Trouble at the Tangerine

by Gillian McDunn

Overview

Award-winning author Gillian McDunn pens a delightfully quirky mystery that examines the meaning of home, perfect for fans of The Vanderbeekers series.

Simon's family is always on the move. Every few months, they load up their van, “Vincent Van Go,” and set off for a new adventure. According to his dad, you can't live an extraordinary life by staying in one place. But all Simon wants is to settle down, so he's hatched a plan: to make their latest apartment in the Tangerine Pines building his forever home.

When a priceless necklace is stolen, clues indicate the thief might actually be another neighbor. Simon worries he'll have to move again if the thief isn't caught. He usually doesn't go looking for trouble, but if retrieving the necklace means establishing home, Simon is willing to risk it. With the help of his neighbor Amaya, pet sitter, plant-waterer, and podcaster extraordinaire, Simon is determined to crack the case and finally put down roots.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547611003
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	04/02/2024
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Gillian McDunn is the award-winning author of Caterpillar Summer, The Queen Bee and Me, These Unlucky Stars, Honestly Elliott, the Schneider Family Book Award Honor winner, When Sea Becomes Sky, and Trouble at the Tangerine. Her books have been Parents magazine best book of the year, Kirkus Reviews best book of the year, and Junior Library Guild, IndieNext, and Bank Street College of Education Best Books selections. When she isn't reading or writing, she is probably trying a new recipe, playing a board game, or learning something new. She lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, children, and a very silly dog named Friday.

www.gillianmcdunn.com

@gillianmcdunn

Editorial Reviews

02/05/2024

Eleven-year-old Simon Hyde’s parents’ nomadic lifestyle, and yet another move across the country in their “Vincent Van Go,” has made him risk averse. Having lived in 27 places, Simon has made up a fool-proof plan: Code Name Chameleon. Part one is to blend in with his new surroundings, and part two—perhaps the most imperative of the pair—is to not be weird. Though Simon loves collecting rocks and reading fantasy novels, he can’t chance revealing his true self, especially since there’s been so little stability in his life to begin with. But maybe this time will be different: implementing steps one and two of Operation Rigsby, his new, top-secret scheme, Simon has been researching the best home for his family and has successfully led them to Tangerine Pines. He immediately meets cheery, idiosyncratic neighbors and, upon feeling a spark of “a forever home,” enacts step three: “Stay there forever. This was the most important part—and also the most complicated.” When his neighbor’s necklace is stolen, Simon and his new acquaintance is on the case—and he’ll do anything to prolong their stay. In this quiet story of hope, belonging, and adventure, McDunn (When Sea Becomes Sky) presents Simon’s sincere worries and charming schemes with a humorous, lighthearted approach. Simon reads as white. Ages 8–11. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

An excellent purchase for middle grade mystery collections that will be an easy sell for kids and teachers alike.” —School Library Journal

“In this quiet story of hope, belonging, and adventure, McDunn (When Sea Becomes Sky) presents Simor's sincere worries and charming schemes with a humorous, lighthearted approach.” —Publishers Weekly

“McDunn's characters are nicely realized, and the mystery is satisfyingly resolved.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A novel full of heart, humor, and honesty. . . . Elliot is an instantly lovable character, and readers will be hooked from the very first chapter.” —School Library Journal, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

“In a droll, engaging, self-effacing, and disarmingly open voice, Elliott narrates his story, providing realistic, firsthand insights into living with ADHD. . . . A refreshingly honest exploration of family and friendship.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

“McDunn has a talent for creating sympathetic characters. . . . This well-paced, heartfelt chapter book offers a lovable main character, a lively supporting cast, and a satisfying conclusion.” —Booklist, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

“McDunn (These Unlucky Stars) offers an affirming and nuanced depiction of empathetic and creative Elliott's experience of ADHD. . . . Elliott's relationship with his father, from whom he craves acceptance despite his dad's failure to acknowledge Elliott's specific challenges, is particularly inspiring as the two work toward openness and understanding.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

From the Publisher

03/01/2024

Gr 3–6—Meet Simon Hyde—he's on a mission to put down permanent roots in Rigby. Simon's usual rules for new towns? "Blend In and Don't Be Weird." But after moving 27 times, as a part of his parents' Hyde Go Seek travel blog, he's tired of always being the new kid. This time, he wants a real home and genuine friends. Trouble is, some jewel thefts at his new apartment complex, Tangerine Pines, are getting in the way of Simon's "Operation Rigby." He has already made friends with local petsitter Amaya and her "arch-nemesis" Calvin Morris, making Rigby feel like the home he has always wanted. But can Simon and his new friends solve the missing jewelry mystery before his parents get spooked, and he finds himself on the move again? Blending elements of mystery and realistic fiction, this title mixes a tight whodunit plot with common middle grade themes, such as growing up, fitting in, and developing friendships. The narrative centers around Simon's quest for a permanent home, but a secondary conflict, the jewel heist, injects intrigue into the plot with each proceeding chapter. With chapters averaging between six-to-nine pages in length and maintaining a balanced level of suspense throughout, this would be an excellent choice for either a beginning of the year read-aloud or as an independent read for young mystery buffs seeking a longer text. VERDICT An excellent purchase for middle grade mystery collections that will be an easy sell for kids and teachers alike.—Louie Lauer

School Library Journal

2024-02-03
A boy in search of roots solves his first mystery.

Simon Hyde, 11 ½, worries that the burglary at the Tangerine Pines apartments will result in his parents’ quickly moving from the new home that he’d hoped might be permanent. Including the most recent one, where he broke his leg in a fall from a tree, Simon lived in 27 different places before arriving in Rigsby. His parents, both digital nomads, make a living from remote work and their popular The Hydes Go Seek social media account, which details their itinerant lifestyle. Simon feels they’ve been “adrift like a clump of dandelion seeds.” He’s kept a rock collection—“one small piece of every place we’ve ever lived”—but he longs for more lasting connections. When a priceless necklace goes missing, Simon, who reads white, tries to identify the thief with the help of ebullient new friend Amaya Sharma, who’s also 11. Another neighbor, retired detective Mrs. Kobayashi, offers him tips, notably, “Be patient and allow yourself to observe.” This advice turns out to be a great strategy for getting to know new friends and neighbors, including Calvin Morris, a Black boy around his age. McDunn’s characters are nicely realized, and the mystery is satisfyingly resolved.

A likable hero and a neatly plotted mystery. (Mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews