by kmessner

Cue the Fireworks!

CAPTURE THE FLAG, my new mystery for middle grade readers is out today!

There’s already been some exciting news about this book – it’s a Junior Library Guild Selection for the Mystery/Adventure category and won a Spring 2012 Parents Choice “Fun Stuff” Award…

“Characters are big and bold, from Senator Snickerbottom and his slippery crew to the mysterious tattooed man to Vincent Goosen, aka the Serpentine Prince, the Jaguar Society’s longtime nemesis. The unique environment provides a perfect setting for mayhem. There are baggage belts to ride, carts to steal and shampoo to dump on floors to trip the villains up. It’s a good mystery with lots of action and a nice friendship theme. The race to the end is exciting and leaves plenty of room for a sequel. A fun summer read – especially in an election year.”   ~Parents Choice Awards (Full review here)

“Just in time for the Fourth of July, a sparkling start for a promising new series.”  ~Kirkus (full review here)

Here’s more about the book:

Anna, José, and Henry are complete strangers with more in common than they realize. Snowed in together at a chaotic Washington DC airport, they encounter a mysterious tattooed man, a flamboyant politician, and a rambunctious poodle named for an ancient king. Even stranger…news stations everywhere have announced that the famous flag that inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner” has been stolen! Anna, certain that the culprits must be snowed in, too, recruits Henry and José to help catch the thieves and bring them to justice.

But unexpected enemies lurk around every corner, and when accusations start flying, the kids soon realize there’s more than a national treasure at stake.

Want to start reading now? The first two chapters are here.

You can click here to add CAPTURE THE FLAG to your list on GoodReads, or here to find it at your local indie bookseller, or here to “like” it on Facebook.

And as of today, you can find CAPTURE THE FLAG at your favorite local bookstore or order a personalized, signed copy through one of my favorite indies, The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid (Their number is 518-523-2950 – you’d need to call Monday morning, 7/2 before my signing that afternoon!)

Teacher & librarian friends may also want to check out my Pinterest board with CAPTURE THE FLAG resources for the classroom and library.  And for my fellow research geeks…if you want to read more about the real Star-Spangled Banner (which has not, to date, been stolen in real life) check out these great resources from the Smithsonian.

30 Replies on “Cue the Fireworks!”

  1. Can’t wait to read this book! My 13 yo daughter is intrigued as well! Happy book birthday!

  2. Ack! Somehow it is not available on Amazon in Germany! Will find a way to get it! Can not wait!

    1. Thanks, Beth! It was an incredibly fun book to write, so it’s exciting to see it making its way to readers at last.

  6. CONGRATULATIONS, KATE! I can’t wait to read the book! I won the ARC from Loree’s blog and have been checking my mailbox everyday. We have a spot on the kid’s bookshelf for all of your books. It is really starting to fill up!:)

  7. Congratulations! Hope you have time to savor your accomplishments. (16? Where did that time fly?)

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  16. COngratulations on your book and thanks for sharing your Pinterest board.I haven’t explored this resource yet but it looks terrific.FOund you via AUgusta’s blog– I’ll thank her next!