Synopses & Reviews
National Book Award nominee!
The magic of Savvy meets the complexity of When You Reach Me in this "blithe magical puzzle," --The Wall Street Journal
Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever. However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan. If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent.
Lisa Graff adds a pinch of magic to a sharply crafted plot to create a novel that will have readers wondering about fate and the way we're all connected.
Praise for A TANGLE OF KNOTS:
"Lisa Graff has created a beautiful world of deliciously interconnected stories that draw you in." --Abby West, Entertainment Weekly [A-]
* "Subtle and intricate, rich with humor and insight, this quietly magical adventure delights." --Kirkus Reviews [STARRED]
* "Combining the literary sensibility of E. B. White with the insouciance of Louis Sachar, Graff has written a tangle that should satisfy readers for years to come." --Booklist [STARRED]
"Graffs story has a warmth and gentle humor that, along with the premise, calls to mind Ingrid Laws Savvy." --Publishers Weekly
Review
Americas got Talents in this cozy novel from Graff (Double Dog Dare), set in a contemporary world in which certain people have specialized abilities, from levitation to spitting perfectly. Eleven-year-old orphan Cady has a Talent for baking—not only does Cady create the most delicious cakes around, she innately knows what someones “perfect” cake is. When she gets adopted, her Talent helps unravel the mysteries of her past, but it also puts her in danger of losing her ability. Set mostly in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,
Graffs story has a warmth and gentle humor that, along with the premise, calls to mind Ingrid Laws Savvy. The author flips neatly between the perspectives of multiple characters, and the intricate connections between the narratives come together in a pleasing way as secrets are revealed. Readers who share Cadys love of baking will appreciate the inclusion of several cake recipes, like Marigolds lime pound cake and Mrs. Ashers honey cake, which are mentioned throughout the story and tied to key characters. Ages 8-up. Agent: Stephen Barbara, Foundry Literary + Media. (Feb.)
Review
A book's title can be as much a warning as an enticement, so let readers ages 9-12 beware: They'll need to pay close attention to keep straight the many intertwined characters in Lisa Graff's blithe magical puzzle
"A Tangle of Knots" (Philomel, 240 pages, 16.99). Here we find ourselves in a Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in which most people have a striking "Talent." Cady has a talent for baking the single most delicious cake for anyone she meets; Zane has a talent for long-distance spitting (surprisingly useful, it turns out); others have talents for origami, whistling, knot-tying and getting lost. Alas, the villain of the tale has a talent for stealing other people's talents, and it's his thievery that propels events through one twist after another until, like a magician's trick rope, all the narrative knots disappear at the end, with a flourish.
Meghan Cox Gurdon
Review
A- Author Lisa Graff has created a beautiful world of deliciously interconnected stories that draw you in. It looks an awful lot like our world, but things are slightly off. It's a world with magic running through it. One where people have Talents — that's right, with a capital "T." At the heart of it all is Cady, an orphan whose baking skills are unparalled. She's particularly adept at sussing out the perfect flavor of cake for a person, whether they know it or not. (In fact, each chapter begins with a cake and recipe, with names like V's Mystery Fudge Cake. Graff is said to have baked each of the recipes.)
It soon becomes clear that Cady is unknowingly tied to a group of people staying at a boarding house above a lost luggage store: a family with three spirited kids, a woman who's lost the ability to speak, a loner, and the grouchy owner. If Cady is at the center of the story, which is told from multiple viewpoints, the thread through the tale is the large man in the gray suit enigmatic grin that 'suggested he knew more about the world than he's letting on.' He shows up just in time to give a nudge in the right direction to those who need it, imparting a little insight about fate along the way.
Things get slightly confusing near the end as all the pieces come together, but the sheer enjoyment of the building storyline and a careful read of Graff's lyrical style mitigates that.
Abby West
Review
**STARRED REVIEW** A mysterious man in a gray suit, an assortment of vintage, powder blue suitcases and a beguiling orphan girl with an amazing talent for baking cakes are among the tasty ingredients in Graffs delicious new novel.
Multiple, varied characters intersect to reveal long-held secrets and imaginative connections. Cady is the only orphan remaining at Miss Mallorys Home for Lost Girls in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where people are either Fair or Talented. Those who are Fair, like Cadys friend, Marigold, envy those like Cady with a special gift. Cadys is for baking: She can look at any person and immediately know the flavor of their favorite cake. Cady makes the most beautiful cakes, guaranteed to win the hearts of their recipients—and baking-contest judges. Marigold, meanwhile, has no special Talent, and the mysterious, nefarious Owner has more than his fair share. Graff weaves a miraculous tale of whimsy with the same attention to detail as a master chef. Carefully blending past mistakes and regrets with future wishes and dreams, she shows us the power of loving ourselves and the pain of living in the past. The narrative shifts from character to character, always in the third person, revealing bits and pieces of the story; occasional cake recipes are sprinkled throughout.
Subtle and intricate, rich with humor and insight, this quietly magical adventure delights. (Fantasy. 8-12)
Review
*"Subtle and intricate, rich with humor and insight, this quietly magical adventure delights."--
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"[A] magical puzzle."--The Wall Street Journal
"Lyrical."--EntertainmentWeekly.com
"10 out of 10 . . . I didn't want to put it down."--TIME Magazine for Kids
"Graff's story has a warmth and gentle humor that, along with the premise, calls to mind Ingrid Law's Savvy."--Publishers Weekly
An Amazon.com Best Book of the Month
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Review
Praise for A TANGLE OF KNOTS:
"[A] blithe magical puzzle." --Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal
"Lisa Graff has created a beautiful world of deliciously interconnected stories that draw you in." --Abby West, Entertainment Weekly [A-]
* "Subtle and intricate, rich with humor and insight, this quietly magical adventure delights." --Kirkus Reviews *STARRED*
* "Combining the literary sensibility of E. B. White with the insouciance of Louis Sachar, Graff has written a tangle that should satisfy readers for years to come." --Booklist *STARRED*
"Graffs story has a warmth and gentle humor that, along with the premise, calls to mind Ingrid Laws Savvy." --Publishers Weekly
Review
"Character and events are well written and intriguing. Genuine’s frustration over the dilemma of being able to help everyone but her own family is well crafted...authentic and unique.”
—School Library Journal
"A folksy first-person narration combined with a thought-provoking storyline makes this a good pick for solo enjoyment or book club discussion."
—Kirkus
"Harkey has accomplished something great in this book—readers will learn how almost anything can be done with a wish biscuit in hand."
—VOYA
"Harkey adroitly and wisely metes out the folksiness, using it to add depth to her characters and create a sense of place so that Gen and her community feel both believable and likable...Give this to readers who want a poignant story that, like its heroine, is genuinely sweet."
—Bulletin
Synopsis
A vibrant new voice . . . a modern classic.
For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a “savvy”—a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brothers create hurricanes and spark electricity . . . and now it’s the eve of Mibs’s big day.
As if waiting weren’t hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs’s birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman’s bus . . . only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up—and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.
Synopsis
National Book Award nominee!
The magic of Savvy meets the complexity of When You Reach Me in this "blithe magical puzzle." --The Wall Street Journal
Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever. However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan. If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent.
Lisa Graff adds a pinch of magic to a sharply crafted plot to create a novel that will have readers wondering about fate and the way we're all connected.
Praise for A TANGLE OF KNOTS
"Lisa Graff has created a beautiful world of deliciously interconnected stories that draw you in." --Abby West, Entertainment Weekly [A-]
* "Subtle and intricate, rich with humor and insight, this quietly magical adventure delights." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Combining the literary sensibility of E. B. White with the insouciance of Louis Sachar, Graff has written a tangle that should satisfy readers for years to come." --Booklist, starred review
"Graffs story has a warmth and gentle humor that, along with the premise, calls to mind Ingrid Laws Savvy." --Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Savvy meets Three Times Lucky in Faith Harkeys debut novel--a small-town-Georgia tale of twelve-year-old Genuine Sweet, a hardworking but poor (and hungry!) “wish fetcher” who can grant anyones wishes but her own.
Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Genuine Sweet, of tiny Sass, Georgia, can grant any wish . . . except her own. It's a peculiar predicament, considering how much she could use a few wishes. New friends help Genuine give her family a boost--and then she takes her gift global! Life finally seems to be on the mend. But when she's faced with unexpected trouble that no amount of wishing can fix, Genuine must puzzle out the difference between wishing for a better life and building one.
Told in the engaging, irresistible voice of Genuine Sweet herself, Faith Harkey's debut novel spins a remarkable tale of a small-town girl with big-time magic and an even bigger heart.
Synopsis
A scrumptious gem of a story!”Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times bestselling author of The False Prince for All Four Stars
In this charming sequel to All Four Stars, eleven-year-old foodie Gladys Gatsby now has her first published review under her belt and is looking forward to a quiet summer of cooking and reviewing. But her plans quickly go awry when her friend Charissa Bentley delivers Gladyss birthday gift: a free summer at Camp Bentley. As Gladys feared, camp life is not easy: she struggles to pass her swim test and cant keep the other campers happy while planning lunches. The worst part is she cant seem to get away from the annoying new celebrity” camper and sneak away for her latest assignmentfinding the best hot dog in New York City. But when it turns out her hot dog assignment was a dirty trick by a jealous reviewer, Gladyss reviewing career may be over forever.
Synopsis
The magic of Savvy meets the complexity of When You Reach Me in this "blithe magical puzzle," --The Wall Street Journal
Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever. However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan. If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent.
Lisa Graff adds a pinch of magic to a sharply crafted plot to create a novel that will have readers wondering about fate and the way we're all connected.
"Lisa Graff has created a beautiful world of deliciously interconnected stories that draw you in." --Abby West, Entertainment Weekly [A-]
"Subtle and intricate, rich with humor and insight, this quietly magical adventure delights." --Kirkus Reviews [STARRED]
"Graffs story has a warmth and gentle humor that, along with the premise, calls to mind Ingrid Laws Savvy." --Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Ingrid Law has sold shoes, worked in a bookstore, helped other people get jobs, and assembled boxes for frozen eggplant burgers. She and her twelve-year-old daughter live in Boulder, Colorado, in a lovely old mobile home that they like to believe is a cross between a spaceship and a shoe box. They enjoy writing on its walls and painting on its ceiling, and have two harps, a flute, and a ukulele, as well as a fondness for muffins.