About this item

After being shipped off to stay with her aunt and uncle in Nowheresville, Pennsylvania, city girl Effie Starr Zook stumbles upon a mystery that leads her to an old family feud in this "accessible and exciting" (School Library Journal, starred review) .A rich girl from New York City, Effie Starr Zook isn't afraid of much. When her parents go on a dangerous round-the-world adventure in a solar airplane, she's packed off to her aunt and uncle's farm for the summer. Expecting boredom, she runs smack dab into a family secret. Why does the neighbor kid want to avoid her What are her aunt and uncle so worried about And what does "bad blood" mean, anyway Effie's got a brand-new bicycle, time on her hands, and an unlimited capacity for asking questions. With these, she sets out to uncover whatever it is the grownups are hiding. Along the way, she'll contend with crackpot politics, serve coffee in a bookstore caf, and learn more than she bargained for about her famous great-grandfather, the inventor of the barf bag. Fast-paced and funny, this is a story about having the courage to find out who you really are. Look out, world - when Effie Starr Zook has questions, she won't take no for an answer!



About the Author

Martha Freeman

Martha Freeman was born in Southern California shortly after the Big Bang. As the universe cooled and the Earth formed, Martha grew up and fought injustice, mostly with her pen but sometimes with her feet. Martha has worked as a newspaper reporter, copy editor, substitute teacher, college lecturer, advertising copywriter, and freelance magazine writer. In 1995, she published her first book for children, STINK BOMB MOM (not an autobiography) . Subsequently, she has published 30 more books, most recently ZAP! a techno-thriller about a power blackout, and IF YOU'RE GOING TO A MARCH, the perfect how-and-why picturebook for kids on their way to a protest. Besides writing, Martha enjoys running, parallel parking, making pies, hiking and talking on the phone to her far-flung children.



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