Al Capone Does My Shirts (Putnam, 2004), this is an entertaining middle grade mystery.—Robyn Gioia, Antilles Middle School, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico

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