Children's Literature - Laura Backman
Eleven year old Goldenrod Moram is bold, curious, and loves a good quest. She hopes to be an explorer like her idols, explorers Lewis and Clark. As she says goodbye to elementary school forever she decides to take her mapmaking hobby to the next level. For a summer project she sets out to make the most accurate and detailed map of her hometown. This naturally leads her to the town's mysterious forest where she stumbles into an adventure that has been over a hundred years in the making. She meets a mysterious old lady who convinces her to search for a legendary, undiscovered blue rose in the forest. There, Goldenrod bumps into a ghost. Not just an ordinary ghost, but the ghost of Meriwether Lewis. Goldenrod's little brother, wanting his own adventure follows his sister into the forest and becomes captured by the Gross-Out Gang, a group of oddly-named troublemakers who live in the forest. The author takes her time setting the plot in motion, but soon enough the story, with a perfect mix of reality and a fairy tale-like spirit turns fast paced and action packed. Goldenrod's quest to rescue her brother, discover the blue rose, and go up against the Gross-Out Gang is a clever adventure with excitement and unexpected twists and turns. The author provides a downloadable teacher's guide on her website. Middle-grade boys and girls will appreciate the dynamic mix of characters as told through different viewpoints and will learn more about an important figure in American history. A touching ending will satisfy readers and may inspire them to grab a compass and set off on their own quest. Reviewer: Laura Backman
The Mapmaker and the Ghost
by Sarvenaz TashView All Available Formats & Editions
Goldenrod Moram loves nothing better than a good quest, so she decides to start her own exploring team fashioned after her idols, the explorers Lewis and Clark. Setting out to map the forest right behind her home, her task is derailed when the team encounters a mysterious old lady, who has them search for a legendary blue rose. And when she stumbles upon none other
Overview
Goldenrod Moram loves nothing better than a good quest, so she decides to start her own exploring team fashioned after her idols, the explorers Lewis and Clark. Setting out to map the forest right behind her home, her task is derailed when the team encounters a mysterious old lady, who has them search for a legendary blue rose. And when she stumbles upon none other than the ghost of Meriwether Lewis himself, Goldenrod knows this will be anything but an ordinary summer . . . or an ordinary quest.
Editorial Reviews
School Library Journal
Gr 3–6—When her best friend moves away, 11-year-old Goldenrod Moram tries to think of a project that will keep her busy during the long summer before school starts. She loves looking at and making maps and she idolizes Lewis and Clark. She decides to create a map of her town and convinces her mother to let her explore beyond the one-mile radius that has been her unsupervised exploring limit. She begins by setting out to map the forest area at the edge of town. Along the way, she has a series of adventures that include a mysterious old woman who sends her on a magical search, a gang of colorful would-be thieves, and, most surprisingly, an encounter with the ghost of Meriwether Lewis, who makes his own demands on her time. In this debut novel, Tash has created a memorable cast of characters and a story that combines both humor and suspense. Goldenrod is on a mission, and nothing will deter this determined girl. When the Gross Out Gang captures her curious little brother, just enough danger is created to keep readers in suspense. Children are sure to enjoy this combination of an intrepid heroine, some slightly disreputable characters with humorous and disgusting habits, and a ghost in need of assistance. This page-turning adventure will tickle readers' funny bones.—Carole Phillips, Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale, NYProduct Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9780802734396
- Publisher:
- Walker & Company
- Publication date:
- 03/26/2013
- Pages:
- 256
- Sales rank:
- 682,379
- Product dimensions:
- 5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)
- Age Range:
- 8 - 12 Years
Meet the Author
Sarvenaz Tash was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up on Long Island, New York. She received her BFA in film and television from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She has dabbled in all sorts of writing, including screenwriting, copywriting, and professional tweeting. The Mapmaker and the Ghost is her first novel. Sarvenaz currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.
www.sarvenaztash.com
Customer Reviews
Average Review:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
The Mapmaker and the Ghost
4.5 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
8 reviews.
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I was lucky to receive an ARC of this book and blazed through it in one day. Not only was it a great quest-driven book, but it was hilarious and had me snorting and laughing throughout. Goldenrod is one of those plucky, take-charge characters who you naturally root for and her little brother proves to be a very worthy (and sweet) sidekick. I'm sure this book will be enjoyed by all kids, because who doesn't love an adventure? Wonderful debut and I'm sure we'll see much more from this author!
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Very enjoyable. Highly recommend.
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It is a amazing read. The main charecter is on a quest. But she encounter some really wacky stuff along the way. This is a very funny book and I never put it down.
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So bad
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I enjoy reading this book and could not put it down for a minute.
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What a fun story! I loved everything about Goldenrod--she is an absolute joy. The fact that her heroes are Lewis and Clark only makes me love her more. This is a story full of all the things middle grade readers love: great characters, sibling relationship, friendship, adventure, a gang and a ghost, and a dash of map-making and exploration thrown in for good measure. I LOVED this story!
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I can't wait to get my own copy of The Mapmaker and the Ghost. This is one that I'm dying to re-read with my boys. They're going to love this story. Mapmaker has all the components of a great middle grade book, starting with the fact that it's funny. The cool part, is that that the humor is written with multiple layers. It's "gross" and slap-stick, to amuse the MG reader and equally as intelligent and quirky for the adult reading out loud. The characters and the plot are grounded in truth, making them believable and relatable, but the magical realism makes everything unique and very interesting. To top it all off, the reader gets to learn a little bit about maps and history along the way. I know the minute my kids finish reading this book, they'll be out in the woods, having adventures and making maps of their own. I can't ask for more than that.
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I was fortunate to get an ARC of The Ghost and the Mapmaker and love it! Goldenrod, our spunky heroine, is on a quest, and both boys and girls will laugh out loud at some of the obstacles she encounters. Kids will love the characters and adventurous plot, but some interesting historical tidbits throughout make this debut MG novel a great choice for school libraries.
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