Abbott, Tony. The Postcard. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2008.
Summary:
Jason Huff, a teenager living in Boston, has to leave all of the sudden for St. Petersburg, Florida due to the death of his grandmother. He goes to join his father for the funeral and then the packing of his grandmother's house in order to sell it. Jason is less than thrilled about his arrival in Florida, until strange events begin to happen. He discovers an old magazine with the first installment of an adventure story, then a postcard which leads him to the second installment, until the whole ordeal turns into an adventure involving the mysterious identity of Jason's grandfather, a secret society, and the ultimate discovery of who Jason's grandmother was.
My Impressions:
This book does an excellent job of providing a suspenseful story that keeps the reader interested through the very end. The main character, Jason, is a typical teenage who can be easility identified with by any teenage boy who is forced into something he does not want to do. The plot of the story is excellently written through by providing a mystery within a mystery, and combing the past with the present. In addition, the characterization is a mix of normal and unusual, although all of the characters are so well portrayed that the story is easy to believe. The excellent writing style, and the realistic setting and characterization combine into a great story that will be a fun read for any teenager who enjoys a mystery.
Suggestions for the use of this book:
This book could be used in conjunction with a history lesson that involves researching one's family. In addition, this book is an excellent choice for any middle school age child who enjoys a mystery, since it lacks violence or gore.
Reviews:
Baker, Lisa W. Review of The Postcard, by Tony Abbott. School Library Journal, April 1, 2008.
"How smart are you?" Jason, a teenager helping his father sort through the belongings of his recently deceased grandmother, is asked this question by a mystery voice over the phone in this novel (Little, Brow, 2008) by Tony Abbott. An old, yellowed postcard provides the first clue in a hunt for long-hidden manuscripts that tell a continuing story of circus villains and true love, among other things. Jason also finds an old magazine with a story about someone named Marnie--a name the funeral director calls his grandmother Agnes. Jason and his sidekick Dia visit several of Florida's older landmarks to learn about his grandmother's hidden past. This is a story-within-a-story: Jason and Dia search for the hidden manuscript, and there are scene switches to the story of Nick Falcon and his beloved Marnie. How these two stories intertwine and end up at the same place is the best part of all. The excellent plot contains twists and turns around every corner, and the story is fast-paced with enough mystery and humor to keep the attention of listeners.
Clifford, Debbie. Review of The Postcard, by Tony Abbott. Voice of Youth Advocates, June 1, 2008.
Thirteen-year-old Jason is in Florida helping his father clean out his grandmother's house following her death. Jason never knew his grandmother and is only recently learning about her from his dad. When he finds a story in a 1940s-era magazine, some of the details are eerily similar to things he has just heard about his grandmother. The story tells of love at first sight for Marnie and Nick, but Marnie's powerful father keeps them apart. Could the rich, beautiful Marnie in the story really be Jason's grandmother? And who is Nick? The story ends abruptly, and the author's death notice appears in the next issue of the magazine. A mysterious phone call sends Jason in search of more chapters as it directs him to his grandmother's desk and an old, yellowed postcard containing clues to the location of the next chapter. Marnie and Nick's story unfolds as Jason follows clues and finds the succeeding chapters. The hunt helps Jason avoid facing the fact that his parents' marriage is crumbling and his father's drinking could be part of the problem. This book succeeds on many levels. Fans of romance and adventure will enjoy Nick and Marnie's story with its quirky characters. Jason's take on his unexpected summer adventure will engage readers who enjoy realistic fiction, especially his budding friendship with a neighborhood girl who joins him in tracking down the chapters. A less capable author could easily have confused readers with everything that is going on in this book, but Abbott weaves a fun, engaging tale that draws in readers and keeps them entertained.
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