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Chasing Vermeer Audiobook
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(3.00) - 11,765 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings Petra Andalee & Calder Pillay together, strange things start to happen: seemingly unrelated events connect, an eccentric old woman seeks their company and an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal. As Petra and Calder are drawn clue by clue into a mysterious labyrinth they must draw on their powers of intuition, their skills at problem solving, and their knowledge of Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has left even the FBI baffled?
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"Chasing Vermeer, written by Blue Balliett is a children's mystery novel and is set in Chicago. The plot of the story is based on two children Petra and Calder who are trying to find a missing painting. A famous Vermeer painting is taken from the art museum and the two children work together to try and find it. This mystery story is very fun, interesting, and suspenseful and the novel itself has definitely lived up to its hype. The illustrations are simply amazing. I personally loved the fact that the characters in the book are of different cultural backgrounds and give a sense of diversity to the book. I also absolutely love that their are hidden codes and crypts in the different illustrations. i can see this book being infectious in a middle school classroom. I can definitely see this book being in a 4-7th grade classroom. I know that almost all of the kids I work with absolutely love the nancy drew books and that this book is yet another perfectly written and illustrator mystery. I also really like that its not the stereotypical murder mystery novel, but rather its about art and including other various parts of education are crucial to children, so including the arts in this book is a great way for children to explore other famous artists. I really enjoyed this book and gave it 5 starts!"
— Hannah (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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Suspenseful, exciting, charming, and even unexpectedly moving
— The New York Times -
Thick with devilish red herrings, this smart, playful story never stops challenging (and exhilarating) the audience.
— Publishers Weekly -
. . . the exciting, fast-paced story that’s sure to be relished by mystery-lovers.
— School Library Journal -
Art, intrigue, and plenty of twists and turns make this art mystery a great read.
— Kirkus Review -
“Ellen Reilly shines as narrator, providing perfect voices for the protagonists and the host of supporting characters. Her pleasant pitch and well-tempered pace make it easy to follow the twists of a complex plot.”
— AudioFile -
“Puzzles nest within puzzles in this ingeniously plotted and lightly delivered first novel that, revolving around the heist of a Vermeer painting.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Awards
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Winner of the 2005 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Fiction
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Winner of the 2004 Agatha Award for Best Children's/Young Adult Novel
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A 2005 Book Sense Book of the Year for Children's Literature
Chasing Vermeer Listener Reviews
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" i havent finished yet but it seems fun "
— Bozu, 2/15/2014 -
" I was not so in to this book the first time I read it to my students, but this past year, I read it again and we did a lot of activities surrounding it with pentominoes and art, and I loved it. It's not the best writing ever, particularly the ending, but it sparks a lot of ideas and conversation. "
— Emily, 2/4/2014 -
" "Chasing Vermeer" is a book written by the author, Blue Balliett. It is a wonderful story for all young readers. I found the book to be very riveting. You are literally on the edge of your seat waiting to read what happens next. What I found so fantastic about the book were the characters; my favorite being the young school teacher, Miss Hussey. I found her eclectic style of teaching so creative and inspiring. Many can argue that her teaching is not realistic, but for a fictional children's story it is something to be admired. I also found "Chasing Vermeer" to be so interesting because it involved not only reading skills, but math skills. It is a book that any type of learner can enjoy. "
— Natalie, 1/20/2014 -
" The book was okay I like mysteries but this book just didnt grab my attention as much. "
— Anna, 1/12/2014 -
" REALLY AMAZING IF U LIKE THE ADVENTURE KINDOF THING! "
— Fatimah, 1/7/2014 -
" This is a very good mystery book that is a very good read. "
— Bailey, 12/11/2013 -
" Great story ! "
— Sean, 12/8/2013 -
" Kind of cute mystery/novel for about 9-11 year old reading level. Lots of references to famous artwork makes it fun. Puzzles and clues in the illustrations are fun, too. "
— Denise, 11/20/2013 -
" Really great book for adults and kids!! "
— Dbshell, 11/19/2013 -
" this book was confusing at some parts. "
— Megan, 11/15/2013 -
" I didin't like it that much "
— Savannah, 5/25/2013 -
" Another Great book for kids - I quite enjoy books for young kids!! "
— Heather, 5/18/2013 -
" Good book - patterns, art, mystery. I'm glad I've finally read the book many people have recommended. "
— Anne, 11/15/2012 -
" it was good. i read it when i was in 6th grade and i liked it. "
— Maren, 10/28/2012 -
" This is a nice book but the clues and details are quite bizarre. Maybe I'm not being open minded enough about the possibilities of the universe but just couldn't get into it. At least it teaches children to be creative to come up with good solutions. "
— Whitney, 9/17/2012 -
" Great way to introduce art/history to kids! "
— pati, 9/8/2012 -
" Read this in anticipation of an author visit. Very unique story with mystery, art, and math all wrapped into it. Not necessarily my cup of tea, but I can see many of my students enjoying it as well as her other books. "
— Paige, 2/27/2012 -
" It is one my favorite thrillers ever... I loved the suspense elements in it.... "
— Ayesha, 2/6/2012 -
" I talked about this book on September 22 2012, on the Betty howls show. "
— Betty, 11/25/2011 -
" I loved it, but I think that the characters won't actually appeal to my students, unfortunately. They are just too clean and cerebral. "
— Julie, 9/28/2011 -
" I love a good children's chapter book and this is a wonderful story with great characters, art history, mystery, intrigue and adventure. "
— Heather, 6/29/2011 -
" This was a great art/math mystery! "
— Pibe, 6/28/2011 -
" The first book. I definitely think she got better! "
— Shannon, 6/19/2011 -
" Fun mystery fiction combined with some real history. 1st in a series by Blue Balliett. "
— Caryl, 6/19/2011 -
" An intriguing book for young readers.I really thought I knew what was going to happen and that I had spotted a major trend throughout the book ,but the ending completely will throw anyone and everyone for a suprise. "
— sarahdessengirl40, 6/10/2011 -
" I really enjoyed this series. This is meant for kids and I chose it because of the references to Chicago and attractions in the city. I also like to recommend books to our young patients...it gives us something to talk about. This is the first of the series. "
— Robyn, 6/9/2011 -
" A fun little mystery makes you want to check out some of Vermeer's works of art. Well it did for me. "
— Kellie, 6/3/2011 -
" I stared reading this book but I got bored after a while. "
— Izzy, 5/28/2011 -
" This book has been called a DaVinci Code for tweens. And it really was a lot of fun. There were even puzzles to solve in the illustrations of the book. "
— Dina, 5/17/2011 -
" Are you age 8 to 88? Do you like puzzles? Do you like art and history? Then read Chasing Vermeer! <br/> "
— Emily, 5/14/2011 -
" Mysteries are not my type, but I had to read one for class, and this grabbed my attention. So overall I think it's great :D "
— Se, 5/12/2011 -
" Ive read this twice now and I think each time you read it you understand more. "
— Olivia, 5/12/2011
About Blue Balliett
Blue Balliett is the author of several acclaimed mystery novels, including The Wright 3, The Calder Game, The Danger Box, and Chasing Vermeer, an Edgar Award winner. She graduated from Brown with a degree in art history and currently resides in Chicago.