Knives Out meets Finding Orion in this funny and heartwarming middle grade mystery by award-winning author Kristin O’Donnell Tubb about a girl investigating the recent death of her uncle only to find the healing power of family.
Chloe Alvarez has never been to the reading of a last will and testament before, but she hopes it is just like the movies. Lies! Intrigue! The reading of her Uncle Will’s will is standard, until he announces his gift for Chloe: his African grey parrot, Charlie.
Uncle Will was Chloe’s best friend. Without him, she’s left with only her memories of them together—which come to her in snapshots—and her new friend, Charlie. The parrot has a vast vocabulary, and soon Chloe hears her say something odd: It was murder, followed by homicide and cyanide. Chloe becomes convinced her uncle Will’s death was foul play. Why else wouldn’t he have told anyone in the family—especially Chloe—that he was sick?
With the help of her family, Chloe begins the investigation to uncover Uncle Will’s murderer. The suspects: His nosy neighbor. An ex-girlfriend. A rude landlord. A loan shark. But it all leads to more questions than answers. Did someone really kill Uncle Will? Or could this journey help reunite Chloe’s grieving family?---from the publisher
288 pages 978-0063274037 Ages 8-12
Keywords: mystery and detective, murder, bird, humor, uncle, family, family life, grief, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old
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I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard while reading a bird-related tale since Carl Hiaasen’s 2002 Newbery honor gem HOOT.
“He hears the ticking of the clocks
And walks along with a parrot that talks
Hunts her down by the waterfront docks
Where the sailors all come in
Maybe she'll pick him out again
How long must he wait?
One more time for a simple twist of fate”
– Bob Dylan (1975)
Chloe Alvarez’s favorite uncle–Uncle Will–has died recently and unexpectedly. At the dramatic reading of Uncle Will’s will, in an attorney’s seedy office, Chloe learns that she has inherited Charlie, Uncle Will’s (female) parrot. Chloe is as delighted with her new companion as the adults are horrified.
Soon thereafter, the talkative parrot seems to let on that Uncle Will was murdered. Chloe makes it her business to follow up on what Charlie appears to be telling her. The hysterically funny bird and the ensuing mayhem make this a laugh-aloud must-read for middle graders. It’d certainly be a blast for a third- or fourth-grade classroom read-aloud.
Some days after the reading of the will, Chloe (and Charlie) accompany Chloe’s mother, grandmother, brother, and Uncle Frank to Uncle Will’s apartment, down by the docks. They need to clear it out. But when they arrive, George the landlord takes Chloe aside and quietly voices his own suspicions about Will’s death to Chloe. Then:
“George swings the door wide, and sunlight floods the dark hallway. When he spins back to us, he introduces himself to Grammy and Uncle Frank: ‘George Jones. Not the country music singer.’ Then he blinks at me like he’s now seeing me. He smiles. ‘Hiya Charlie! Welcome back, girl.’
‘AWK!’ Charlie screeches. She flaps wildly, seeing inside the apartment she once knew as home. ‘Charlie is a pretty girl! Pretty girl! AWK!’
The door behind us, number 13, swings wide. ‘HOLY LIVING COW IS THAT TERRIBLE BIRD BACK?’
A tiny man peeks out of apartment 13. He’s bald on the top of his head but has long stringy shoulder-length hair growing down the sides. He wears stacks of wooden beads and a flowy shirt with flowers stitched on it. I’d expect someone with his hippie vibe to be chill, but he continues shouting.
‘THAT BIRD IS THE WORST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME. I COULD MURDER WHOEVER BROUGHT THAT THING BACK!’”
I guess there’s one more name to add to Chloe’s growing list of potential suspects!
It’s a very fun and engaging mystery that follows; it’s a serious crack-up; and it’s not really scary at all, except, perhaps, for those parents who will start getting lobbied big-time for a talking bird for Christmas).
Recommended by: Richie Partington, MLIS, California USA
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