AUGUST 2013 - AudioFile
Twelve-year-old Sophie Young, feng shui and Sun Tzu expert, and Grace Yang, her F.B.I.-obsessed friend, investigate the mysterious school counselor, Mrs. Agford, who Sophie is convinced has a secret that she’s hiding under her huge wig. Narrating in the first person, Amanda Philipson gives an effervescent performance as the enthusiastic and determined Sophie, who muddles her way through seventh-grade social dynamics with her peers and evades her parents to uncover the true identity of the suspicious Mrs. Agford. Philipson’s wide range of tones, pacing, and energy brings out the diverse personalities and emotions of the characters, as well as convey the humor and drama in the story as the girls learn about self-confidence, trust, and friendship. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
"We'd only been running night missions since the start of the school year, when Grace had decided twelve was the right age to train for a real FBI career," says seventh-grader Sophie Young about the midnight spy exercises she conducts with her best friend, Grace Yang, in their sleepy town of Luna Vista, Calif. On one such night, they witness what appears to be their odd school counselor, Dr. Charlotte Agford, murdering someone in her kitchen. Armed with gadgets, Grace's full-speed-ahead attitude, and wisdom from Sun Tzu's The Art of War, the none-too-similar best friends work together to solve the mystery, which comes to light through a series of red herrings that maintain tension. First in a planned series, Kittscher's debut novel addresses the inevitable rocky periods in middle-school friendships with perceptiveness, honesty, and well-targeted humor that avoids being cartoonish. The two would-be sleuths navigate one ludicrous predicament after another, and readers should sympathize with the girls as an innocent bit of espionage lands them in some serious hot water. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (June)
From the Publisher
This book is funny, realistic, and suspenseful —a pitch-perfect mystery for the tween set.” — Kate Messner, author of Capture the Flag
“A witty, weird and wonderful book, The Wig in the Window’s trouble-making detectives kept me laughing—while the suspense had me inching towards the edge of my seat. It’s a perfect middle grade mystery! — Kirsten Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Nightmares!
“This fast-paced, action-packed romp has all the ingredients of a great mystery, and it does not leave out the angst felt by so many middle schoolers. Readers will see themselves and their friends in Sophie and her classmates, and they will have a difficult time tearing themselves away.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Ample red herrings keep young sleuths and engaged readers guessing in this thrilling debut mystery. Reminiscent of the ever-compelling film Rear Window, this appealing and often spine-tingling tale will leave its audience wishing for more.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Kittscher’s debut novel addresses the inevitable rocky periods in middle-school friendships with perceptiveness, honesty, and well-targeted humor” — Publishers Weekly
Kate Messner
This book is funny, realistic, and suspenseful —a pitch-perfect mystery for the tween set.
Kirsten Miller
A witty, weird and wonderful book, The Wig in the Window’s trouble-making detectives kept me laughing—while the suspense had me inching towards the edge of my seat. It’s a perfect middle grade mystery!
School Library Journal
Gr 4–7—Twelve-year-old Sophie Young and her best friend, Grace Yang, have been sneaking out of their houses for midnight spy missions in hopes of catching criminals on the FBI's Most Wanted list. What has seemed like a game suddenly becomes serious when they stumble through the yard of Sophie's school counselor and witness her chopping wildly with a cleaver. Although it turns out that Dr. Agford was merely cutting up beets for her latest batch of pickled vegetables, Sophie and Grace still suspect that she is hiding something sinister. As the girls try to discern the truth, Sophie finds herself in situations both awkward and terrifying, and she wonders if her friendship with Grace will last through their investigation. This fast-paced, action-packed romp has all the ingredients of a great mystery, and it does not leave out the angst felt by so many middle schoolers. Readers will see themselves and their friends in Sophie and her classmates, and they will have a difficult time tearing themselves away.—Sarah Reid, Broome County Public Library, Binghamton, NY
AUGUST 2013 - AudioFile
Twelve-year-old Sophie Young, feng shui and Sun Tzu expert, and Grace Yang, her F.B.I.-obsessed friend, investigate the mysterious school counselor, Mrs. Agford, who Sophie is convinced has a secret that she’s hiding under her huge wig. Narrating in the first person, Amanda Philipson gives an effervescent performance as the enthusiastic and determined Sophie, who muddles her way through seventh-grade social dynamics with her peers and evades her parents to uncover the true identity of the suspicious Mrs. Agford. Philipson’s wide range of tones, pacing, and energy brings out the diverse personalities and emotions of the characters, as well as convey the humor and drama in the story as the girls learn about self-confidence, trust, and friendship. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
Mayhem ensues when 12-year-olds Grace and Sophie spot the school counselor in the act of bloody murder. The friends have been sneaking around on imaginative, late-night spying missions for some time, but they've been pretty tame. This changes when they see the already mysterious, cloyingly sweet and very unpleasant Dr. Agford attacking something--somebody?--with a streaming red cleaver, overhear her suspicious phone conversation and then decide to call 911. The call is traced to Sophie's phone, and she takes full blame, since it turns out Agford was apparently just chopping beets. The girls, though, still think she's up to something. Agford decides to begin "counseling" Sophie to keep tabs on her, kids at school begin to harass her, and the suspense ratchets up as the girls investigate the counselor's background--and her bizarre wig. An FBI agent who at first seems likely to help begins to look threatening. Sensible and smart but socially ostracized fellow student Trista proves to be the voice of reason as Sophie's world begins to fall apart. Sophie's first-person narration rings true and makes the growing peril feel ominously real. Ample red herrings keep young sleuths and engaged readers guessing in this thrilling debut mystery. Reminiscent of the ever-compelling film Rear Window, this appealing and often spine-tingling tale will leave its audience wishing for more. (Mystery. 11-13)
