May 30, 2016
It’s 1910, and Audacity “Audie” Jones is living in a home for “wayward girls” in Swayzee, Ind., when a frequent donor, Commodore Crutchfield, arrives asking for a volunteer for a secret mission. Sharp-witted and well-read, Audie has her doubts about a man “who seemed to have no idea that mainsails were never lashed together with ropes” and “that the rank of commodore had last been used by the United States Navy eleven years prior,” but she also has a taste for adventure, and the commodore is headed to Washington, D.C. It quickly becomes clear that the commodore and his associates have nefarious plans regarding President Taft, plans for which they need Audie. Audie is too smart to do bad things, but what can one orphaned, wayward girl do? It is a good thing she knows how to make friends quickly. Browne narrates with cheerful energy, embodying a wide variety of characters. Some of the smaller wayward residents are snuffly. The commodore sounds a bit like Foghorn Leghorn; bad guys are nasal and impatient, while Audie is cheerful and spunky. The story moves along at a good pace, but never too fast. Though some listeners may find Browne’s character voices over the top, the story is never dull. A Scholastic Press hardcover.
Starred review from October 5, 2015
It’s 1910, and Audacity Jones is living in a struggling home for “wayward girls” in Swayzee, Ind., when a frequent donor, Commodore Crutchfield, arrives asking for a volunteer for a secret mission. Sharp-witted and well-read, Audie has her doubts about a man “who seemed to have no idea that mainsails were never lashed together with ropes” and “that the rank of Commodore had last been used by the United States Navy eleven years prior,” but she also has a taste for adventure. Before they leave, her favorite chocolate-striped cat, Miniver, slips into the Commodore’s car and becomes an integral part of this delightful historical mystery from Larson (Dash). Audie winds up in the nation’s capital where she makes several friends, including newsboy Juice and his grandfather, who works in the White House stable. Larson’s entertaining narration shifts attention among multiple characters amid the unfolding mystery of what, exactly, the Commodore is planning. First in a series, Larson’s thriller deftly mixes humor, heart-pounding moments, and a strongly evoked historical setting—it’s truly a story with something for everyone. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Grinberg Literary Management.