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Chasing Vermeer (Chasing Vermeer #1)

by Blue Balliett, Brett Helquist (Illustrations)

3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 12,121 ratings · 1,409 reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review
A puzzling art theft is solved by two sixth-grade sleuths in a first-rate first novel by Blue Balliett, illustrated by Series of Unfortunate Events artist Brett Helquist. Cut from similar cloth to The Da Vinci Code while harkening back to E. L. Konigsburg and Agatha Christie, Balliett's book follows young Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay as they...more

Hardcover, 254 pages

Published June 1st 2004 by Scholastic Press

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Oct 21, 2011 Richard rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: art, children-s-lit, reviewed, by-women, books-i-d-like-to-punch-in-the-face, 2011

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett was given to me by a friend because it was similar to From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler. As I'd read that and liked it, I was eager to read this. I've recently become more interested in Vermeer, so that added to my motivation.

There are some things I liked about the book. There are two protagonists who are both perceived as "nerds," but they are initially interesting and rather likeable. (Their names, by the way, were carefully chosen by Balliett...more Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett was given to me by a friend because it was similar to From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler. As I'd read that and liked it, I was eager to read this. I've recently become more interested in Vermeer, so that added to my motivation.

There are some things I liked about the book. There are two protagonists who are both perceived as "nerds," but they are initially interesting and rather likeable. (Their names, by the way, were carefully chosen by Balliett as references to art and architecture.) There's an art theft and a crusty but eventually sympathetic old lady.

The author also tells us quite a lot about the life and work of a famous maker of "old pictures," and if, as a result, young readers become interested in a kind of art that they might not otherwise have considered worth their notice, well, that's a good thing. If it shows them that teachers and other adults are real people with weaknesses and foibles, rather than mere authority figures to be feared and avoided, that's a good thing too.

The book, especially at first, has a lot of promise. But, sadly for me, it does not deliver on that promise.

Why? Well, there were some things that just irritated me to no end. One of the morals of the story is that even though things may seem unimportant or unrelated, there is no such thing as coincidence, and we should be open-minded enough to see unexpected relationships between things. On paper this sounds fine. But in the story it leads to the overuse of intuition and the merely random as a means to provide clues.

We are not in Hogwarts here, and yet Calder constantly consults a set of pentominoes as if they are runes or tarot cards; his method is to look at the letter he pulls out of his pocket, think of a word that starts with that letter, and then try to use that word as a guide to conduct. Petra, on the other hand, has a psychic connection with a woman in a Vermeer painting who encourages and guides her. At one point they try to derive clues from a series of random words uttered by the crusty but sympathetic old lady. More hints are seen everywhere, to the point where they seem to crawl almost literally out of the woodwork.

Again, I really wanted to like this book. And if this were a Harry Potter novel, it might fly. But in this fictional universe, "Blue's Clues" are just silly. (less)

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Aug 10, 2008 Joe rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: children who like to be bored.

Shelves: middle-school-ya

"A Da Vinci Code for tweens." - Newsweek

This is only one of the quoted praises lumped on Chasing Vermeer and proudly emblazoned on its back cover. It is probably the most apropos quote because it hinges almost entirely on the readers' familiarity with and reaction to Dan Brown's novel.

If you found Da Vinci Code boring, trite, melodramatic, sophomoric, and preposterous, you will probably have a similar reaction to Blue Balliett's debut young adult novel, Chasing Vermeer.

Balliett has stated that i...more "A Da Vinci Code for tweens." - Newsweek

This is only one of the quoted praises lumped on Chasing Vermeer and proudly emblazoned on its back cover. It is probably the most apropos quote because it hinges almost entirely on the readers' familiarity with and reaction to Dan Brown's novel.

If you found Da Vinci Code boring, trite, melodramatic, sophomoric, and preposterous, you will probably have a similar reaction to Blue Balliett's debut young adult novel, Chasing Vermeer.

Balliett has stated that it took her five years to write Vermeer, but the central mystery is so lousy and ridiculous, it comes across as the product of a very drunken weekend in an art gallery. Similar to Brown's trainwreck of a novel, Balliett lumps absurd coincidences on top of sleuthing skills that are based less on clues and more on silly guesses:

"She wears all those earrings - there's a key, a pearl, a high-heeled shoe..."
Calder was muttering now. "Key-pearl-shoe... shoe-pearl-key... pearl-shoe-key... heel-key-pearl... key-pearl-heel..."
"Hey! That sounds like 'keep her here,' doesn't it?... maybe this means she's in Gracie Hall!" (p. 155)

Come on ! Really? Is that what being a detective is like? Making goofy connections between unrelated items? Sherlock Holmes must be rolling in his literary grave. All this would probably be tolerable if the characters were more than paper-thin sketches of precocious children and erudite villains, or if the public reactions to the stolen art weren't so far-fetched, or if the red herrings weren't so obvious, or if the transitions between character narration weren't so jarring. Unfortunately the believability is sacrificed at every turn.

Librarians sometimes recommend books they haven't read. After all, we can't read everything, but we want kids to read as much as possible. Perhaps I should have listened to the 8th grade girl who stomped up to me last May, Chasing Vermeer trapped in her fist. "This book," she sneered, "is beyond boring." Her buddy glared at me, too. "It was terrible, Mr. Prince. Terrible." Point taken, kids. Point taken.(less)

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Nov 07, 2007 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: j-fiction

Through a string of seemingly unrelated events, Calder and Petra find themselves in the center of an art heist that has the world buzzing and the Police and museum officials puzzled. Can Calder and Petra find the priceless Vermeer before it’s too late? And what exactly do their teacher Ms. Hussey and Mrs. Sharpe, the old lady down the street, have to do with it? The University of Chicago campus and Calder and Petra’s neighborhood of Hyde Park are the backdrop for this fast moving tale of art and...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Kata Bel Air rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: crap-tastic

This book may very well be the worst book I have ever read in my entire life. Why? Let me break it down for you.

There's a painting. It gets stolen. Lucky for the art museum of Chicago, three fifth graders have a plan to get it back. So if you'd ever read the last three chapters of flat stanely, you have read this entire book.

First of all, I generally hate mystery books anyway, which is most likely a prime factor of my hatred for this book. Secondly, I hate mysteries that involve children, just...more

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Nov 25, 2007 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: art-fiction

I loved parts of this book and disliked other parts, so there you are; the epilogue ending is particularly bad (in that "I don't know how to work all this into the plot, so here, this is what happened" kind of way). The "there's no such thing as coincidence" stuff would have been way overdone in any other book, but I understand that that was one of the author's main points here; still, I wasn't convinced. And the art history reads as coming straight from the author's Brown BA at least twenty yea...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

this book rocks, and so do blue m&ms!!!!!!!!!!! a really good story!

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Jan 13, 2009 Carrie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Another YA purchase from Green Apple books, and to be honest, a disappointment. This is a new-ish book, published in 2004, and while I had never read it before, I had high hopes. I had read reviews that said it was clever, it has expert illustrations by Brett Helquist (Lemony Snicket’s illustrator), and the inside flap lead me to believe it was a puzzle tale in the same vein as The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin.* Chasing Vermeer is not a terrible book, but it didn’t live up to my expectations.

It...more

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Jan 12, 2009 Jaemi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-fiction, favorites, mysteries

This book was a lot of fun to read. It reminded me a little of a Da Vinci code for younger minds, only in some ways this book was a lot trickier. Throughout, there is a pentomino code, and another hidden code which I never tried to decipher, although I saw the clues. Codes aren't my thing. But I was still pulling out a notebook to decrypt the letters going between two friends in certain chapters.

I think this is a really original and unique book, that looks at things in all sorts of ways--ways we...more

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Mar 10, 2009 Tracy rated it 2 of 5 stars

The star rating may be a little unfair. For me, as an adult, it's two stars. Any kid age 8 to 12 probably would give this 5 stars. This is a code within a story, and I had a hard time deciding which to pay attention to. Because there's also an identical code in the pictures which is easily deciphered, I chose story. I'm pretty sure the code is easily deciphered within the story, I just didn't write down each time the author mentioned a specific pentomino.

The storyline really is pretty good with...more The star rating may be a little unfair. For me, as an adult, it's two stars. Any kid age 8 to 12 probably would give this 5 stars. This is a code within a story, and I had a hard time deciding which to pay attention to. Because there's also an identical code in the pictures which is easily deciphered, I chose story. I'm pretty sure the code is easily deciphered within the story, I just didn't write down each time the author mentioned a specific pentomino.

The storyline really is pretty good with a reasonable premise, good suspense, and excellent resolution. Ms. Balliett writes well, and targets her intended audience well. I thought the ending was pretty clever.

Ms. Balliett explores some ideas that really weren't interesting to me, and they took up a large part of the narrative. I'm not that interested in connecting random events randomly. So what if two different events in completely different locations both contain the number 12. Twelve is a fairly common number. I am somewhat interested in trying to find patterns in everyday occurances, but I lean more towards fractals than any other theory.

I'm really not interested at all in unusual acts of nature, especially not cats raining from the sky throughout history. There are too many other explanations than a crazy one (crazy being they actually fell from the sky). Between the space this theme of the story took up and the overall juvenile content, this book wasn't for me. However, I can't fault Ms. Balliett for writing for her intended audience. These are just the kind of themes and thoughts that young readers would enjoy ruminating over. Some literature transcends age and some doesn't.

There are some good things in this book that I will definitely take more time to think about. "What is art?" You don't have to study paintings for a lifetime to know what is beautiful to you. I think it was an excellent idea to invite Brett Helquist to illustrate this book. He did an excellent job of inviting art into the book. His section in the "After Words" is especially informative. The "After Words" section itself was a stroke of genius. What a great idea!! I wish all books came with similar sections.

There is just one final question that was not adequately resolved. I went through the illustrations, decoded the hidden message, and now I'm not sure exactly what it means. There is the most basic explanation given in the final pages of the book, but if there is something more, please let me know.

Last but not least, I want my own pentominoes.
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May 21, 2013 Baylie Sigmund rated it 2 of 5 stars

By: Blue Balliett
Reviewed by Baylie Sigmund

Have you ever been on the run while you’re trying to solve a mystery of theft? Well, in the book Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, Calder Pillay and Petra Andalee had to figure out a mystery just like this. The genre of this book would be mystery. Calder and Petra are the main characters. This book was set in present day Chicago.
The Vermeer painting “A Lady Writing” was stolen on its way from Washington to Chicago. The people of this small little tow...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Jordan Brovelli added it

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

“Chasing Vermeer” is written by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquiest. This book is a story about two young kids name Petra and Calder. The only mission for the two of them was to find the missing Vermeer Painting that someone had stolen! They start to notice many strange coincidences through out the book and they start to put the piece together. Petra and Calder had been working with their favorite teacher, Mrs. Sharpe, to find the missing painting. After their many adventures and fi...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Laura Driskell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

I found this book to be a delightful read. After beginning the book, I found out that it is the same book I am doing in my practicum literacy circle. It was interesting to see the responses from the fifth grade class. They seem to love it just as much I did. The clues and hidden items kept me wanting to keep reading. The characters are interesting, strange but incising it keep me turning the page. My favorite character was Petra, and I loved following her and Calder’s adventure. Mysteries are fa...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Katelan Mccullum rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett is such an intriguing book for young adult readers! I absolutely love mystery books and this one kept me on my toes! I found myself unable to put it down wanting to know what would happen next. I must say that the end was not what I expected. This book could be pinned as a spin off of the Da Vinci Code and the characters, Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay really bring the story to life. This book will relate well to children who feel as though they get caught in st...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Leah Robinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel

Chasing Vermeer is an intriguing novel about young students working to solve an art theft. As a kid who grew up reading mysteries, I thought this book would be a great choice for children today. However, as an adult I did not really enjoy the book in its entirety; maybe my tastes have changed or the book just had some undesirable traits. I was not too fond (nor have I ever been) of books that switch point of views chapter to chapter, and therefore I lost interest quickly. Of course, this is not...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Chelsea N. Smith added it

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I tried to imagine myself as a fifth grader and take in the story from a twelve year olds perspective. The suspenseful opener about the three letters had me hooked from the start. I was eager to see how the author was going to establish the connection between the three characters. I also liked the way that Calder's pentominoes and his love of patterns played such a big role in the mystery. I think that as a fifth grader, I would have love...more I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I tried to imagine myself as a fifth grader and take in the story from a twelve year olds perspective. The suspenseful opener about the three letters had me hooked from the start. I was eager to see how the author was going to establish the connection between the three characters. I also liked the way that Calder's pentominoes and his love of patterns played such a big role in the mystery. I think that as a fifth grader, I would have loved the inclusion of the pentomino code that Calder shared with Tommy. This added an interactive element to the novel and made the reader feel like they were part of the mystery,too. I think this book would appeal to boys and girls who are interested in mysteries and espionage.

I also liked the way that Calder and Petra's friendship comes about in the novel. It adds a lesson of friendship and acceptance to the book that is an appropriate lesson for children of this age range. It teaches that two outsiders, even a boy and a girl can bond over some blue m&ms and a good mystery. The undertones of determination, friendship, and fighting for what's right are laced perfectly and discreetly within the book. The author's themes are not overstated, but perfectly hidden within the natural flow of the text.

One of my favorite aspects of this novel, was the author's use of real artifacts and people. I was not familiar with Johannes Vermeer or "A Lady Writing" so I enjoyed the history lesson that was included in this story. As I read, I researched Vermeer and found pictures of his work to accompany my reading. I was also impressed by the accuracy of the illustrations compared to the Vermeer paintings. I thought that the illustrations were a necessity for the book because it allowed students to create an accurate picture in their mind of Vermeer's work. Overall, I love the thrill of this book as well as the moral behavior it inspires. It will be on my children's reading list for years to come.(less)

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Feb 21, 2013 Nathan Dilly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chapter-books

Blue Balliett's "Chasing Vermeer" is a thrilling mystery for young readers. It is filled with detail and surprises that keep you engaged in the story. Pedra and Calder embark on an exciting journey to find out who stole "The Lady Writing," a famous painting that was taken on the way to Chicago. This book is full of knowledge, from art history to pentominoes, and even different math patterns! Throughout the story, Pedra and Calder get many strange clues about the theft, that seem almost supernatu...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Annalise Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

The first few pages of this book had me hooked, and I was anxious to see if Petra and Caulder would find the painting, and who send the letters!Chasing Vermeer witten by Blue Balliett is a thrilling mystery novel that would keep young students hooked. Caulder and Petra share strange experiences together, and search to find a missing Vermeer painting called "A lady in waiting". These two go on many adventures together to try and do some detective work. FInding this painting becomes a national phe...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet. This is the story of two friends, Petra and Calder, who are on a mission to solve a mystery about a stolen painting. The book hooks you right from the beginning as it opens up with three mysterious people receiving letters from a criminal. The reader later finds out the a famous painting has been stolen, and it is up to the public to bring it back.

I forgot how much fun it can be to read a mystery novel. Balliet did a wonderful job of...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Andrea Carter added it

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

The book 'Chasing Vermeer' by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist is a mystery book written for children. Even though the book is intended for children I thoroughly enjoyed reading this page-turner. This book follows two main characters Calder and Petra who are on a mission to find a stolen painting.

I thought the beginning of the book was a bit confusing how it started with the three random people who recieved the letter then how the storyline went into the classroom. After further...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Lucy Meadors added it

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

Chasing Vermeer, written by Blue Balliet and illustrated by Brett Helquist, is a book set in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago. The main characters, Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay, are smart, inquistive youngsters who are both in Mrs. Hussey's class at school. Mrs. Hussey is a different kind of teacher with her own, unique teaching style.

The book begins with a letter being delivered to three random, mysterious people. The unknown writer of the letter begs the recipients not to notify the...more Chasing Vermeer, written by Blue Balliet and illustrated by Brett Helquist, is a book set in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago. The main characters, Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay, are smart, inquistive youngsters who are both in Mrs. Hussey's class at school. Mrs. Hussey is a different kind of teacher with her own, unique teaching style.

The book begins with a letter being delivered to three random, mysterious people. The unknown writer of the letter begs the recipients not to notify the police. At school, Mrs. Hussey doesn't assign Petra and Calder normal homework assignments. Instead, they are told to simply INVESTIGATE. Through all of their investigating, Petra and Calder discover Vermeer and some of his paintings. Mrs. Sharpe their name invites them over for tea one afternoon since Calder sees a painting in her house. Petra and Calder called the Art Institute in Chicago to find out that A Lady Writing is traveling from D.C. to Chicago. However, the next day Petra and Calder read about how the painting has gone missing. The art thief posts a letter in the newspaper stating that the painting would be returned when people prove which paintings Vermeer actually did. It is revealed that Mrs.Sharpe and Mrs. Hussey are two of the people that received the letter. Calder and Petra eventually find out where the painting was. They sneak out to go find it, and the thief is found dead later by the police. The thief ended up being a man posing as Tommy's stepfather. Tommy was an old neighbor of Petra and Calder's. The thief had been asked to steal the painting and sell it. Petra and Calder find out that the third recipient of the letter was Mr Sharpe, who owned the local store, Powell's Books.

If you decoded the message using all of the pentominoes that were found in the illustrations, the code said " The Lady Lives."

Although the illustrations are random in a sense, they really help you imagine the plot and setting. I'm not used to reading novels with pictures, but in this case the pictures really aided my imagination. (less)

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Feb 21, 2013 Jenna Sommerkamp rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

From the very beginning of the book "Chasing Vermeer," the author Blue Balliett had me hooked with the three anonymous letters. This had me intrigued and curious to see what would happen next. For fourth or fifth grade students, this children's mystery book would be an absolute hit. Throughout the novel you are continuously wondering or trying to figure out what's to happen next. I enjoyed seeing the two middle school aged students Calder and Petra,who become best friends, in order to work toget...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Chelsea Gail Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist was a fun and suspenseful novel to read. The author immediately gets the reader captured within the first chapter. The letter that is sent out the the three people and starts to get the readers mind racing and wondering what is this story going to be about. It was honestly quite a shock to me when after the first chapter the story starts introducing two children, Petra and Calder. It starts to describe their lives and friendship...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Bailey Ubellacker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: class-novels

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The fast paced, art mystery novel completely captivates the reader within pages of the well-written book of Blue Balliett. The accompanying illustrations by Brett Helquist work creativity to enhance the meaning and understanding of the story. The cover alludes to mystery, puzzles, and two un-expecting friends from the uneasy and suspecting gazes of Calder and Petra. Even as an adult reader, Calder Pillay, one of the protagonists, sparked my interest. The oddity of his thinking and development as...more The fast paced, art mystery novel completely captivates the reader within pages of the well-written book of Blue Balliett. The accompanying illustrations by Brett Helquist work creativity to enhance the meaning and understanding of the story. The cover alludes to mystery, puzzles, and two un-expecting friends from the uneasy and suspecting gazes of Calder and Petra. Even as an adult reader, Calder Pillay, one of the protagonists, sparked my interest. The oddity of his thinking and development as a character and growth with Petra made this sixth grade boy one of a kind. The fetish with the pentominos and encoded letters to his best friend Tommy, who has since moved away, keep the plot fascinating. Calder’s new friend, Petra Andalee, opens up Calder’s eyes to a world of questions and mystery while bonding over a mysterious book she found dropped by the original owner Mrs. Sharpe. Mrs. Sharpe is an elderly neighbor who’s house holds as many secrets as she does. With the eccentric encouragement from their sixth grade teacher, Ms. Hussey, the pair of them starts a Vermeer club where they share ideas, plans, and blue M&M’s. I enjoyed reading of the character interactions between the children and the adults in the story because Balliett treated Calder and Petra as knowledgeable and crucial to the entanglement of the plot. This mystery is not simply fun filled and action packed, but it also exhibits art history and how people should treat one another.
I thoroughly enjoyed the black and white illustrations that enhanced the level of emotion and suspense in the story. Helquist did an outstanding job in sparking the imagination as well as leaving room for creativity in the minds of the readers. The images matched well with the anticipation and action developed by Balliett. I must admit that I myself was puzzled and stumped a few times as the ambiguity of the missing A Lady Writing unravels. I was right with Calder in the well described basement of the school thinking that he held the missing Vermeer painting in his grasp. I was just as disappointed as the two of them to have it be reviled as an old child’s painting. I, as the reader, feel like I am part of the mystery and grow to be friends with Calder and Petra. This is a book that I would consider as a class read aloud, reading a chapter or two at the end of the school day, after lunch, or whenever time allows. I believe this book has the power to pull readers in and hold their attention. This book truly makes one think about the power of a coincidence.
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Feb 20, 2013 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett is an awesome mystery full of intrigue and suspense, and is centered around a painting by the artist Johannes Vermeer. The setting is in a neighborhood called Hyde Park in Chicago, Illinois where the University of Chicago is located. The story centers around two sixth-grade students, Calder and Petra, who are not like the other students in their class, they are the odd balls. Calder has a fascination for pentominoes, a set of 12 pieces that each represents a lett...more Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett is an awesome mystery full of intrigue and suspense, and is centered around a painting by the artist Johannes Vermeer. The setting is in a neighborhood called Hyde Park in Chicago, Illinois where the University of Chicago is located. The story centers around two sixth-grade students, Calder and Petra, who are not like the other students in their class, they are the odd balls. Calder has a fascination for pentominoes, a set of 12 pieces that each represents a letter of the alphabet, and he always sees patterns in everything that he does. Petra thinks about the world around her differently than the other kids in her class, loves to read, and is very interested in the unexplainable. The two students become mixed up in a mystery about a missing painting called “A Lady Writing” by Vermeer. Calder and Petra, use several tools to help them solve this mystery such as a book about mysterious, unexplainable events called “Lo!,” Petra’s dreams about the lady in the missing painting, and Calder’s pentominoes. Along with these tools, they use their intuition, bravery, and the idea that coincidences are not really coincidences, but happen for a reason to find the location of “A Lady Writing” and save the artwork from being destroyed. The culprit of the theft is not clear until the very end of the story which keeps the reader engaged. The author keeps the reader guessing as to who the thief could be because several of the characters seem suspicious such as the kids sixth grade teacher Ms. Hussey, their mysterious neighbor Mrs. Sharpe, and Petra’s very own father. For example, throughout the book Petra hears her father talking about a letter and sees him with a mysterious package that looks like the painting. In the end, the thief was someone completely unexpected who was mentioned only a couple of times in the story and who seemed unimportant to the plot.

When I first found this book at the library, I was drawn in by the book cover because it had symbols on it and I was curious to see what the symbols meant and how they were going to play a part in the mystery. The fact that the illustrations were black and white rather than color helped foster the mysterious mood of the novel. The illustrations found at different places in the book are also fascinating because they are very detailed and contain clues about the mystery. After examining the pictures in the book, I saw that some of them contained a hidden pentomino which I kept track of and found that it spelled out a message. I think it is wonderful that the illustrator Brett Helquist incorporated pentominoes in his pictures because it makes the reader feel like they are helping to solve the mystery.

I really enjoyed that the book immediately began with a mystery in which three people received an anonymous letter which asked for their help in exposing the truth behind some of Johannes Vermeer’s paintings in which some of them were not created by the artist. This introduction immediately captivated my attention and throughout the rest of the book I was trying to figure out which characters received the letter and who the anonymous letter writer was. What I did not like about the book was that it took so long to get to the climax of the story, that the ending felt rushed. I felt that the pace of the ending did not match the pace of the rest of the book.

I believe that Chasing Vermeer would work best for children in fourth through sixth grade because the mystery is very detailed and complex. I think that the vocabulary and the content in the book are too advanced for a younger audience. I would read Chasing Vermeer aloud as a class so that I could pause throughout the book and have discussions with the students about what was happening in the story. An activity that would go along with this book would be to have the students use pentominoes to create their own messages and then pair them up with another student to solve them.
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Feb 20, 2013 Cameron Kisselbaugh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

After picking up "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett, my immediate question to myself was "who is Vermeer? And why is he being chased?" The book slowly explains to the reader who this Vermeer is and why he/she is important to the story. Without giving too much away, this book revolves around two 6th graders named Petra and Calder who have a knack for solving puzzles based on connecting together events that most would see as pure coincidence. Their curiosity and sense of adventure leads them on a...more After picking up "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett, my immediate question to myself was "who is Vermeer? And why is he being chased?" The book slowly explains to the reader who this Vermeer is and why he/she is important to the story. Without giving too much away, this book revolves around two 6th graders named Petra and Calder who have a knack for solving puzzles based on connecting together events that most would see as pure coincidence. Their curiosity and sense of adventure leads them on a search for something that has been stolen and brings them into contact with some of the most peculiar characters.

The characters in the novel were quite intriguing, and I applauded the fact that Balliett did not use cookie-cutter main characters. Petra was of mixed decent with her mom being from the Middle East and father being of European descent, and Calder's father was from India while his mother was from Canada. They are both described as being socially awkward and not having many friends. Unfortunately, I feel that these two characters were the only ones that had any real development throughout the novel. For instance, Denise, a bully in their grade, has several short appearances throughout the story, and near the end, she disappears from the story. Also, the main antagonist is dull and comes to a very abrupt end that, in my eyes, was very disappointing. The build up to the climax was excellent, but once you reach the peak, the author pushes you done a quick decline of action.

Throughout the story, the use of art history is greatly appreciated and nicely intertwined with the fictitious story. Several important painters are mentioned and praised such as Picasso and Monet; also, the story revolves around a very important artist, Johannes Vermeer. With the decline in art education in the elementary setting, I find this as a great way of combining art education with reading.

Although the illustrations by Brett Helquist are far and few between, they do a great job in bringing the story to life for the reader. Also, the pictures provide good foreshadowing for events that will be coming up in the next few pages. This is key in keeping a reader, especially a younger reader, intrigued with a story that has a slower, developing plot. The black and white illustrations give the audience a sense of what the mood in the town is throughout the novel; it gives you the feeling of mystery and suspicion.

I would place this book at a 5th or 6th grade reading level, but it is possible for a 4th grader with an advanced reading level to comprehend it. The novel teaches important values that might not be understood by a younger reader such as where is the line between good and bad? The main characters find themselves in this situation several times and have to determine is their decision worth lowering themselves to the level of a criminal. Also, it brings up the idea that you should question what has been deemed the truth. A thought like this needs to be carefully nurtured so that a young child does not interpret it the wrong way.

If I were to give this book to my class, I would create a careful lesson plan that follows it. For instance, I would use the references to famous authors to highlight some of their famous works and have the students describe what they see when they view the piece. Also, I would have the students give their opinions on what the author is trying to tell the audience and guide them through it so that they correctly understand it.(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 Chelsea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-chapter-books

How far would you go to save a famous Vermeer panting? Within the children’s chapter book- “Chasing Vermeer” written by Blue Balliet and illustrated by Brett Helquist, eleven year olds Calder and Petra find themselves wrapped up in a mystery surrounding the missing Vermeer painting “A Lady Writing”-which was stolen while transferring museums. Within the book Petra and Calder set out to find the thief who has stolen the missing Vermeer painting. Inspired by Calder’s pentominoes, Charles Fort’s- “...more How far would you go to save a famous Vermeer panting? Within the children’s chapter book- “Chasing Vermeer” written by Blue Balliet and illustrated by Brett Helquist, eleven year olds Calder and Petra find themselves wrapped up in a mystery surrounding the missing Vermeer painting “A Lady Writing”-which was stolen while transferring museums. Within the book Petra and Calder set out to find the thief who has stolen the missing Vermeer painting. Inspired by Calder’s pentominoes, Charles Fort’s- “Lo!”, their teacher Mrs. Hussey, and Mrs. Sharpe- a Vermeer enthusiast- Calder and Petra seem to find connections amongst various things that do not inherently show a connection. Things that may seem to be just a coincidence- may not just a coincidence after all. As the book progresses Calder and Petra continue on their quest for the missing Vermeer painting as they search through museums, and even Mrs. Sharpe’s house! As things aren’t always what they seem the book ends with an unexpected twist that will make readers wanting more!

On the whole, I enjoyed this book. I thought the author did a really nice job of keeping readers on edge by providing suspense throughout the entirety of the novel. In addition, illustrator Brett Helquist did a fantastic job of bringing to life the text of the story. I think the illustrations were really essential to the text- especially towards younger readers- as at times the book was a bit hard to follow. That being said, I do believe this book would be a bit confusing towards younger students- for there is a lot going on at once. Therefore, I think this book is appropriate for children in grades 4-6. In addition, I would suggest reading this book together as a class so that the teacher can go over the various characters and events that happen within the story. Also, the teacher could make a “Prediction Chart” which the students would write their predictions throughout the entirety of the novel of who they believe to be the thief of the painting. As the class gets further into the text they make changes to their predictions based upon new information being provided in the text. Overall, I would recommend this book to both students and teachers!
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Feb 20, 2013 Erin Prosser rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: el-novels-for-class

When i picked this book up for the first time, i wasn't expecting the interesting plot that would take place based off of the soft blue colors on the front cover. When I started getting further into this book, even though im an adult, i actually enjoyed reading this interesting novel.

In the novel Chasing Vermeer, two sixth graders, Petra and Calder, get involved with an interesting mystery about a missing painting painted by the famous artist Vermeer. Through out the novel, Calder uses his brai...more When i picked this book up for the first time, i wasn't expecting the interesting plot that would take place based off of the soft blue colors on the front cover. When I started getting further into this book, even though im an adult, i actually enjoyed reading this interesting novel.

In the novel Chasing Vermeer, two sixth graders, Petra and Calder, get involved with an interesting mystery about a missing painting painted by the famous artist Vermeer. Through out the novel, Calder uses his brains and pentominoes and Petra uses her love for books to try and figure out who stole this valuable painting when it makes its way to their hometown of Chicago for an art show. They meet many characters through out this book that aid them in solving the mystery, including their neighbor Mrs. Sharpe, the book keeper Mr. Watch, and their sixth grade teacher Ms. Hussey. At first, they thought maybe these characters had something to do with the disappearance. Behind their parents backs, Calder and Petra search all over the city for the missing painting that everyone is freaking out about. They end up solving the mystery when they figure out that the painting is hidden somewhere on their schools campus in one of the buildings. You also find out the whole background of how the characters actually got involved with this mystery. Mrs. Sharpe, Mr. Watch and Ms. Hussey all had ties to Xavier Glitts in some way or another because they all knew information about Vermeer.

This novel was very intriguing and fun to read because it all came together in the end when they were solving the mystery the whole book. I would classify this book as a sixth grade mystery novel because it has to do a lot with finding out a mystery. However, i only gave this book 3 out of 5 stars because even though it was a good book, alot of the things that helped Petra and Calder figure this mystery out would never actually happen in real life. For example, when Calder says that his pentominoes are "talking to him" and somehow it ends up actually being the right answering and helping them find the painting. This would never actually happen.

I would have my students read this book because we could do alot of interesting lessons revolved around this book and even go on some field trips to various art museums. (less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Holly Heuglin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-novel

"Chasing Vermeer," by Blue Balliett, and illustrated by Brett Helquist, is a children's "thriller" written to test the mind's of young children. To begin, the first and second pages were extremely pulling, as a mysterious letter immediately stated that something has gone missing, and if shown to others, they would be in grave danger. If that's not a good start to a book, then I don't know what is. As the book progresses, the reader comes to find out that two young boys, Petra and Calder, go on a...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Holly Hardwick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

I really enjoyed Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet. I have always loved a mystery, and this was definitely a page turner. The introduction of the mystery letters in the beginning of the book is intriguing to readers and sucks them into the book from the onset. Normally I'm very good at figuring out the "bad guy" in mystery stories right away, but this book honestly kept me in the dark until the very end. While I did find the resolution to be a little rushed and wrapped up a little too tidy, it was...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Leslie Bardo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chasing-vermeer

This book focuses on two middle school students, named Petra and Calder, in search of a stolen Johannes Vermeer painting. Throughout the book, the protagonists go on a wild goose chase filled with suspects, clues, and pure serendipity to find the famous Vermeer painting, entitled "A Lady in Writing". Set in the quiet neighborhood of Hyde Park, located just outside Chicago, the children's adventure seems safe until the climax of the story, where they meet the theif. Giving a wonderful children's...more This book focuses on two middle school students, named Petra and Calder, in search of a stolen Johannes Vermeer painting. Throughout the book, the protagonists go on a wild goose chase filled with suspects, clues, and pure serendipity to find the famous Vermeer painting, entitled "A Lady in Writing". Set in the quiet neighborhood of Hyde Park, located just outside Chicago, the children's adventure seems safe until the climax of the story, where they meet the theif. Giving a wonderful children's perspective in this novel, Blue Balliett entrances the readers with her development of plot and unique choice of characters. This novel encourages young readers to use imagination and to look beyond what is there in front of you. This book is a giant puzzle with many smaller pieces that somehow all wrap together in a neat little package, showing that everything is connected in meaning someway. I enjoyed the creativity and intellectual pursuit that even the side characters, such as Ms. Sharpe, Ms. Hussey, and Charles Fort displayed. The characters and storyline really encourage the reader to question, analyze, and dream about the concepts not only in this book, but in real life. My favorite part of the story was Balliett's use of literature skills to describe how the painting was "talking" to Petra and the pentominoes were "talking" to Calder. I loved their abilities to find meaning in something that would seem so ordinary to others. The overall quality of the book was great, but its only fault was possibly being too abstract with children and I found there to be too many loose ends. I never was able to figure out why the idea of a frog was so important to the overall story. In all the illustrations, there were frogs, hidden somewhere in the painting, waiting for the reader to find them. Although, I thought this was a fun idea, it just added another twist to the plot that did not seem to fit in and was never fully explained. On a side note, the illustrator, Brett Helquist, did a marvelous job with his drawings displaced throughout the book. I thought that his pieces were placed perfectly along with the story, so as not to interrupt the story, but to supplement the plot. The drawings were done with great detail and I really enjoyed the look of the characters. A very minor detail that I disliked was Petra's and Calder's parents approval of their long hours and private time together. I thought it was a bit unrealistic for two sets of parents to agree with their children spending so much private time with a member of the opposite sex, especially during this peak time of puberty. I would definitely suggest this book to children ages 11 through 14 because I felt as though the author were encouraging me to stretch my mind even further than before. Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 because it was a great read with wonderful plot development and relatable characters, but it seemed that some of the concepts in this book were a little bit too far-stretched. An example of this was the constant repeated idea of frogs and "showers of living things" (page 44). I think in order to grasp all the concepts of the book, I might need to re-read it. I do not plan to purchase this book for my future classrooms because I hope to teach kindergarten or first grade, but I will definitely keep it in the back of my mind, in case an opportunity arises.(less)

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About Blue Balliett

I was born in New York City and grew up playing in Central Park, getting my share of scraped knees, and riding many public buses and subways. By the time I was a teenager, I sometimes stopped at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Frick Museum after school, just to wander and look and think. The Met has five Vermeer paintings and the Frick three, so Vermeer and I have been friends for many years...more I was born in New York City and grew up playing in Central Park, getting my share of scraped knees, and riding many public buses and subways. By the time I was a teenager, I sometimes stopped at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Frick Museum after school, just to wander and look and think. The Met has five Vermeer paintings and the Frick three, so Vermeer and I have been friends for many years.
After studying art history in college, I moved to Nantucket Island, in Massachusetts, in order to write. I surprised myself by writing two books of ghost stories, stories collected by interviewing people. My husband and I met and were married on Nantucket, lived there year-round for another 10 years, and had our two children there.
When our kids started school, we moved to Chicago. I began teaching 3rd grade at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. One year my class and I decided to figure out what art was about. We asked many questions, visited many museums in the city, and set off a number of alarms — by mistake, of course.
In writing Chasing Vermeer, I wanted to explore the ways kids perceive connections between supposedly unrelated events and situations, connections that grown-ups often miss. Given the opportunity, kids can ask questions that help them to think their way through tough problems that adults haven’t been able to figure out — problems like the theft of a Vermeer painting!
In The Wright 3, I play with questions about architecture as art, the preservation of old buildings, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy. I wanted to continue exploring controversial ideas within the three-dimensional art world. We need kids to develop into powerful, out-of-the-box thinkers, now more than ever. I believe in making trouble — of the right kind.
My third book, The Calder Game, takes place in a small community in England, a 1,000-year-old town that I visited while on a book tour. I had a wonderful time writing this book. I had to do lots of eavesdropping, poking around, tiptoeing through graveyards, and climbing walls, and then there was all the Cadbury chocolate I had to eat. Alexander Calder's work is art for any age. I first saw his sculpture when I was 9 years old, in a show at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. It was art but it was magic, and it left me hungry for more. This, I'm sure, was the beginning of my belief that art is about adventure.
Blue Balliett grew up in New York City and attended Brown University. She and her family now live in Chicago, within walking distance of Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House. Balliett's books have now appeared in 34 languages. Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired the film rights to Chasing Vermeer.(less)

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Quotes from Chasing Vermeer

“The greatest art belongs to the world. Do not be intimidated by the experts. Trust your instincts. Do not be afraid to go against what you were taught, or what you were told to see or believe. Every person, every set of eyes, has the right to the truth.” — 38 people liked it

“You will come to agree with me.” — 8 people liked it

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