Ernestine, Catastrophe Queen

by Merrill Wyatt, James Patterson (Foreword by)

Overview

In this tantalizing mystery that's "filled with laugh out loud moments" and "reads like a middle-grade version of the movie Clue", Ernestine is the smart, spunky, and fearless Nancy Drew for today's young readers!

We all know and love Ramona, Matilda, and Harriet the Spy. Now meet Ernestine.

When a series of suspicious accidents befalls the wealthy residents of the retired artists' home where she works, Ernestine is determined to piece together clues to find the real culprit. She suspects it might be a zombie, but maybe greedy relatives can be just as scary! Catastrophe has never been so much fun!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316471572
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	08/07/2018
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Merrill Wyatt lives in Toledo, Ohio, with her husband, daughter, three cats, and a hamster who might possibly be an immortal magician. She spent far too much of her childhood wandering around cemeteries and old Victorian homes. A middle-school technology teacher, she is dollphobic, donut-obsessed, and owns too many pairs of shoes.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Ernestine, Catastrophe Queen:

"Harriet the Spy meets Coraline...Wyatt has created a bright, determined, and emotionally complex protagonist to join the illustrious roster of young mystery-solvers and monster-slayers...A heroine to warm the heart and a mystery to chill the blood."—Kirkus

"A snarky, sparky Nancy Drew of the undead with more twists than a zombie zumba class. I sooo want Ernestine on my side when the zombie apocalypse comes!"—Mo O'Hara, author of the NYT bestselling My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series

"Among a cast of colorful characters who leap off the page, no one stands out as much as the wonderful Ernestine. She blends brains and bravery with heart and humor to pull the reader along for an unforgettable ride. Catastrophe has never been so much fun."—James Ponti, Edgar Award-winning author of the Framed! mystery series

"A traditional mystery filled with laugh-out-loud funny moments make for a winning combination."—School Library Journal

"Wyatt's first novel reads like a middle-grade version of the movie Clue. Readers will enjoy this murder mystery."—Booklist

"It will be a big hit with avid readers."—School Library Connection

From the Publisher

01/01/2018
Gr 4–6—Ernestine is determined to bring on the zombie apocalypse. She visits a neighboring graveyard with her younger stepbrother and partner in crime, Charleston, in an attempt to raise the dead. After a possible zombie sighting, Ernestine rushes back to her home where she lives with her artist/caretaker parents in the MacGillicuddie House for Retired Artists, Both Performing and Otherwise where a wild party is underway. The converted apartment house is filled with eccentric and colorful residents, presided over by the glamorous, kooky, art-loving, and incredibly wealthy Mrs. MacGillicuddie. The party reaches a raucous climax when a giant chandelier crashes down from the ceiling, practically squashing Mrs. M. More incidents prove that foul play is certainly involved. Are there really zombies afoot, and what is it about them that has the precocious, capable, and imaginative Ernestine so intrigued? All of these answers are eventually revealed, although one dangling loose end will draw readers into a potential sequel. Debut author Wyatt offers a plot-driven, humorous mystery that will keep kids turning pages. The diverse and intriguing cast of characters allows for multiple suspects, red herrings, and a surprise twist ending. Themes include the importance of community and family, the value of the older generation, the narcissistic nature of social media, and overcoming hurt from the past. VERDICT A traditional mystery filled with creepy zombie bits and laugh-out-loud funny moments make for a winning combination. A strong choice for most collections.—Kate Nafz, Fair Lawn Public Library

School Library Journal

2018-05-23
A young zombie enthusiast tries to bring about the apocalypse and uncovers a murder plot instead in Wyatt's middle-grade debut. Harriet the Spy meets Coraline in this horror romp starring almost-13-year-old Ernestine Montgomery. Intent on jump-starting the apocalypse and with a zombie survival guide already written, Ernestine, with the help of her white stepbrother Charleston, tries to raise the undead from a nearby cemetery. Plans are derailed a bit, however, with the attempted murder of their landlady, and the eccentric, "retired artists, both performing and otherwise" who share their apartment building are thrown under suspicion. Wyatt has created a bright, determined, and emotionally complex protagonist to join the illustrious roster of young mystery-solvers and monster-slayers: Ernestine barely blinks when tracking down a would-be homicidal maniac is added to her apocalyptic to-do list. Past trauma, a delicate mother-daughter relationship, and premeditated violence bring a balance of gravitas to the delightfully macabre narrative without slowing it down. Wyatt makes some awkward missteps in representation, overemphasizing the hair textures—and misbehavior—and skin tones of biracial Ernestine and her mother in comparison to brief eye- and hair-color descriptions for white characters such as Charleston. Despite this, the narrative will have readers asking for the sure-to-come sequel.A heroine to warm the heart and a mystery to chill the blood. (Mystery. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews