When the grandfather he never knew is released from prison suffering from dementia, 11-year-old Nicholas, a mathematical and musical genius, tries to save the family's home by helping search for heirlooms Grandpa claims to have buried. Simultaneous eBook. - (Baker & Taylor)
When the grandfather he never knew is released from prison suffering from dementia, eleven-year-old Nicholas, a mathematical and musical genius, tries to save the family's home by helping search for heirlooms Grandpa claims to have buried. - (Baker & Taylor)
When his grandfather, suffering from dementia, is released from prison, eleven-year-old Nicholas, a mathematical and musical genius, tries to save the family's home by helping search for heirlooms Grandpa claims to have buried. - (Baker & Taylor)
Mixing mystery and adventure in the tradition of Louis Sachar, Avi, and E.L. Konigsburg, If You Find This is the story of unlikely friendships, unexpected bravery and eleven-year-old Nicholas Funes's quest to prove his grandfather's treasure is real.
Nicholas is a math and music genius with no friends and a huge problem: His father has lost his job, and they'll have to sell their house, which holds the only memory Nicholas has of his younger brother. Just in time, Nicholas's senile grandfather arrives, filled with tales of priceless treasure he has hidden somewhere in town--but where?
- (Grand Central Pub)
Matthew Baker's stories have appeared in American Short Fiction, New England Review, The Kenyon Review, and Best of the Net, and been shortlisted in Best American Short Stories. He has held creative writing fellowships through the Fulbright Commission, the MacDowell Colony, and Vanderbilt University, among others. He was born and lives in Michigan. If You Find This
is his first novel.
- (
Grand Central Pub)
Booklist Reviews
*Starred Review* In a small town on the shore of Lake Michigan, a thief, a bully, a genius, and a geriatric ex-con form an unlikely group brought together by the promise of buried treasure. Nicholas, an 11-year-old math and music prodigy, isn't used to being unable to solve a problem; however, when financial problems force his family to put their house on the market, he can't devise a way for them to keep their home or the very special tree growing in its backyard. That changes the day Nicholas' grandfather comes to town, fresh out of prison and rambling about lost family heirlooms. His mind failing, Grandpa Rose only remembers a few cryptic clues about the heirlooms' location. Two boys from school join Nicholas in the search, each with his own reasons for wanting a cut of the loot. Baker has written a Goonies-esque adventure filled with ghosts, smugglers' tunnels, and mystery—and yet, there is more to this story than fortune hunting. The vivid setting, complex characters, and original writing style result in a story with lasting impact. Reminiscent of Louis Sachar's Holes (1998), this is a rich, captivating tale about family and redemption that redefines the meaning of treasure. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.