Already being heralded as The DaVinci Code for kids, Chasing Vermeer will have middle grade readers scrutinizing art books as they try to solve the mystery along with Calder and Petra. In an added bonus, artist Brett Helquist has also hidden a secret pentomino message in several of the book’s illustrations for readers to decode. An auspicious and wonderfully satisfying debut that will leave no young detective clueless. --Jennifer Hubert

Calder Pillay and Petra Andalee are both a little odd. Their intellectual curiosity and their unique hobbies fit right in, though, with their eccentric families and with their creative classmates at the University of Chicago Lab School. When three mysterious letters show up in their neighborhood and seem linked to the theft of a famous Vermeer painting, a chain of coincidences brings Calder and Petra together to help solve the crime.

First-time author Blue Balliett seems to enjoy playing with coincidences, both plausible and far-fetched, and the theme of chance and coincidence cleverly runs through the novel. The novel, with its high-profile crime of a well-known painting (secretly reproduced on the book underneath the dust jacket), also seeks to inspire young people to appreciate art as both dynamic and relevant to their lives. "Children were thinking about Vermeer, too. They were comparing, writing, and visiting museums with friends. Many said that they hadn't realized how cool old pictures could be."

The novel's illustrations breathe almost as much life into the book as the text does. Illustrator Brett Helquist (best known for illustrating Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events) includes a full-page illustration for each chapter. Pay attention! Some of the drawings reveal a secret that careful readers can help uncover.

With its emphasis on puzzle-solving, CHASING VERMEER is reminiscent of classic novels like THE WESTING GAME. Its focus on connections and coincidences will remind many of HOLES, and its art-related mystery calls to mind FROM THE SECRET FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER. In other words, CHASING VERMEER deserves a spot alongside many well-loved children's books. It's that good.

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Having read The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Boxcar Children, and all sorts of "simpler" mystery novels as a child, this really was refreshing. I wish something like this had been around (or that I had known of it) when I was in 6th grade. Even for an adult, it's an interesting, provocative work, with excellent pacing and sure handed writing. And any book that increases interest in art, thinking, or ideas has automatically hit a home run for me.

Aside from the terrific storytelling and infectious plotting, I was very intrigued by the two main characters. Both are "hybrids" - a far cry from the typical Caucasian heroes we see everyday. Bravo to the author for the varied ethnicity!

It's also a pleasure to read a book written "in" Chicago. Too many novels take place in New York, or L.A., and believe me - Chicago is culturally rich enough to support many more stories of this nature.

The hidden clues were fun to figure out. I've never had much of a brain for puzzles, so even one aimed at kids between the ages of 9 and 12 challenged me. It took me a while to puzzle the clues out, and when I did, I discovered that there isn't only one solution! There are two, equally valid solutions - the one on the website, and the one I found. And yes, there really are two - even though I don't possess a proclivity for this sort of thing.

I'm already anxiously awaiting Ms. Balliett's next book. As she is a teacher in the Hyde Park area of Chicago (which is as rich and culturally diverse as it gets here), I hope to see even more of this magnificent city!