Who's Ju (The 7th Grade Sleuths) - Softcover

Ramos, Dania

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1937997618 ISBN 13: 9781937997618

Publisher: Northampton House, 2015

Synopsis

SELECTED AS A FINALIST FOR THE MARIPOSA PRIZE FOR FIRST NOVEL, INTERNATIONAL LATINA BOOK AWARDS “A fun, humorous, lighthearted caper that subtly and brilliantly explores the importance of cultural identity.” — Linda Nieves-Powell, Author of Yo Soy Latina! “Ju is a terrific personality with a large, inquisitive mind and an even bigger heart. Girls of all ages will remember her long after the last page is turned.” — Cecilia Galante, Author of The Patron Saint of Butterflies “At a time when the publishing world is in desperate need for more diversity in children’s literature, Ramos has introduced Justina, who is not only full of cultural pride, but is also universally relatable as she struggles with issues all kids face: Who am I and where do I fit in?” — Crystal Velasquez, Author of the Your Life, But... Series Justina ‘Ju’ Feliciano and her fellow seventh-grade sleuths are on the case! A sneaky vandal has damaged scenery from the school drama club production and the newbie detectives must catch the culprit before opening night. But Ju faces a completely different kind of mystery when a genetics assignment forces her to investigate the cold hard fact that her frizzy blonde hair and amber eyes don’t match the shades of brown that run in her family. This is one case she wishes she didn’t have to solve. Only there’s no escaping the Blueprint of Life Project, so Ju searches the attic for documents she needs to complete her schoolwork. Instead, she discovers her parents are keeping a huge secret. Ju’s amateur sleuthing and a confrontation with her parents finally lead to the cold hard facts about her past. But even though her life changes forever, she’s still the same mystery-loving girl she’s always been.

About this title

About the Author:

Dania Ramos is an award-winning playwright whose plays have received productions and readings at several professional theaters in New Jersey and New York City. As a teaching artist for not-for-profit arts organizations, she’s helped children of all backgrounds share their stories through creative writing and theatre. She lives in northeastern New Jersey with her husband.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 6–9—Justina (Ju) loves mystery movies and books and is the head of a special club called the Seventh Grade Sleuths, involved in solving small mysteries at school. When Justina and her crew are hired to find out who has been vandalizing the sets of the school play, Ju never expects that she would wind up steeped in a deeper and more important mystery concerning her own identity. At school, the seventh graders have been assigned a genetics project to research their family history. This project causes grief for her parents who do not want her to complete it. Determined not to get a bad grade, Justina continues her research only to discover that her parents have been hiding something about her past. Ramos has created an excellent, fully developed heroine. The tween does not look like any of her family members and is faced with questions about her own identity and where she fits in. She completes an interesting arc by the end of the story. This work answers the call for more diverse books for young readers. Fans of Nancy Drew or "39 Clues" (Scholastic) who are looking for something new will enjoy this multilayered tale. VERDICT A diverse mystery novel that goes deeper than the typical whodunit to examine issues of identity and family.—Patrick Tierney, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School RI

About this edition

• Publisher: Northampton House
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1937997618
• ISBN 13: 9781937997618
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 186