Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

Hackl, Jo Watson

ISBN 10: 0399557393 ISBN 13: 9780399557392

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2018

Synopsis

Eleven days. Thirteen clues. And one kid who won't give up. Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe is "part treasure hunt, part wilderness adventure, and all heart."--Alan Gratz, New York Times Bestselling author of Refugee

How far would you go to find something that might not even exist?

All her life, Cricket's mama has told her stories about a secret room painted by a mysterious artist. Now Mama's run off, and Cricket thinks the room might be the answer to getting her to come back. If it exists. And if she can find it.

Cricket's only clue is a coin from a grown-over ghost town in the woods. So with her daddy's old guidebook and a coat full of snacks stolen from the Cash 'n' Carry, Cricket runs away to find the room. Surviving in the woods isn't easy. While Cricket camps out in an old tree house and looks for clues, she meets the last resident of the ghost town, encounters a poetry-loving dog (who just might hold a key to part of the puzzle), and discovers that sometimes you have to get a little lost . . . to really find your way.

* "Told in the easy, laconic tone of good, Southern storytelling, Hackl's debut rolls off the tongue and into the heart easy as warm butter on a biscuit. Lyrical and endearing, this debut is a genuine adventure tale."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"A tale of adventure, full of mystery." --Robert Beatty, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Serafina and the Black Cloak

"Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe is part treasure hunt, part wilderness adventure, and all heart."--Alan Gratz, New York Times Bestselling author of Refugee

"A heartwarming coming-of-age story." --Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Hattie Big Sky

"A masterful debut. Cricket is my new hero, brave and funny and full of heart. I couldn't put it down."--Augusta Scattergood, author of Glory Be

"A brilliant, utterly absorbing debut. I couldn't get enough of Cricket's adventures. Totally unputdownable."--Carrie Ryan, New York TImes Bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth

About this title

Review

"This piercing, often humorous adventure demonstrates how facing the truth can bring freedom and hope."--Publishers Weekly

"The plot, full of adventure, treasure hunts, and mystery, will keep young readers hooked."--School Library Journal

"Colorfully narrated by Cricket, who comes across as idiosyncratic, intrepid, and wholly likable. An engaging first novel with a distinctive Southern setting."--Booklist

"A tale of adventure, full of mystery and suspense."--Robert Beatty, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Serafina and the Black Cloak

"A heartwarming coming-of-age story."--Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Hattie Big Sky

"A masterful debut. Cricket is my new hero, brave and funny and full of heart. I couldn't put it down."--Augusta Scattergood, author of Glory Be

"A brilliant, utterly absorbing debut. I couldn't get enough of Cricket's adventures. Totally unputdownable."--Carrie Ryan, New York Times Bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth

About the Author

Jo Watson Hackl was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, not far from Ocean Springs, where her favorite artist, Walter Anderson, lived and once painted a secret room. When Jo was eleven, she moved to a real-life ghost town, Electric Mills, Mississippi, and spent the rest of her childhood exploring the woods and encountering signs of the former inhabitants. Mr. Anderson's secret room and the ghost town were Jo's inspiration for this debut novel. Jo lives with her family in Greenville, South Carolina, where she raises fruits, vegetables, and many, many weeds. You can find her online at JoHackl.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0399557393
• ISBN 13: 9780399557392
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 240