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Book Scavenger: A Littlest Bookshelf Review
Brad Richardson of the Littlest Bookshelf reviews Book Scavenger and finds himself mentally racing through the streets of ‘Frisco, caught up in a wild mysterious adventure involving hidden books, treasure hunting and life-altering friendships.
Book Scavenger, written by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, is a contemporary mystery reminiscent of the Boxcar Children and Encyclopedia Brown adventures. Much like those classic stories, Book Scavenger focuses on the adventures of an independent young protagonist as they race to uncover a dastardly plot. It’s up to the young sleuth to crack the case with the help of their friends. Filled with puzzles, the story engages the reader with clues that deepen the mystery and heighten the danger. Twelve-year-old Emily is tired of moving around the county to fulfill her parents’ nomadic lifestyle. Because of their goal to live in all fifty states she never makes any real friends. Instead, Emily spends her time hunting and hiding books as part of the Book Scavenger game, a community created by the enigmatic Garrison Griswold. Before long, Emily and her new friend James find themselves in a world of ciphers, clues and treasure hunting as they race to finish the latest game by Griswold.
Published by Henry Holt and Company, Book Scavenger is an amazing story for book lovers and cipher crackers of all ages. From Edgar Allan Poe to Robert Louis Stevenson, the number of literary references in the story is both staggering and wonderful. Bertman does an excellent job of blending well-known works of literature with codes and ciphers to bring the mystery in the novel to life. She creates a world that, while fantastical, mirrors our own. The majority of the landmarks that Emily visits in San Francisco (‘Frisco) are real, as is the animosity that existed between Rufus Griswold and Edgar Allan Poe. Bertman captures her readers’ imagination by keeping the story grounded.
The characters in Book Scavenger are well-developed and fully realized. They react according to their established personalities and grow throughout the adventure. This growth begins with Emily but also happens in her parents and brother. Even supporting characters like James’ grandmother feel real because of the small details that Bertman includes. Most importantly, the characters aren’t perfect. There are moments where Emily behaves like a twelve-year-old girl. She has moments of selfishness and ignorance because of her age. Her brother, parents, and teacher all have flaws and feel more real because of them. However, Emily and James’ determination and cleverness steals the story as they race from one clue to the next. Emily and James don’t always get along but their friendship feels real and earned. The antagonists are under-developed when compared to the protagonists but in a way that is reminiscent of the villains in classic children’s mystery stories such as Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. The only real foil to the protagonist is their ability to solve the mystery.
Bertman explores a few different themes in her novel, such as; the importance of friendship and family, the impact of community, and the endless pursuit of an individual’s passion. Each of these themes play an important part in Emily’s adventure as she discovers the difference a friend can make in the pursuit of knowledge. I also love how Emily, unable to connect with a traditional community, finds happiness in an online community. It’s an important message, especially considering how small the world has become.
While I read this story I felt like I was in the streets of ‘Frisco. The city came to life as I raced down alleys and explored bookstores to reach the next clue. And that’s the best compliment I can give to an author establishing a story’s setting. For Bertman to so completely recreate the city without any visual aids is an impressive feat. I’ve never visited ‘Frisco but after reading Book Scavenger I think I could successfully navigate its steep hills expertly. The city feels like another character because of how it’s history influences the direction of Griswold’s game.
A well-written mystery should make me want to read it again. Now that I’ve followed the protagonist through their adventure and understand the whodunit and what the clues mean, I should want to start at the beginning with this special knowledge. Book Scavenger succeeds in this goal. I read this book twice, the first time in one sitting. This story reminds me of the classic children’s mysteries series I used to read when I was younger. Only with more inspired literary references.
I loved this book. The characters were well-realized and flawed. The setting immersed me in the adventure and instantly made me feel at home. The entire idea behind Book Scavenger as a game is wonderful (check out the book’s brilliant marketing website here). The illustrations have a hand-drawn charm to them that fits in with Bertman’s narrative style. This is a mystery that deserves to be explored by children of all ages. Don’t miss your chance to begin your adventure on June 2.
