A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall - by Jasmine Warga (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A painting has been stolen. When Rami sees a floating girl in the museum, he knows he has seen her somewhere before. Then he realizes: she looks just like the girl in the painting that has gone missing. But how does her appearance connect to the theft? Agatha the turtle knows--she has been watching from the garden. But she can't exactly tell anyone--can she?"--

Book Synopsis

From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Rover's Story and Other Words for Home comes an extraordinary story about two friends, a ghost, a missing painting, and a turtle named Agatha. The perfect next read for fans of The Swifts, Kate DiCamillo, and Erin Entrada Kelly.

A painting has been stolen...!

When Rami sees a floating girl in the museum, he knows he has seen her somewhere before. Then he realizes: She looks just like the girl in the painting that has gone missing. But how does her appearance connect to the theft?

Agatha the turtle knows--she has been watching from the garden. But she can't exactly tell anyone...can she?

Will Rami, with the help of his classmate, Veda, be able to solve the mystery? The clues are all around them, but they'll have to be brave enough to really look.

This is a whimsical, moving story about the universal desire to be seen and understood and how art can help us find connection, even when we are at our loneliest.

Review Quotes

"[Cora and Quinn] are well developed, and Warga skillfully handles both their delicate, emotional friendship and larger subjects of grief and gun violence. Powerful and emotionally complex." - Kirkus Reviews
"Warga's lighthearted mystery [is] tempered by witty banter, a touch of whimsy, and just enough suspense to make it a page-turner." - Horn Book Magazine
"The mystery drives this exquisitely paced story that readers will quickly consume. The characters are the beating heart of this tender, quiet tale --each drawn with texture, depth, and warmth. A slowly unfurling delight." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Intrigue! Ghosts! A turtle named Agatha! This book has everything you could want in a mystery. Jasmine Warga is a wonder!" - Karina Yan Glaser, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanderbeekers Series
"Jasmine Warga has crafted a clever mystery that unfolds in unexpected ways and answers the question not only of "Whodunnit?" but more importantly the greater mystery of "Who am I?" It is powered by good friends, true fears, and the importance of taking time to notice things that are easily overlooked. Like one of its characters says of art, A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall is filled with surprise gifts and secrets for you to discover. It is a winner in every way!" - James Ponti, New York Times bestselling author of City Spies
"Warga's spare prose, sweet characters, and gentle narration offer early middle-graders an accessible, even poetic read. This is a story with a sense of wonder. The budding relationship between reserved Rami and upbeat Veda illustrates the power of affirming friendship in an uncertain period of life. A treat for bighearted, bookish sleuths." - Booklist
"Focalization shifts among various characters adding a contemplative note about art, loss, ambition, and the different ways we find home. Warga has a knack for creating characters deeply relatable, with struggles and insecurities that will no doubt resonate with young readers." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Warga employs a fantastic writing style. Every character, tortoise included, is perfectly developed. Readers will discover a beautifully relatable story about the importance of finding the people who see the world the same way you do. A delightful mystery sure to captivate all readers." - School Library Journal (starred review)
"Warga follows her cybernetic narrator from first awareness to final resting place--and stony indeed will be any readers who remain unmoved by the journey. The intelligences here may be (mostly) artificial, but the feelings are genuine and deep." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Convincing and authentic, infused with thoughtfulness, humor, determination, and hope.... A realistic portrait of the strength it takes to move to a new country, as well as of the complicated dynamics between first- and second-generation immigrants." - Horn Book (starred review)
"Warga's middle-grade debut puts its hands around your heart and holds it, ever so gently, so that you're aware of your own fragility and resilience: just as Jude is while her life changes drastically... Other Words for Home should find its way into every middle-grade reader's hands." - ALA Booklist (starred review)
"Jasmine Warga has written a modern classic. Smart, charming, and wholly unique--this book about stolen art will steal your heart." - Tae Keller, Winner of the Newbery Medal for When You Trap a Tiger
"A touching, fact-filled novel [that] centers the maturation of gutsy Mars rover Resilience." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)