  | Finding Mighty Author: Chari, Sheela | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
Along the train lines north of New York City, twelve-year-old neighbors Myla and Peter search for the link between Myla's necklace and the disappearance of Peter's brother, Randall. Thrown into a world of parkour, graffiti, and diamond-smuggling, Myla and Peter encounter a band of thugs who are after the same thing as Randall. Can Myla and Peter find Randall before it's too late, and their shared family secrets threaten to destroy them all?
| Illustrator: | Johnson, Reid Kikuo |
Download a Teacher's Guide| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.10 Points: 10.0 Quiz: 189071 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 6-8 Reading Level: 3.30 Points: 16.0 Quiz: 71006 | |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (03/01/17)
School Library Journal (04/01/17)
Booklist (03/15/17)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/15/2017 Twelve-year-old Myla finds herself in the middle of a decades-old crime conspiracy after she purchases a mysterious street-fair necklace engraved with the Indian symbol Om and the word, “keeper.” Chari’s (Vanished, 2011) latest thriller is wholly original, celebrating diversity within and between families, presenting graffiti as an art form, and acquainting audiences with the practice and practicality of parkour. When Om symbols start appearing on train stations around New York City, Peter knows his recently missing brother, Randall (“Mighty”), must be responsible. Peter teams up with Myla to find Randall before local gang the Fencers does. Fast-paced and intricately plotted, Chari’s mystery is a rare achievement that pays off at every turn, featuring characters of color interested in their families’ histories and cultures. Spot art further draws readers into the sleuthing atmosphere as they get a look at entries in Myla and Peters’ notebooks. Myla and Peter’s race to find Randall turns into a race to discover a family secret that comes to a gripping and satisfying conclusion. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 04/01/2017 Gr 4–7—Told in alternating chapters by the three main characters, this novel contains all the right elements for an intriguing adventure: a long-ago theft, a suspicious death, a lost cache of uncut diamonds, menacing gang members, and a shrouded family history. Twelve-year-olds Myla and Peter, through a set of coincidences (or are they?), end up working together to solve a mystery. Peter and his mother have recently moved to Dobbs Ferry, NY, from Yonkers, NY, and are next-door neighbors to Myla Rajan and her family. Just before the move, Peter's 16-year-old brother Randall disappeared, leaving a note saying "Don't find me." Nevertheless, Peter is determined to do just that. Randall, following in their deceased father's footsteps, is a graffiti artist as well as a practitioner of parkour. The pace of the book picks up significantly midway when Randall, on a personal and dangerous mission, is given voice in his own chapters. The relationships, especially the sibling ones, are believable, and it is refreshing to see parents depicted as attentive and intelligent. When all paths converge, it is a heart-pounding race to see who will untangle the mystery first. And at what cost. VERDICT The plot is solid and the familial bonds strong. Exploring urban graffiti as a legitimate art form is a great discussion topic. Recommended for mystery fans and for most medium to large collections.—Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
