Pieces and Players, by Blue Balliett

Pieces and Players, by Blue Balliett

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Pieces and Players, by Blue Balliett

Best PDF Ebook Pieces and Players, by Blue Balliett

From the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of CHASING VERMEER, THE WRIGHT 3, and HOLD FASTTHE PIECESThirteen extremely valuable pieces of art have been stolen from one of the most secretive museums in the world. A Vermeer has vanished. A Degas has disappeared. And nobody has any idea where they and the other eleven artworks might be . . . or who might have stolen them.THE PLAYERSCalder, Petra, and Tommy are no strangers to heists and puzzles. Now they've been matched with two new sleuths -- Zoomy, a very thin boy with very thick glasses, and Early, a girl who treasures words . . . and has a word or two to say about the missing treasure.The kids have been drawn in by the very mysterious Mrs. Sharpe, who may be playing her own kind of game with the clues. And it's not just Mrs. Sharpe who's acting suspiciously -- there's a ghost who mingles with the guards in the museum, a cat who acts like a spy, and bystanders in black jackets who keep popping up.With pieces and players, you have all the ingredients for a fantastic mystery from the amazing Blue Balliett.

Pieces and Players, by Blue Balliett

• Amazon Sales Rank: #441064 in Books
• Brand: Balliett, Blue
• Published on: 2015-03-31
• Released on: 2015-03-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 8.28" h x 1.05" w x 6.41" l, .0 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Pieces and Players, by Blue Balliett

From School Library Journal Gr 4–6—This time it's a small family museum and 13 missing pieces of art providing the mystery that brings back characters met in previous titles. Tommy, Petra, and Calder are joined by Early Pearl and Zoomy Chamberlain. With all five kids led by their teacher Mrs. Hussey, each of the detective's special skills add to their understanding and help them arrive at the solution. Fans of the previous books will be delighted as these characters continue with their familiar predilections such as Calder's pentominoes clacking in his pockets. The realistic Chicago setting and familiar characters combined with the somewhat ghostly aura in the museum, provide just enough drama and enigmas to solve. The stolen artwork is from various masters comprising the "pieces" mentioned in the title. Uncertainties abound, particularly as the kids question their ability to find the stolen works and the honesty of those asking them to find it. People in black leather jackets appear and disappear without explanation, along with red herring clues. Fortunately, this is a puzzle worthy of the capabilities of our fearsome fivesome. Fun and engaging; a fitting addition for readers addicted to these art mysteries.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO

Review Praise for CHASING VERMEER:"Balliett is an original . . . Thick with devilish red herrings, this smart, playful story never stops challenging (and exhilarating) the audience." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY"Puzzles, codes, letters, number and wordplay, a bit of danger, a vivid sense of place, and a wealth of quirky characters enrich the exciting, fast-paced story that's sure to be relished by mystery lovers." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNALPraise for THE WRIGHT 3:*"Another tour de force." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS, starred reviewPraise for THE CALDER GAME:* "Balliett outdoes herself with this ambitious novel." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review* "Balliett again offers readers new ways to think." -- BOOKLIST, starred reviewPraise for THE DANGER BOX:* "This highly satisfying story will enlighten readers even as it inspires them to think." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, starred review"A spine-tingling tale . . . kids are in for an adventure." -- CHICAGO SUN TIMESPraise for HOLD FAST:"[Blue Balliett's] latest and most heart-rending novel . . . [The] multi-faceted Early Pearl, ever observant and always pondering, shines as bright as any diamond." -- NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW*"Wonderful . . . will pierce all readers" -- BOOKLIST, starred review*"A moving story of homelessness, family, and the love of words and books . . . Enthralling and satisfying." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS, starred review*"Balliett paints a vivid picture, a literary composition reminiscent of an Impressionist painting . . . Excellent." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, starred review"This novel abounds in heart, shining a spotlight on the gritty truths about homelessness." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY"Vivid and compelling." -- BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKSA 2013 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner

About the Author Blue Balliett is the author of several bestselling, acclaimed mystery novels, including HOLD FAST, CHASING VERMEER (a Book Sense Book of the Year and an Edgar Award winner), THE WRIGHT 3, THE CALDER GAME, and THE DANGER BOX. She writes in the laundry room of her home in Chicago, Illinois, and you can find her online at www.blueballiettbooks.com.

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Most helpful customer reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Stay with it until the end By Kendra This is the third book by Blue Balliett that I have read and every time I start one of her books, I want to love it. She creates such real and yet completely unique characters. In particular, in this book, Tommy, Petra and Calder are now thirteen and going through an-almost-too-painful-to-read-about-puberty. They stumble, literally and figuratively. They fall. They make mistakes. They love art and mathematics. Everything is here to produce a really fantastic read.But like with Balliett's other books that I have read, I find myself struggling to get through the story. The pacing is very slow, perhaps because the story is so intricately plotted. "Pieces and Players" reminds me a lot of "The Thomas Crown Affair," but with somewhat less whimsy and charm.I struggled with whether or not to rate this three stars or four and decided with four because I think, with this kind of novel, there is a reward for the reader in being able to complete it, in being able to see just how the story was plotted and the work that Balliett put into the story itself.I'm not sure I bought into the odd supernatural elements to the story, but, in the end, I definitely buy into the characters, Tommy, Petra and the others. Much like how the adults feel in the novel, I feel that those kids have earned my respect.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. I loved Blue Balliet's first three books By Happybooks I loved Blue Balliet's first three books, did not read Danger Box, but did read, and love, Hold Fast. This book, which had all the right elements to make it exciting, fell flat. It seemed the author was trying to weave in too many threads, and juggle too many characters. The attempt to keep the story mysterious just made it frustrating for the reader. While I certainly did not want or expect everything to be revealed in advance, part of the fun of reading these stories is being able to partially solve the mystery, along with the characters. In this book, it felt like the author held all the cards. I felt as confused as the characters in the book. If that was the author's intent, she achieved it. However, it did not make for an enjoyable read. Still..it's Blue Balliet and her writing is far superior to so much junk that is out there, I had to give it three stars.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Colorful Crossover of Fictional Characters and Real-Life Events in PIECES AND PLAYERS By KidsReads In this entertaining crossover mystery, characters from different Blue Balliett novels join forces to solve the most difficult art-related mystery yet.In three previous novels, Blue Balliett has portrayed three University of Chicago Lab School students ---Petra, Tommy and Calder --- who solve mysteries related to art and architecture. Firmly grounded in the real world, using real-life landmarks and masterpieces as inspiration, the mysteries also brought together three unusual kids who form an unlikely friendship thanks to their unique problem-solving skills. Now, in PIECES AND PLAYERS, Calder, Tommy and Petra are joined in their latest adventure by two other kids --- Zoomy and Early --- each of whom has been the protagonist of a stand-alone mystery by Balliett. Zoomy, who is legally blind, and Early, who lives in a nearby but very different neighborhood of Chicago, each bring their own skills and experience to the problem they are about to solve.And it's a daunting problem indeed. The kids are brought together by Mrs. Sharpe, a trustee of the Farmer Museum in Chicago, which has recently had 13 priceless works of art stolen in an overnight heist. Mrs. Sharpe has heard that these teenage sleuths might have the right stuff to solve the crime, so she gives them special access to the museum and its collections --- and to its Board of Trustees, who, as it turns out, have been in the midst of a struggle of their own over what to do with the collection of the struggling museum. The mysterious Mrs. Sharpe also has a mysterious son who gets involved with the mystery, although no one really understands why. These kids, each with their own perspective on the case, need to figure out who to trust --- and how to trust one another.Crossover stories are, of course, nothing new --- anyone who watched sitcoms in the ‘80s or read comic books knows that. But it is fun to see how these characters from Balliett's different fictional worlds join forces. Also fun --- especially for readers who have followed the characters since Tommy, Petra and Calder first appeared in Balliett's debut, CHASING VERMEER --- is seeing the kids mature from eager 11-year-olds to self-conscious and slightly awkward 13-year-olds, trying to navigate their friendship even as they stand on the cusp of their teen years.Readers who have previously rolled their eyes at the series's overreliance on coincidence and clues bordering on magical realism will find similar frustrations here. That being said, PIECES AND PLAYERS is still a convincing and well-thought-out mystery in its own right. Like Baillett’s other books, it's well-grounded in the real world, being directly inspired by events and controversies at two real-life art collections: Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Philadelphia's Barnes Foundation. Although Balliett's Farmer Museum is fictitious, an author's note explains its indebtedness to these actual collections, and, as with Balliett's other mysteries, readers will likely find themselves inspired to seek out more information about these museums and their colorful histories.Reviewed by Norah Piehl

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