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    Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
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    Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
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    Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
    Ebook204 pages2 hours

    Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

    By Jo Watson Hackl

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Eleven days. Thirteen clues. And one kid who won't give up. Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe is "part treasure hunt, part wilderness adventure, and all heart."--Alan Gratz, New York Times Bestselling author of Refugee

    How far would you go to find something that might not even exist?

    All her life, Cricket's mama has told her stories about a secret room painted by a mysterious artist. Now Mama's run off, and Cricket thinks the room might be the answer to getting her to come back. If it exists. And if she can find it.

    Cricket's only clue is a coin from a grown-over ghost town in the woods. So with her daddy's old guidebook and a coat full of snacks stolen from the Cash 'n' Carry, Cricket runs away to find the room. Surviving in the woods isn't easy. While Cricket camps out in an old tree house and looks for clues, she meets the last resident of the ghost town, encounters a poetry-loving dog (who just might hold a key to part of the puzzle), and discovers that sometimes you have to get a little lost . . . to really find your way.

    2020 Mississippi Library Association Children's Author Award
    2019 Southern Book Award Winner--Children's Category
    2020-2021 Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee

    * "Told in the easy, laconic tone of good, Southern storytelling, Hackl's debut rolls off the tongue and into the heart easy as warm butter on a biscuit. Lyrical and endearing, this debut is a genuine adventure tale."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

    "A tale of adventure, full of mystery." --Robert Beatty, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Serafina and the Black Cloak

    "Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe is part treasure hunt, part wilderness adventure, and all heart."--Alan Gratz, New York Times Bestselling author of Refugee

    "A heartwarming coming-of-age story." --Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Hattie Big Sky

    "A masterful debut. Cricket is my new hero, brave and funny and full of heart. I couldn't put it down."--Augusta Scattergood,  author of Glory Be

    "A brilliant, utterly absorbing debut. I couldn't get enough of Cricket's adventures. Totally unputdownable."--Carrie Ryan, New York TImes Bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
    Release dateJul 10, 2018
    ISBN9780399557408

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    Reviews for Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

    4/5

    10 ratings2 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Jo Watson Hackl creates a charming story about a young girl who is left in a grocery store by her aunt. She overcomes her fears and is determined to solve a mystery she believes will get her mother back. Young readers will enjoy how the main character unravels clues and survives in the woods. The plot contains enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged. There are some beautiful descriptions, including the ghost town in the woods of Electric City and the secret room in Ms. V's house. Readers can get lost in the world Watson Hackl creates. Young kids will also relate well to the protagonist Cricket. She has enough spunk and gumption to persevere, but not without hardships and self-doubt. In the end, you see an enormous amount of growth is in this character. Not everything works out the way she expects, and not everyone is as black and white as they seemed in the beginning. There are powerful messages about the nature of family, and the effects of mental illness. Cricket learns some hard truths, but comes out stronger because of them. As a parent and librarian, I also appreciate the extensive add-ons included by the author. There are a multitude of experiments that young people can do in connection to the book--like creating a sun dial or Cricket Challenges for outdoors. She also provides resources for the art mentioned in the book. I highly recommend this book for young readers who love adventure and mystery (so most young kids).Disclosure: While I first read this book after my own purchase, the author did donate books to my school library for our Battle of the Books team.
    • 4/5
      I saw an article about local Women writers and this was on the list. The title was intriguing so I thought I would take a chance on it, even though it's a juvenile book. Very well written, I think it would be great for a twelve year old girl, the story just wasn't for me.