First of all: I have always been obsessed with the mystery of Amelia Earhart's disappearance: did she survive the crash or smash into the ocean?
Over the years, the mystery has been addressed in novels and nonfiction books.
But this might be my favourite story that includes Amelia:
I've been a huge fan of Kristin L. Gray since her debut novel, VILONIA BEEBE TAKES CHARGE.
She has a wonderful ability to put her readers in the shoes of their main character and have us root for them the whole way! (She is also the author of two wonderful picture books: KOALA IS NOT A BEAR and ROVER THROWS A PARTY)
The premise
Eleven-year-old Amelia Ashford—Millie to her friends (if she had any, that is)—doesn’t realize just how much adventure awaits her when she’s given the opportunity of a lifetime: to spend the night in Amelia Earhart’s childhood home with five other girls. Make that five strangers. But Millie’s mom is a pilot like the famous Amelia, and Millie would love to have something to write to her about…if only she had her address.
Once at Amelia’s house in Atchison, Kansas, Millie stumbles upon a display of Amelia’s famous flight goggles. She can’t believe her good luck, since they’re about to be relocated to a fancy museum in Washington, DC. But her luck changes quickly when the goggles disappear, and Millie was the last to see them. Soon, fingers are pointing in all directions, and someone falls strangely ill. Suddenly, a fun night of scavenger hunts and sweets takes a nosedive and the girls aren’t sure who to trust. With a blizzard raging outside and a house full of suspects, the girls have no choice but to band together. It’s up to the Amelia Six to find the culprit and return the goggles to their rightful place. Or the next body to collapse could be one of theirs.
Once at Amelia’s house in Atchison, Kansas, Millie stumbles upon a display of Amelia’s famous flight goggles. She can’t believe her good luck, since they’re about to be relocated to a fancy museum in Washington, DC. But her luck changes quickly when the goggles disappear, and Millie was the last to see them. Soon, fingers are pointing in all directions, and someone falls strangely ill. Suddenly, a fun night of scavenger hunts and sweets takes a nosedive and the girls aren’t sure who to trust. With a blizzard raging outside and a house full of suspects, the girls have no choice but to band together. It’s up to the Amelia Six to find the culprit and return the goggles to their rightful place. Or the next body to collapse could be one of theirs.
My Thoughts
First of all, I LOVED this book. Not only because of my own obsession with Amelia, but because this is SUCH a good story.
Who wouldn't love a book where the first line of chapter one reads:
Imagine the worse smell you can think of, multiply it by rotten fish, and I promise you a turkey truck stinks worse.
I mean seriously, this is a GOOD opener!
I love Millie's awkwardness, her grief over her mother's leaving, and her thrill at getting to stay overnight at Amelia Earhart's house (who also happens to be her mother's idol).
Most of all, I loved that that this book tells the story of a group of smart girls. Smart girls who can solve a mystery themselves AND work out their interpersonal issues AND support each other.
I love that this book promotes teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, and I LOVED the ending.
This book is a great whodunit with heart, and is a wonderful way to introduce kids to the history of women and early aviation and the life of Amelia Earhart.
And there are great resources at the end for kids (and adults) who want to read more about Amelia.
This book is a winner - I highly recommend it!
Want to learn more about Kristin L. Gray? Visit her website: https://kristinlgray.com
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