Pieces and Players

About this book

From the New York Times bestselling author of Chasing Vermeer, Blue Balliett, comes an all-new Calder mystery.

THE PIECES

Thirteen extremely valuable pieces of art have been stolen from one of the most secretive museums in the world. A Vermeer has vanished. A Degas has disappeared. And nobody has any idea where they and the other eleven artworks might be . . . or who might have stolen them.

THE PLAYERS

Calder, Petra, and Tommy are no strangers to heists and puzzles. Now they’ve been matched with two new sleuths — Zoomy, a very thin boy with very thick glasses, and Early, a girl who treasures words . . . and has a word or two to say about the missing treasure.

With Pieces and Players, you have all the ingredients for a fantastic mystery from the amazing Blue Balliett.

Reviews

Advance Praise for Pieces and Players:

"Balliett again deftly merges mystery, art and friendship into another perplexing puzzler." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Fun and engaging." -- School Library Journal


Praise for Chasing Vermeer:

"Balliett is an original . . . Thick with devilish red herrings, this smart, playful story never stops challenging (and exhilarating) the audience." -- Publishers Weekly

"Puzzles, codes, letters, number and wordplay, a bit of danger, a vivid sense of place, and a wealth of quirky characters enrich the exciting, fast-paced story that's sure to be relished by mystery lovers." -- School Library Journal


Praise for The Wright Three:

* "Another tour de force." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review


Praise for The Calder Game:

* "Balliett outdoes herself with this ambitious novel." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Balliett again offers readers new ways to think." -- Booklist, starred review


Praise for The Danger Box:

* "This highly satisfying story will enlighten readers even as it inspires them to think." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"A spine-tingling tale . . . kids are in for an adventure." -- Chicago Sun Times


Praise for Hold Fast:

"[Blue Balliett's] latest and most heart-rending novel . . . [The] multi-faceted Early Pearl, ever observant and always pondering, shines as bright as any diamond." -- New York Times Book Review

* "Wonderful . . . will pierce all readers" -- Booklist, starred review

* "A moving story of homelessness, family, and the love of words and books . . . Enthralling and satisfying." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Balliett paints a vivid picture, a literary composition reminiscent of an Impressionist painting . . . Excellent." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"This novel abounds in heart, shining a spotlight on the gritty truths about homelessness." -- Publishers Weekly

"Vivid and compelling." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

A 2013 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner

Extras

Discussion Guide: Novels of Blue Balliet