Module 9 - The Postcard

Abbot, T. (2008). The postcard. New York: Little, Brown and Company.


Summary:
When Jason's grandmother dies in Florida, Jason is sent to help his father with the arrangements.  It's the beginning of summer and Jason was looking forward to staying in Boston with his best friend for the summer.  First the heat and humidity about does Jason in.  But when he and his father are receiving the condolences of his grandmother's  friend, Jason begins to get suspicious about who his grandmother really was, as he has never met her.  While helping his dad  clean out the house, Jason finds a postcard that appeared to be taped and hidden in an old desk.  He also receives a strange phone call telling him to look closer at the postcard.  Jason is baffled and just wants to go home!  After a little too much to drink Jason's dad falls from a ladder and injures himself.  While his father is in the hospital Jason starts to uncover his grandmother's past and gets to the bottom of that strange characters at the funeral.


My Impression:
It took a long time to get into this book.  I think the beginning wasn't as well written as the middle to the end. Maybe that was for the sake of the mystery, to keep the reader as confused as Jason.  However, had I not had to read this book in a limited amount of time, I would have abandoned it.  I did enjoy the end where the mystery wraps up and answers are given.  It just took awhile to begin to enjoy it.


Review:
"How smart are you?" Jason, a teenager helping his father sort through the belongings of his recently deceased grandmother, is asked this question by a mystery voice over the phone in this novel (Little, Brow, 2008) by Tony Abbott.An old, yellowed postcard provides the first clue in a hunt for long-hidden manuscripts that tell a continuing story of circus villains and true love, among other things. Jason also finds an old magazine with a story about someone named Marnie-a name the funeral director calls his grandmother Agnes. Jason and his sidekick Dia visit several of Florida's older landmarks to learn about his grandmother's hidden past. This is a story-within-a-story: Jason and Dia search for the hidden manuscript, and there are scene switches to the story of Nick Falcon and his beloved Marnie. How these two stories intertwine and end up at the same place is the best part of all. The excellent plot contains twists and turns around every corner, and the story is fast-paced with enough mystery and humor to keep the attention of listeners. Lincoln Hoppe creates individual voices for all the characters, from teenagers to eccentric circus folk.


Baker, L. (2008). [Review of The postcard by Tony Abbott]. School Library Journal, 54,8: 64-65.


Suggestions for Library Use:
This book could be used in a display of mystery books.