The Calder Game

Blue Balliett's innovative novels featuring University of Chicago Lab School students Calder Pillay, Petra Andalee and Tommy Segovia have been widely praised for their portrayal of creative problem-solving, enthusiastic discussion of art and intriguing character dynamics. Although I awaited the latest installment, THE CALDER GAME, with as much enthusiasm as Balliett's many fans, I also hoped that perhaps this third entry in the series would have a more finely hewn mystery plot than its predecessors. As mystery novels go, CHASING VERMEER and THE WRIGHT 3 relied a little too much, in my reading, on coincidence, questionable clues and quasi-supernatural "evidence" to advance the mystery plot. Would THE CALDER GAME deliver for readers wanting a good mystery as well as a satisfying story? Yes, indeed. Calder, Petra and Tommy's seventh grade school year is off to a very unsatisfactory start. Not only did they have to move on from their beloved, unconventional, free-thinking sixth-grade teacher Miss Hussey, their seventh-grade teacher, the rules-oriented Miss Button, seems set on quashing creativity. And creativity is what these three friends value most --- Calder solves math problems and cracks codes, Petra thinks about language in unusual ways, and Tommy finds peculiar objects that often have larger significance. Then Calder breaks the news that he will be leaving Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood for a couple of weeks, accompanying his father to a conference near Oxford, England. Tommy and Petra are horrified. Calder, their best friend, is the glue that holds the often-feuding Petra and Tommy together. With Calder temporarily out of the picture, will their bickering develop into all-out war? Before Calder leaves, however, the kids head to Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art to see the world's largest exhibition of works by mobile and sculpture artist Alexander Calder, Calder Pillay's namesake. Despite Miss Button's strictness, Tommy, Petra and especially Calder are inspired by the breathtaking exhibit, particularly by the invitation to play the "Calder Game" and design their own unconventional "mobile" of five interconnected ideas or objects. Calder's arrival in England coincides with the arrival of another Calder --- a large sculpture called "The Minotaur," placed in the town square of tiny Woodstock by an anonymous donor. The tradition-bound villagers are suspicious of the sculpture, and of Calder, who seems to make enemies just by asking simple questions. So when both the sculpture and the boy disappear on the same night, Calder's distraught father calls in Tommy and Petra to see if they can zero in on connections that he and the police are missing. In order to find their friend, can Petra and Tommy overcome their differences and disagreements and make an effective detective team? Like its predecessors, THE CALDER GAME utilizes real information about art, artists and places (in this case, the Cotswolds' Blenheim Palace and its famous maze) to

Blue Balliett's THE CALDER GAME tells of two missing Calders: one a sculpture, one a boy. A remote village in England produces mystery and danger and when Calder vanishes, it's up to his friends to help his father find him in an adventure packed with twists and turns of plot.

Calder, Tommy, and Petra are back for another art-filled mystery. It all starts when they take a field trip to the art museum to see the new exhibit featuring work by Alexander Calder. Even though their nasty and fun-sucking teacher tries to make the trip as miserable as possible, the three friends manage to find great inspiration and fascination in Alexander Calder's work. Before long, Calder's dad invites him on a trip to England with him. Calder is super excited about the opportunity and learns that the town they're staying in is home to one of Alexander Calder's sculptures, The Minotaur. When Calder and his dad arrive in the small town, they find that not everyone is as excited about the sculpture as Calder is -- and quite a few people want it gone. While Calder's dad is off at his seminars all day, Calder starts exploring the town and even goes to the famous Blenheim Palace gardens and maze. This is the ultimate place for Calder as he loves puzzles and mazes. One night, though, both Calder and the sculpture go missing.....a coincidence... maybe? When Calder doesn't show up after a couple of nights, his worry-stricken father brings in some back-up, Petra and Tommy. Together they will try and solve the mystery of where Calder is and what happened to the sculpture. As always, Blue Balliett has created an intricately woven story which takes art, mystery, and friendship and turns it into one heck of a book. What's especially nice about THE CALDER GAME is that you don't necessarily have to have read the other books in the series (CHASING VERMEER and THE WRIGHT 3) to understand what's going on; while it would be nice, this story is complete on its own. While I really liked this book, I'm not sure it was quite as good as the first, which often happens, but it was still really good. I liked all of the twists and turns in the mystery and it was fun trying to figure out what happened. I loved the underlying art theme, which made the book very interesting. I definitely think that it takes a certain type of person to want to read this book, as there is a lot of art talk, which I love, but others may not. All in all, I really enjoyed THE CALDER GAME and look forward to more in the series. One last note! The illustrations in this book, while sparse, were incredible. I thought they really added to the story and I loved them. Reviewed by: Tasha

Balliett, Blue. The Calder Game. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. Scholastic Press. 2008. Another winner by the author of "Chasing Vermeer" and "The Wright 3"! Calder travels to England with his dad and gets caught up in an adventure that involves the disappearance of an Alexander Calder sculpture, just newly installed in a small village square. When Calder goes missing, his friends, Petra and Tommy, fly over to help find him. The story is absorbing and fast-paced. The illustrations provide tantalizing opportunities for puzzle connoisseurs to decode a message. This is a wonderful series for children, 4th grade and up.

The gang is all back, Calder, Tommy, and Petra, ready for another mystery to solve. It's the same formula with a different setting (England) and a different artist (Alexander Calder). But the three kids are finding balance between themselves, kind of like the mobiles that they all find so fascinating. If you enjoyed "Chasing Vermeer" and "The Wright 3", this is a must read. In all three of her books, Blue Balliett does a great job of making artists interesting to kids that may not otherwise have an interest in art. (Adults too! I'm inspired to go see the Alexander Calder exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.) It's also a great message about how differences can be cool and art can change people, if they just let it in. The only thing that bothered me is that the kids were able to get a passport in one day. (It took 8 weeks to get mine!) That just wouldn't be possible in our day and age. But it's just a small detail.