Busted
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
"A humdinger doozy of a read filled with humor, heart, and incredible characters you won't soon forget!” —Chris Grabenstein, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello's Library series
"Busted is about to be your kid’s new favorite." —Scary Mommy
From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise comes a new heartfelt and hilarious middle-grade joy ride full of friendship and adventure!
When 12-year-old Oscar Aberdeen decided he would do anything to save the only home he's ever known, he didn't realize that anything would include theft, trespassing, gambling, a broken nose, grand theft auto, a federal prison, and a police chase. He had no idea it would be so dangerous…or so fun.
Oscar Aberdeen is a bit of an oddball. He's an ace at playing bridge, loves Frank Sinatra, and attends a whole lot of funerals. He's also the youngest resident of Sunny Days retirement home by more than a half-century—and he wouldn't have it any other way. So when his grandpa's suddenly served an eviction notice that threatens their place at Sunny Days, he needs to find some cash. Fast.
Enter Jimmy Deluca, a shady elderly man with a reputation for being bad news, who makes Oscar an offer he can't refuse. He's got the drop on riches hidden away on the "outside" and he'll share the loot with Oscar on one condition: he busts him out of Sunny Days.
In this humdinger of an adventure, the ultimate odd couple, along with an uninvited stowaway, go from high-stakes escape to rollicking escapade as they search for the secret stash—and forge an unlikely friendship along the way. Will Oscar succeed in saving the only home he's ever known? Or will he have to fuggedaboutit and return a failure?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
An unlikely trio embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this laugh-out-loud romp by Gemeinhart (Coyote Lost and Found). Twelve-year-old Oscar has lived with his grandfather at the Sunny Days Retirement Community since Oscar's parents' deaths when he was an infant. When the community's new owner raises rent prices, though, Oscar and his grandfather must find a way to make more money or risk becoming unhoused. Then foul-mouthed retiree Jimmy offers Oscar a deal: if the youth helps him to complete his bucket list, he'll give Oscar the money he needs. Accompanied by Natasha, the 12-year-old daughter of Sunny Days' new manager, typically responsible Oscar resolves to break the rules—just this once—and agrees, only to discover that Jimmy's unfinished business involves causing all manner of trouble, including dining-and-dashing and participating in an underground poker game with convicted criminals. Gemeinhart's multilayered rendering of the mostly white-cued characters' clashing dynamics—particularly between nervous Oscar, irascible Jimmy, and brash Natasha—adds multilayered emotional depth into simultaneously heartfelt, sentimental, and chaotic plotting. Altogether, it's a joyful tale that suggests it can be okay to bend the rules in pursuit of growth and change. Ages 8–12.
