A Mind of Her Own
The Story of Mystery Writer Agatha Christie
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 28 May 2024
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- $16.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
Uncover the fascinating, inspiring, and sometimes mysterious true story of world-renowned detective novelist Agatha Christie’s journey to authorship in this picture book biography.
Before Agatha Christie became the greatest mystery writer of all time, she was a girl who loved books, make-believe, and puzzling out problems. She was a keen observer, always noticing the secrets hiding in the shadows and the clues just waiting to be uncovered. More than anything, Agatha loved detective stories. She longed to write her own mysteries, but she struggled when she put pen to paper. The letters came out jumbled, the words twisting and snagging. Writing became a new puzzle for her to solve.
Her family and teachers chided her for being lost in her head, but Agatha wasn’t lost…she had a mind of her own!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This imagination-oriented biography of mystery writer Agatha Christie (1890–1976) by McGrath (There's Always Room for One More) foregrounds the role Christie's internal world played in both her child-hood and her later success. "Agatha, always in her head," the adults repeat. But imagination and observation give the child a way to amuse herself as she listens to and reads stories, wonders what the things she notices could mean, and struggles to write, preferring arithmetic when "the letters and words come out jumbled." First-aid classes and nursing work during WWI teach her about medicine, and her imagined questions grow more serious: "Who does that soldier call to in his sleep?" She begins crafting a detective story, working on solving its puzzle, then on details and plot. After multiple rejections, an acceptance arrives. Period and scenic details in digitally finished, occasionally stiff watercolor spreads by Wong (I Am Not a Penguin: A Pangolin's Lament) give the pages a feeling of romance in this work about an inspirational figure whose mind—through "puzzling and plotting"—brings her success. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Biographical information and creators' notes conclude. Ages up to 8. Author's agent: Amy Thrall Flynn, Rubin Pfeffer Content. Illustrator's agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow.
