Starred review from April 9, 2012
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.
Starred review from April 15, 2012
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)
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June 1, 2012
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 cafe owner with a hidden past, and Miss Lana, the fun and colorful cafe 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
Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from May 1, 2012
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* Mysteries abound in this unusual book set in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, and narrated by Mo, or as she introduces herself, Miss Moses LoBeau, rising sixth-grader. First there are old mysteries. What was Mo's story before Colonel LoBeau rescued her from the creek as a newborn and took her in? And who was the colonel before amnesia wiped away his memory? But soon the plot thickens and more alarming questions arise. Who has murdered one of Tupelo Landing's most unlikable residents? Who is holding Mo's unofficially adoptive parents for ransom? How can she and her friend Dale rescue them? While the pace of the narrative is initially languid, the storytelling is always enjoyable, from the amusing early scene in which Mo and Dale make breakfast for the regulars at the cafe (peanut butter sandwiches with or without the drink du jour, Mountain Dew) to her continuing attempts to find her birth mother through messages launched in bottles. Later the pace quickens considerably as the mystery gains momentum, climaxing in an epic scene during a hurricane. Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters whose interlocking stories are gradually revealed. A sequel is planned for 2013.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2012
The center of rural Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, is a cafi owned by the Colonel, who rescued and adopted Mo when she washed up during a hurricane as a baby. Completing their unconventional family is Miss Lana, the cafi's hostess. All is well--until a stranger comes to town. Humor sweetens the mix in this dandy, leisurely plotted mystery.
(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 1, 2012
All too often, books set in the rural South feature quirky characters who grow like kudzu and completely strangle the plot. Here, Turnage comes close to letting that happen but never steps over the literary vine; her strong story emerges through, rather than around, the individuals who reside in Tupelo Landing, North Carolina. The town's center is a cafe owned by the Colonel, an amnesiac who rescued and informally adopted Moses (a.k.a. Mo) LoBeau, who washed up during a hurricane when she was just a baby. The Colonel knows three things: he loves Mo, hates lawyers, and can run a cafe. Completing their unconventional family is Miss Lana, the cafe's hostess, who effortlessly changes the menu and theme (from Parisian to Hollywood) at will. And then a stranger comes to town. Mo knows what that means: "Trouble had come to Tupelo Landing for good." Turnage takes her time with the plot, dropping hints, such as a death and a strange inheritance, that indicate something big is about to happen. The end result is a dandy mystery that reaches back into the Colonel and Miss Lana's past and involves the entire community, including Mo's best friend, Dale; his dreamy brother, Lavender; and the Azalea Women (a.k.a. the Uptown Garden Club). Humor sweetens the mix, making Tupelo Landing a pleasant place to stay for a spell. betty carter
(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)