Three Times Lucky (Mo & Dale Mysteries)

A Newbery Honor Book. "An irresistible Southern narrator--a literary descendant of Scout Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird." --Newsday. Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel-a caf© owner with a forgotten past of his own-and Miss Lana, the fabulous caf© hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known. Look for all the Mo & Dale Mysteries: The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing, The Odds of Getting Even, and The Law of Finders Keepers. * "A wickedly awesome tale...Mo LoBeau is destined to become a standout character in children's fiction."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review. * "Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters."--Booklist, starred review. * "Here is a writer who has never met a metaphor or simile she couldn't put to good use."--Publishers Weekly, starred review. Praise for Three Times Lucky. ¢ "A wickedly awesome tale...Mo LoBeau is destined to become a standout character in children's fiction."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review. ¢ "Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters."--Booklist, starred review. ¢ "Here is a writer who has never met a metaphor or simile she couldn't put to good use."--Publishers Weekly, starred review. "Spunky and hilarious, eleven-year-old Mo LoBeau is one of my newest favorite heroines. Three Times Lucky will make everyone want to ride his or her own hurricane all the way to Tupelo Landing, just to join the fun."--Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor-winning author of Savvy. "A dandy mystery...Humor sweetens the mix, making Tupelo Landing a pleasant place to stay for a spell."--Horn Book. "Mo's deadpan colloquial narration is robust and often humorous...Mystery lovers and fans of titles like Di Camillo's Because of Winn-Dixie (BCCB 6/00) or Klise's Grounded (BCCB 1/11) will definitely want to set a spell with Mo."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. "The heroine of Sheila Turnage's Three Times Lucky is so plucky that young readers may wish she lived next door."--Wall Street Journal. "An irresistible Southern narrator--a literary descendant of Scout Finch of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'"--Top 12 Children's books of 2012, Newsday. "This book will leave readers hoping for more books about Mo and her gang."--School Library Journal - From the Publisher. Eleven years ago, Mo LoBeau arrived in Tupelo Landing, N.C., a newborn baby girl washed downstream during a hurricane and rescued by "the Colonel," a stranger who can't remember anything about his own past. Both are taken in by Miss Lana, owner of the Tupelo Cafe. Mo (short for Moses) loves the Colonel and Lana, but she can't curb her curiosity: isn't anybody missing a lucky newborn? Mo scratches this itch by sending messages in bottles to her "Upstream Mother." Into this implausible but hilarious premise arrives an out-of-town detective, a dead body (cafe customer Mr. Jesse), a long-forgotten bank robbery, and a kidnapping. This much plot might sink a story, but Turnage makes it work. Here is a writer who has never met a metaphor or simile she couldn't put to good use. Miss Lana's voice is "the color of sunlight in maple syrup," while "umors swirl around the Colonel like ink around an octopus." But it's Mo's wry humor that makes this first novel completely memorable. "Boredom kills," she suggests as Mr. Jesse's cause of death. "I've had close brushes myself, during math." Ages 10-up. Agent: Melissa Jeglinski, the Knight Agency. (May; starred review) - Publishers Weekly. "An irresistible Southern narrator-a literary descendant of Scout Finch of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'" - Top 12 Children's books of 2012 Newsday. "An irresistible Southern narrator-a literary descendant of Scout Finch of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'" - Top 12 Children's books of 2012 Newsday. "Mo's deadpan colloquial narration is robust and often humorous...Mystery lovers and fans of titles like Di Camillo's Because of Winn-Dixie (BCCB 6/00) or Klise's Grounded (BCCB 1/11) will definitely want to set a spell with Mo." - The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books. "Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters." - starred review Booklist. "Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters." - Booklist (starred review). "Mo's deadpan colloquial narration is robust and often humorous...Mystery lovers and fans of titles like Di Camillo's Because of Winn-Dixie (BCCB 6/00) or Klise's Grounded (BCCB 1/11) will definitely want to set a spell with Mo." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. "A dandy mystery...Humor sweetens the mix, making Tupelo Landing a pleasant place to stay for a spell." - Horn Book. "Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters." - Booklist. "The heroine of Sheila Turnage's Three Times Lucky is so plucky that young readers may wish she lived next door." - Wall Street Journal. Gr 4-7--Quick-thinking and precocious Mo LoBeau is hilarious in this modern-day mystery set in a small North Carolina town. The 11-year-old discovers the true meaning of family as she searches for her "upstream mother." As a baby, Mo was found washed ashore during a hurricane and has led a quiet life with the Colonel, a caf© owner with a hidden past, and Miss Lana, the fun and colorful caf© hostess. Then one day, this idyllic town is turned upside down by a murder investigation. The twists and turns in the plot will keep readers on their toes, and the humorous interactions between Mo and her quirky neighbors will keep them coming back for more. While the story is amusing and mysterious, the author also skillfully touches on tough issues such as alcoholism, spousal and child abuse, and underage drinking. The mood of the book stays light and keeps youngsters rooting for Mo in all of her adventurous endeavors, yet elicits empathy for the secondary characters as they endure and conquer challenging circumstances. While the overall theme is predictable, the solution to the mystery is not, and this book will leave readers hoping for more books about Mo and her gang.--Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE - School Library Journal. What do you get when you combine Because of Winn-Dixie's heart with the mystery and action of Holes? You get an engaging, spirit-lifting and unforgettable debut for young readers. Turnage introduces readers to the homey yet exotic world of Tupelo Landing, N.C., well-populated with one-of-a-kind characters. A stranger with justice on his mind has just arrived in town, and Hurricane Amy is on its way. Rising sixth-grader Mo LoBeau leads the cast through a series of clues as the whole town tries to figure out who among them might be a murderer. The novel's opening lines reveal the unflappable Mo LoBeau as a latter-day Philip Marlowe: "Trouble cruised into Tupelo Landing at exactly seven minutes past noon on Wednesday, the third of June, flashing a gold badge and driving a Chevy Impala the color of dirt." This is the first of many genius turns of phrases. Pairing the heartbreaking sadness of children who don't get their fair share from parents with the hilarity of small-town life, Turnage achieves a wickedly awesome tale of an 11-year-old girl with more spirit and gumption than folks twice her age. Mo LoBeau is destined to become a standout character in children's fiction. Readers may find they never want to leave Tupelo Landing. (Mystery. 10-14) [starred review] - Kirkus Reviews