Book Description
for And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Delia’s mother, a passionate environmental activist and successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur, is on an Antarctic research trip when her boat disappears. Teenage Delia is placed in the care of her mother’s sisters in New York City. According to her mother’s will, Delia will live with free-spirited Charlie, while stern Patience, a stick-in-the-mud lawyer, has decision-making power. But Delia is sure her mother is still alive, and when Charlie gently suggests she’s in denial, Delia decides to investigate things on her own. With the help of brilliantly tech-savvy Natalie, a friend she makes at her new school, and the support of Quinn, a boy who might become more than just a friend, Delia uncovers enough evidence to convince a private detective that something strange is going on and maybe, just maybe, her mother is alive. But can he be trusted? Jennifer Sturman’s enthralling mystery has plenty of froth and fun with a fast-paced plot and a number of teasingly stereotypical characters, from nerdy Natalie to a pair of frost prep twins to the insincere, obviously sinister second-in-command at the company Delia’s mother started. There’s also an appealing protagonist at the heart of Sturman’s novel, and an ending that promises more of the story to come. (Age 12 and older)
CCBC Choices 2010. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2010. Used with permission.