Three Times Lucky (Mo & Dale Mysteries #1)

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)

Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

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.

"The heroine of Sheila Turnage's Three Times Lucky is so plucky that young readers may wish she lived next door."—Wall Street Journal, Best Chapter Books of 2012

"An irresistible Southern narrator—a literary descendant of Scout Finch of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'"—Newsday, Top 12 Children's books of 2012

"What do you get when you combine Because of Winn-Dixie's heart with the mystery and action of Holes?...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."—Kirkus, starred review

"Here is a writer who has never met a metaphor or simile she couldn't put to good use...But it's Mo's wry humor that makes this first novel completely memorable."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters."— Booklist, starred review

"Quick-thinking and precocious Mo LoBeau is hilarious in this modern-day mystery...this book will leave readers hoping for more books about Mo and her gang."—School Library Journal

"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

"A vivid, multilayered story which will appeal to both skilled and reluctant readers of either gender. Elements of mystery, romance, secret identities, and long-unspoken small-town secrets blend into a literary stew that becomes compulsively readable as so many tales alternately unravel and combine."—VOYA

Newbery Honor winner

New York Times bestseller