Ernestine, Catastrophe Queen - Hardcover

Wyatt, Merrill

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316471585 ISBN 13: 9780316471589

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson, 2018

Synopsis

We all know and love Ramona, Matilda, and Harriet the Spy. Now meet Ernestine.
In this tantalizing mystery that's "filled with laugh out loud moments" and "reads like a middle-grade version of the movie Clue", Ernestine is the smart, spunky, and fearless Nancy Drew for today's young readers!
When a series of suspicious accidents befalls the wealthy residents of the retired artists' home where she works, Ernestine is determined to piece together clues to find the real culprit. She suspects it might be a zombie, but maybe greedy relatives can be just as scary!
"Catastrophe has never been so much fun!"

About this title

About the Author:

Merrill Wyatt lives in Toledo, Ohio, with her husband, daughter, three cats, and a hamster who might possibly be an immortal magician. She spent far too much of her childhood wandering around cemeteries and old Victorian homes. A middle-school technology teacher, she is dollphobic, donut-obsessed, and owns too many pairs of shoes.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 4–6—Ernestine is determined to bring on the zombie apocalypse. She visits a neighboring graveyard with her younger stepbrother and partner in crime, Charleston, in an attempt to raise the dead. After a possible zombie sighting, Ernestine rushes back to her home where she lives with her artist/caretaker parents in the MacGillicuddie House for Retired Artists, Both Performing and Otherwise where a wild party is underway. The converted apartment house is filled with eccentric and colorful residents, presided over by the glamorous, kooky, art-loving, and incredibly wealthy Mrs. MacGillicuddie. The party reaches a raucous climax when a giant chandelier crashes down from the ceiling, practically squashing Mrs. M. More incidents prove that foul play is certainly involved. Are there really zombies afoot, and what is it about them that has the precocious, capable, and imaginative Ernestine so intrigued? All of these answers are eventually revealed, although one dangling loose end will draw readers into a potential sequel. Debut author Wyatt offers a plot-driven, humorous mystery that will keep kids turning pages. The diverse and intriguing cast of characters allows for multiple suspects, red herrings, and a surprise twist ending. Themes include the importance of community and family, the value of the older generation, the narcissistic nature of social media, and overcoming hurt from the past. VERDICT A traditional mystery filled with creepy zombie bits and laugh-out-loud funny moments make for a winning combination. A strong choice for most collections.—Kate Nafz, Fair Lawn Public Library

About this edition

• Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0316471585
• ISBN 13: 9780316471589
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304