Wright 3

( 48 )

Overview

From the New York Times-bestselling team behind Chasing Vermeer comes another thought-provoking art mystery featuring Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie house--now in After Words paperback!

Spring semester at the Lab School in Hyde Park finds Petra and Calder drawn into another mystery when unexplainable accidents and ghostly happenings throw a spotlight on Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, and it's up to the two junior sleuths to piece together the clues. Stir in the return of Calder's...

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More About This Book

Overview

From the New York Times-bestselling team behind Chasing Vermeer comes another thought-provoking art mystery featuring Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie house--now in After Words paperback!

Spring semester at the Lab School in Hyde Park finds Petra and Calder drawn into another mystery when unexplainable accidents and ghostly happenings throw a spotlight on Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, and it's up to the two junior sleuths to piece together the clues. Stir in the return of Calder's friend Tommy (which creates a tense triangle), H.G. Wells's The Invisible Man, 3-D pentominoes, and the hunt for a coded message left behind by Wright, and the kids become tangled in a dangerous web in which life and art intermingle with death, deception, and surprise.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
When last seen, young Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay were attempting to retrieve a 17th-century Dutch masterpiece; now the stars of Chasing Vermeer are using all their super-sleuth powers to solve mysteries connected with a modern Chicago architectural landmark. Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House is dire need of restoration, but the work can't be properly completed until a series of mysterious incidents are explained. Tales of ghosts, hidden treasures, and coded messages highlight this entertaining tale.
From The Critics
As she did in her bestselling debut novel, Chasing Vermeer, Balliett adds a new twist to the mystery genre, lacing her suspenseful yarn with puzzles, codes, and thought-provoking connections to art, architecture, and mathematics. Brainy, eccentric sixth-graders Petra and Calder return, this time teaming up with Calder's friend, Tommy, to help save a 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright house slated for demolition (hence the book's title). Their "minds fizzing with ideas," the curious trio uncovers layer upon layer of enigma: freak accidents, unexplained lights and noises, uncanny coincidences, and the discovery of a talisman once owned by Wright himself. Helquist, illustrator of the Lemony Snicket series, provides additional mystery, challenging young readers to find hidden images in his just-eerie-enough illustrations. (Ages 8 to 12)
Child magazine's Best Children's Book Awards 2006
VOYA
Tommy, who went missing in Chasing Vermeer (Scholastic, 2004/VOYA December 2004), has moved back to his old neighborhood in Chicago and things have changed. His best friend, Calder, has a new friend, a girl named Petra, and exciting things happened while Tommy was gone. Miss Hussey, the sixth grade teacher, seems a little strange, but the students all pay attention to her. The announcement that the Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House, right down the street, is to be dismantled and displayed in different museums becomes the lynchpin for another exciting art adventure. Although Tommy tries to be friends with Calder and Petra, his resentment frequently puts him on a solo path and also causes problems between Calder and Petra. Each character has a distinct personality and approach to problem solving. Petra finds a copy of the Invisible Man that has a strange relationship to the goings on; Tommy-who lives next to the house-unearths a fish-shaped object on the grounds where he should not have been. Calder's pentominoes seem to be giving him messages. There are lights in the house. As the mystery develops and more resources are needed to save the house, Tommy, Petra, and Calder's complimentary abilities move toward solutions and success. While learning about the Robie House, they develop their art appreciation, a sense of history, civic responsibility, take some risks, and eventually all become friends. This installment is a worthy follow-up and provides a wonderful opportunity for young readers to think about buildings as art. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7to 9). 2006, Scholastic, 320p., Ages 11 to 15.
—Patricia J. Morrow
Children's Literature
Readers will be happy to see the return of Blue Balliet's memorable characters from her debut novel, Chasing Vermeer. Calder and Petra find architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House the source of their next great mystery and adventure. With the help of Tommy, an old classmate of Calder's who moves back to Hyde Park, the threesome team sort through clues, coincidences, and conspiracies as they struggle to save the Robie House from demolition. Their struggle involves triangles, invisible men, codes from Frank Lloyd Wright himself, and ghost voices. As in Blue Balliet's last book, this book will keep you reading caught up in the many strange and frightening circumstances facing the characters. Hard feelings between Petra and Tommy add to the tension of the story. The history of the Robie House, a masterpiece built for children with art, glass windows, and treasures to be found, is woven beautifully throughout the book. The Robie House's past is haunting, full of tragedy and secrets, but Petra, Calder, and Tommy bring the Robie House into a new light. This second book with Petra and Calder, and the effort to save another important piece of artwork, will not disappoint readers. 2006, Scholastic Press, Ages 8 to 12.
—Erin Pelletier
Joy Frerichs
The Wright 3 by Blue Bakkuett is an absorbing mystery involving American architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Chicago design, the Robie House. Because of a teacher's concern about destroying works of art, three classmates endeavor to save the house. Sleuths will enjoy unraveling the historical, mathematical, and criminal clues needed to solve the mystery. The author has definitely plotted this novel well, while providing characters that are delineated well. One does not want to stop reading the book! Besides providing an interesting historical fiction story, the reader will gain a great deal of information about Wright and his buildings.
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-With her distinct style, Balliett returns to Chicago and the detective work of Calder and Petra, sixth graders at the University School. This time they are joined by Tommy, Calder's former best friend who had moved away for a year. In this architectural mystery, destruction threatens Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, and the Wright 3, as the protagonists call themselves, piece together the puzzle that will lead to the building's rescue. While friction initially mars the three-sided friendship, Petra, Calder, and Tommy soon appreciate their individual roles in solving the mystery. Egged on by their unconventional teacher, the Wright 3 utilize Calder's geometric brain, Petra's writing and observing skills, and Tommy's uncanny findings to research and investigate the cryptic messages that Robie House seems to send in its own defense. Balliett elegantly wraps factual information on the building into a dreamy, Debussy sort of mystery in which seemingly random connections in everyday life uncover the hidden enigmas of Robie House and Wright himself. Balliett's atmospheric writing encourages readers to make their own journeys of discovery into art and architecture, creating a mystery subgenre that is as unique as it is compelling. While the book is not perfect-the final chapters jerk rather than flow, and the Wright 3's transition from awkward tolerance to a tightly knit cadre is nothing out of the ordinary-the mystery itself and the perfectly realized setting make this an essential purchase.-Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
The determined sleuths from Balliett's fine first novel, Chasing Vermeer (2004), return in another artful mystery, centered on one of Chicago's architectural treasures. As sixth grade wanes, the vibrant Ms. Hussey reveals heartbreaking news: Because of the extraordinary costs of maintenance and repair, Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, a city icon since 1910, will be dismantled in sections and donated to four museums. While the class's spirited campaign to save the building ends with the school year, the passionately curious Petra and Calder press on, abetted by Calder's good friend Tommy, just back from a traumatic year away. The shifting third-person narrative effectively captures the children's tense struggle to transform from duo to trio, and transmits their shared delight in puzzling, excavating and thinking deeply, creating a similarly heightened alertness in the reader. The "Wright 3" take increasingly bold risks to recover a stolen, priceless jade fish (Wright's own lost talisman) and save the Robie House. Many of the elements that made Chasing Vermeer such a success reappear here, from the culturally rich setting, to Calder's pentominoes (now three-dimensional), to Helquist's intriguing illustrations (not seen in their final state). Another tour de force blending art, math, philosophy, history and literature. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)
From the Publisher
Booklist 2/1/06*BOX*
Gr. 5–8. How many newsworthy art crimes can 12-year-old sleuths thwart in a single year? At least two, as readers will discover in this sequel to Balliett's celebrated Chasing Vermeer (2004). After all, “magical coincidences” are what these thinking-kids' adventures are all about. Tommy Segovia, the best friend Calder corresponded with during the Vermeer crisis, has returned to Hyde Park, and he resents Petra and Calder's tight twosome. But when a house by Frank Lloyd Wright is slated for destruction, the sixth-graders overcome tensions to save the landmark and decode its secrets––among them, an intriguing buried artifact. Leapfrogging connections and mystical messages from Calder's pentominoes once again drive the plot, but some children may find this second installment more arcane than the first, with too much focus on Wright and his genius, difficult-to-follow gleanings from sources as eclectic as H. G. Wells' Invisible Man and Fibonacci, and a central problem that lacks the glamorous hook of an international art heist. But determined fans will grab hold of the true-to-life friendship issues Balliett introduces, and many–particularly her brainiest, most open-minded readers–will emerge energized by the invitation to explore themes of an interconnected universe. A new pentominoes code appears in the narrative, and Helquist likewise embeds another challenge in his drawings (unfinished in the galley). –Jennifer Mattson

VOYA Tommy, who went missing in Chasing Vermeer, has moved back to his old neighborhood in Chicago and things have changed. His best friend, Calder, has a new friend, a girl named Petra, and exciting things happened while Tommy was gone. Miss Hussey, the sixth grade teacher, seems a little strange, but the students all pay attention to her. The announcement that the Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House, right down the street, is to be dismantled and displayed in different museums becomes the lynchpin for another exciting art adventure. Although Tommy tries to be friends with Calder and Petra, his resentment frequently puts him on a solo path and also caused problems between Calder and Petra.
Each character has a distinct personality and approach to problem solving. Petra finds a copy of the Invisible Man that has a strange relationship to the goings on; Tommy- who lives next to the house- unearths a fish-shaped object on the grounds where he should not have been. Calder's pentominoes seem to be giving him messages. There are lights in the house. As the mystery develops and more resources are needed to save the house, Tommy, Petra, and Calder's complimentary abilities move toward solutions and success. While learning about the Robie House, they develop their art appreciation, a sense of history, civic responsibility, take some risks, and eventually all become friends. This installment is a worthy follow-up and provides a wonderful opportunity for young readers to think about buildings as art.

Kikus Starred The determined sleuths from Balliett' s fine first novel, Chasing Vermeer, return in another mystery, centered on one of Chicago's architectural treasures. As sixth grade wanes, the vibrant Ms. Hussey reveals heartbreaking news: Because of the extraordinary costs of maintenance and repair, Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, a city icon since 1910, will be dismantled in sections and donated to four museums. While the class's spirited campaign to save the building ends with the school year, the passionately curios Petra and Calder press on, abetted by Calder's good friend Tommy, just back from a traumatic year away. The shifting third-person narrative effectively captures the children's tense struggle to transform from duo to trio, and transmits their shared delight in puzzling, excavating and thinking deeply, creating a similarly heightened alertness in the reader. The “Wright 3” take increasingly bold risks to recover a stolen, priceless

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780439693684
  • Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
  • Publication date: 6/1/2007
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 352
  • Sales rank: 82,687
  • Age range: 8 - 12 Years
  • Product dimensions: 5.20 (w) x 7.50 (h) x 0.80 (d)

Meet the Author

Blue Balliett
Blue Balliett is the author of several bestselling, acclaimed mystery novels, including Chasing Vermeer (a Book Sense Book of the Year and an Edgar Award winner), The Wright 3, The Calder Game, and The Danger Box. She writes in the laundry room of her home in Chicago, Illinois, and you can find her online at www.blueballiettbooks.com.

Brett Helquist was born in Ganado, Arizona, and grew up in Orem, Utah. He entered Brigham Young University as an engineering major, but soon realized this was not the right choice for him. Having decided to take time off from college, he headed to Taiwan where he stumbled into a job illustrating English textbooks, which he enjoyed. There, a friend introduced him to an illustration student, also from Brigham Young University. This introduction inspired Brett to eventually switch majors. After spending a year in Taiwan, he went back to BYU and transferred to the illustration department. In 1993 he received a fine arts degree in illustration.

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Read an Excerpt

The Prophet of Yonwood
By Jeanne Duprau Random House Books for Young Readers Copyright © 2006 Jeanne Duprau
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-439-69367-7

Chapter One The Inheritance

Nickie Randolph's first sight of the town of Yonwood was a white steeple rising out of the pine forest that covered the mountainside. She leaned forward, gazing through the windshield of the car. "Is that it?"

Her aunt Crystal, who was driving, put one hand up to shield her eyes from the rays of the setting sun. "That's it," she said.

"My new home," said Nickie.

"You have to get that notion out of your mind," said Crystal. "It's not going to happen."

I'm going to make it happen, thought Nickie, though she didn't say it out loud. Crystal's mood was already bad enough. "How long till we get there?" she asked.

"We'll be there in twenty minutes, if nothing else gets in our way."

A lot had gotten in their way so far. The Streakline train was closed down because of the Crisis, so they'd had to drive. They'd been on the road for seven hours, though the trip from Philadelphia should have taken no more than five. But long lines at gas stations, detours around pot-holed or snow-covered stretches of highway, and military roadblocks had slowed them down. Crystal didn't like delays. She was a fast-moving, efficient person, and when her way was blocked, she became very tense and spoke with her lips in two hard lines.

They came to the Yonwood exit, and Crystal turned off the highway onto a road that wound uphill. Here the trees grew thick on either side, and so tall that their bare branches met overhead, making a canopy of sticks. Drops of rain began to spatter the car's windshield.

After a while, they came to a sign that said, "Yonwood. Pop. 2,460." The trees thinned out, and the rain fell harder. They passed a few storage sheds, a collapsing barn, and a lumberyard. After that, houses began to appear on the side of the road-small, tired-looking wooden houses, their roofs dripping. Many of them had rockers or couches on the front porch, where people would no doubt be sitting if it weren't the dead of winter.

From a small brick shelter at the side of the road, a policeman stepped out holding a red stop sign. He held it up and waved it at them. Crystal slowed down, stopped, and opened her window. The policeman bent down. He had on a rain jacket with the hood up, and rain dripped off the hood and onto his nose. "Hello, ma'am," he said. "Are you a resident?"

"No," said Crystal. "Is that a problem?"

"Just doing a routine entry check, ma'am," the man said. "Part of our safety program. Had some evidence lately of possible terrorist activity in the woods. Your purpose here?"

"My grandfather has died," Crystal said. "My sister and I have inherited his house. I've come to fix the house up and sell it."

The man glanced at Nickie. "This is your sister?"

"This is my niece," said Crystal. "My sister's daughter."

"And your grandfather's name?" said the man.

"Arthur Green," said Crystal.

"Ah, yes," the policeman said. "A fine gentleman." He smiled. "You be careful while you're here, now. We've had reports indicating there may be agents of the Phalanx Nations traveling alone or in small groups in parts of the area. Have you been spoken to by any suspicious strangers?"

"No," said Crystal. "Just you. You seem very suspicious."

"Ha ha," said the man, not really laughing. "All right, ma'am," he went on. "You may go. Sorry for the delay, but as you know there's a crisis. We're taking every precaution."

He stepped away, and they drove on.

"Terrorists even here?" Nickie said.

"It's nonsense," said Crystal. "Why would a terrorist be wandering around in the woods? Pay no attention."

(Continues...)


Excerpted from The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne Duprau Copyright © 2006 by Jeanne Duprau. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
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Table of Contents

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Interviews & Essays

A Conversation with Blue Balliett

What do you want readers to come away with when they read The Wright 3?

BB: I want readers to come away with a sense of the mysteries and possibilities that surround us, even in our everyday lives. I love to read books that grab my attention and make me think, "Who knows? Why not?" I hope my books do this. Plus, I want readers of all ages to feel inspired about their ability to make intuitive, intelligent connections, and to think their way through tough problems and challenges. I'm thrilled when I hear from kids that my books make them feel more confident as thinkers and doers.

Had you always planned to write this sequel? How did the novel come to be?

BB:When I wrote Chasing Vermeer, I wasn't thinking about a sequel at all. But after the book was finished, I found that Petra and Calder weren't disappearing from my mind. I wanted to give them a completely different kind of art challenge to work on, and so I began scribbling down ideas about a piece of art that you could walk into, a piece of art that wasn't in a museum. That was the beginning of The Wright 3.

Who do you think this book will appeal to? Do you have a certain audience in mind when you write?

BB:I am always thinking about how kids see things, and that's only natural considering I've spent the last 25 years with kids, both as a mom of three and as a teacher. My audience is kids, probably independent readers of 10 and up, but I also think my books are for thinkers of all ages. I was so interested to see that in Italy there is both an adult edition of Chasing Vermeer (no illustrations) and a kids' edition that includes Brett Helquist's artwork. Both have sold well.

It's amazing how you bring together such seemingly unrelated elements from Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House to Fibonacci numbers to H. G. Wells' The Invisible Man to questions about art. Did you ever worry that the ideas were "too big" for kids?

BB:I never worry about these ideas being too big for kids. My books can be read on a number of levels, just as the world can be seen on a number of levels. And I believe in introducing kids to intriguing ideas like centuries-old number sequences and legends about invisibility, because what you are doing is seeding ideas that can only grow --sometimes many years into the future, but to me this is what education is all about. And I feel that kids aren't given nearly enough exposure to the joys and complexities of the art world. Kids need more access to big ideas and big questions.

Do you have a favorite character? When you were a kid, were you like any of your characters?

BB: I think asking an author about a favorite character is a bit like asking a parent about their favorite child -- each character is special when you are focused on bringing them to life in a book. But if I were to say which character feels most familiar to me, I'd have to say Petra. I've always liked playing around with words and wondering about things that grownups think are impossible. Plus, when I was Petra's age I was shaped a bit like a lima bean and wore glasses.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 48 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(31)

4 Star

(10)

3 Star

(6)

2 Star

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1 Star

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 48 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 25, 2013

    Etalien

    I absolutely love this book. It is a great sequel to Chasing Vermeer. Calder, Petra, and this time Tommy, are back again. The old Robie house(built by Frank Lloyd Wright)is being torn down!! Calder is stuck between friends. Tommy and Petra are getting along like cats and dogs, and yes, pentominoes somehow fit in this mess. I recommend this to any reader. Blue Balliett does it again! If you like this book, be sure to get The Calder Game, Chasing Vermeer, and The Danger Box. This is definetly worth five stars. I loved reading this book and anyone including adults should read it.~Etalien

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 30, 2013

    i love this because the book very detailed.

    i love this because the book very detailed.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 1, 2013

    The Wright 3

    The Westing Game is WAY better but this is still a good book. When you finish this series, I highly recomend The Westing Game.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2012

    Peacer

    This book is a amazing series 2nd. It has amazing detail and is written by a talented writer. (Blue Balliet). I highly recommend this book and the calder game. Makes more sense when you read the first (chasing vermeer). Then the second ( The wright 3). Then the third ( the calder game). An amazing series.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 6, 2011

    Great sequel to Chasing Vermeer!

    Book 2 in a series, this one deals with a house (which was built by a famous architect and is a piece of art) that is going to be torn down and given to many different museums. The three kids try to stop it.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 6, 2011

    its good

    its a pretty good follow up book

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 4, 2008

    Not a very good book

    I had to read this book for school In my opinion this book is very boring doesn't make any sense and is not interesting but it's better than the 1rst one

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 15, 2013

    Cai Calder awesome

    Best book ever read

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 22, 2013

    Lol

    Lollololololio

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted September 8, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    Chasing Vermeer
    The Calder Game

    Not as good as the first one

    If I had read this book by itself I probably would have liked it more. But because I read "Chasing Vermeer" about two years before this and fell in LOVE with it, I didn't like "The Wright 3" all that much. It was well thought out but didn't have as many twists and turns as Chasing Vermeer" and relied more on something kinda supernatutal than the power of thought and discovery. But, all the same, I would reccomend it. Now I can't wait to read "The Calder Game"...

    P.S. The illustrations are FANTASTIC!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 17, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    The Calder Game
    Chasing Vermeer
    The Calder Game

    Wright 3

    This is an absolutely amazing book, but would make most sense if you have read the first in the series, Chasing Vermeer! Like the first book your eyes will be glued, this is a sure page turner. This is great if you love mysteries and crimes. If you haven't read Chasing Vermeer I would suggest you do because otherwise it's a bit confusing and gives away the end of Chasing Vermeer. The main characters Petra and Calder are back with their old friend Tommy in an attempt to save the Robie (pronounced Row-bee) House, can they do it with the arguing over Calder?

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 18, 2009

    Great for thoughtful kids! (And parents will enjoy it, too.)

    This series of books teaches kids about art and architecture in a subtle way, with the history and background woven into the story. Also excellent on the friendship dynamics between kids, and how they learn to accomodate each other and use each other's strengths to solve the mystery at the heart of the story. We can't wait for the fourth book in the series!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 31, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    9 Year Old Son Loves It

    My son had to read Chasing Vermeer for school. He loved that so much he decided to read this one, too. He read it in less than a week and then asked to buy the next book, Calder Games written by the same author. If your child enjoys mysteries, he or she will enjoy this book.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 11, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Chasing Vermeer
    The Calder Game

    An intellectual thriller for kids and their parents.

    "The Wright 3" is a great mystery story -- a thriller, actually -- but it also succeeds in making architecture and mathematics understandable for a variety of ages. My three children (9-year-old twin boys and 12-year-old daughter) fell in love with this series and I was excited to know they were learning math principles that I didn't encounter until high school. I think they just thought it was fun. The characters are fascinating and the dynamic among the three children is so realistic. I love that brainy, somewhat nerdy kids are the center of this. In a time when people eschew intellectualism, this book is a blessed relief. I hope the series will continue past book three!<BR/><BR/>By the way, the book also inspired us to check out books on Frank Lloyd Wright's works, and visit the local house his designed.

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  • Posted November 19, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

    Twelve-year-old Tommy Segovia has returned to Chicago after a year away, and everything is different. His old house is completely different, and he doesn't live there anymore. His best friend, Calder, seems to have a new best friend, and it's a girl! And, the city wants to tear down Robie House, the historic Frank Lloyd Wright home that has always been a fixture in their neighborhood. <BR/><BR/>Calder Pillay is torn between his two close friends. He and Tommy have been best friends forever, but he and Petra solved a major mystery and crime together (CHASING VERMEER). They both have great and different talents, and Calder knows that if they could just all work together they could make an amazing team. Maybe even good enough to save Robie House. But it looks like he's going to be stuck in the middle for awhile. If only people could be more like his pentominoes. (Pentominoes are a mathematical tool, a set of twelve shapes of five connected squares. Calder keeps a set in his pocket; they help him think.) <BR/><BR/>Petra Andalee is a quiet girl who likes her books and writing, and she can't figure out why Tommy dislikes her so much. She and Calder make a good team, and Tommy and Calder make a good team, so where's the problem? She's torn between wanting to prove herself and feeling like she shouldn't have to. Either way, she intends to find a way to save one of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces. <BR/><BR/>Between Tommy's finding skills, Calder's logic, and Petra's unique analysis, they aren't about to let the house go quietly. Provided they trust each other enough. And the house might have a few things to say about it, too. <BR/><BR/>There is A LOT going on in this stand alone sequel to CHASING VERMEER. <BR/><BR/>Obviously there is the relationship between the three main characters, and the attempt to save Robie House. There is some Frank Lloyd Wright history, as well as Robie House-specific history. There is also mathematical figuring, and architectural oddities. There are even hidden pictures inside the illustrations. It also brings up some interesting ideas about the science of art and the art of science. There's so much happening that I almost feel like I need to go through the book a few separate times, looking at it from different angles. <BR/><BR/>There aren't many young fiction books geared toward a math/science type mind. If you're that type, I think you will really appreciate and enjoy this book. And even if you're not, it's still a good adventure!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 23, 2008

    The Wright 3 is an excellent book that contains a unique sense of suspense.

    Calder, Petra, and Tommy are out to save a work of art that seems to come alive (literally). Ms. Hussey, the trio¿s sixth grade teacher, tells her class to investigate the Robie House and find clues that can be used as evidence for why the structure should be preserved. The three students go to work. Unfortunately, this means they have to break into a dark house and risk their lives to prove a point. This was a wonderful book! The Wright 3 contains odd coincidences that happen in every day life. For example, the story Petra read titled The Invisible Man contained clues that helped save the Robie House. Another time, Calder pulled out three pentominoes that could build a wing of the Robie House when put together. Also, Tommy found a jade fish that resembled Frank Lloyd Wright¿s lucky charm. Frank Lloyd Wright was the architect that built the Robie House. This book had plenty of good characters. The tall man that seemed to follow Tommy everywhere helped build up suspense. Mrs. Hussey was a great character who believed that the mind contained infinite possibilities. Tommy created a problem in the story by thinking that he and Calder could not share Petra as a friend. Lastly, The Wright 3 had appealing settings. The fact that people were trying to steal artifacts from the Robie House added a lot of suspense. The Japanese garden was a good place for the three friends to relax. The art museum was an excellent place for Calder, Petra and Tommy to put together clues. In conclusion, this book was exciting and different from other books of its genre. J.Barton

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 24, 2008

    Even better than Chasing Vermeer

    The Wright 3 is a must read for anyone who has read Chasing Vermeer. The mystery of it is extremely enticing, and it's always entertaining.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 30, 2008

    better than chasing vermeer

    The Wright 3 is an exquisite book, i love blue balliet as a person and a writer. I highly recommend this book

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 20, 2008

    Wright 3

    i loved it

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 8, 2007

    A reviewer

    It was kind of challenging

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