Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Technically, I picked up Under the Egg for my oldest; I saw it at the library and knew that my mystery-loving, artist daughter needed to read it.  Truthfully,  I wanted to read it just as badly, and it’s only now making its way down to my daughter’s to-read bookcase.  (Free time isn’t exactly abundant this time of year, and it took a month or two before I decided to try reading it on the treadmill.  It took longer than it would have otherwise, but it happened!)  I’m betting she’ll love it, because really, it’s an art history mystery.  It’s MADE for her.

The story begins with Theodora Tenpenny, whose artist grandfather died a few months previously. Thirteen-year-old Theo is left to care for her house, her in-some-way-mentally-ill mother, and herself, with the princely sum of $463 and her grandfather’s dying promise that there’s a treasure ‘under the egg.’  Theo is competent and resourceful, but her worries are starting to overwhelm her by the time she discovers what her grandfather meant; that discovery is the beginning of a summer filled with new people, new experiences, and at least one priceless work of art.  There are twists and turns in abundance, but Theo ultimately learns the story behind her grandfather’s life and legacy, gaining a few friends–and a fresh outlook on life–in the process.

(Okay, there were some cliches there, and I’m sorry–there’s always a lot on your mind the week of Christmas!  Basically, everything comes together in a perfectly lovely way at the end, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  SO worth it.  Try it and see!)