Bo & Mzzz Mad - Softcover

Fleischman, Sid

3.38

34 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0064409724 ISBN 13: 9780064409728

Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 2002

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Enemies at first sight

Orphaned Bo Gamage has nowhere to go. So he ends up in the old Queen of Sheba Hotel in a ghost town in the middle of the desert. It's dry and bare and -- worst of all -- the only other kid there is his awful cousin Madeleine, who calls herself Mzzz Mad.

Soon, they're caught up in a battle for a missing map, the mystery of the tattooed head, and the search for the old Pegleg Smith gold mine. Then Bo and Mzzz Mad find themselves in deadly danger and handcuffed -- together!

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About the Author:

Sid Fleischman wrote more than sixty books for children, adults, and magicians. Among his many awards was the Newbery Medal for his novel The Whipping Boy. The author described his wasted youth as a magician and newspaperman in his autobiography The Abracadabra Kid. His other titles include The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, a novel, and three biographies, Sir Charlie: Chaplin, The Funniest Man in the World; The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West; and Escape! The Story of The Great Houdini.

From Booklist:

*Starred Review*
Gr. 5-7. His father is dead, and child welfare officials are itching to put him in a foster home, so 12-year-old Bo Gamage decides to take up the strange invitation he's received from someone associated with his mother's family, the Martinkas. Unfortunately, the Martinkas have been feuding with the Gamages for generations. Bo's new life gets off to a rocky start when he disembarks from the bus in Queen of Sheba, California, and encounters his cousin, the energetic, disdainful Madeleine, "Mzzz Mad," who immediately sets him on edge. Relaxed Aunt Juna smoothes things over--until crotchety Grandpa Charlie Martinka makes an appearance. Paw Paw, as he's called, has no use for Gamages. To him they're cheaters and sneaks who stole a treasure map from his family. After an oddly disturbing scene involving Paw Paw, Bo, and a snake (it's not clear whether Paw Paw is testing Bo's courage or being hateful and irresponsible), Bo decides he's had enough. Then, two strangers show up, and he changes his mind. A less talented writer might not have been able to bring the novel's several story lines together. But Fleischman does a first-rate job, using some clever twists and snappy repartee. Interchanges between Bo and Mzzz Mad are great fun, and the characters--from lonely, angry Bo to the surprising ruthless young thieves--are a sturdy bunch. Even the secret of the map is unraveled with panache. Add to that a shot of genuine suspense, and you have a quick, enjoyable read that will fly off the shelves. An endnote explains how the author pieced together real stories to make his own book. Stephanie Zvirin
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