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The Danger Box
An all-new mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Chasing Vermeer and The Calder Game.
A boy in a small town who has a different way of seeing.
A mischievous girl who doesn't belong.
A mysterious notebook .
A fire.
A stranger.
A death.
These are some of the things you'll find within The Danger Box, the new mystery from bestselling author Blue Balliett.
A boy in a small town who has a different way of seeing.
A mischievous girl who doesn't belong.
A mysterious notebook .
A fire.
A stranger.
A death.
These are some of the things you'll find within The Danger Box, the new mystery from bestselling author Blue Balliett.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
82 people are currently reading
1318 people want to read
About the author
Blue Balliett
16 books520 followersI 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
February 11, 2011
I'm a fan of Blue Balliett's Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3 and The Calder Game, so when I found The Danger Box on the shelf, I picked it up - for my eleven and nine year daughters to read - but also for me. I enjoyed this book, but not nearly as much as Balliett's previous ones.
The Danger Box is the story of Zoomy, a young boy who lives with his grandparents in a small Michigan town. Zoomy is legally blind and can only see clearly without glasses the length of one finger and with glasses only an arms length. He's quirky, inquisitive and insightful and he meets a kindred spirit in Lorrol, who is in town for the summer with her mother. Zoomy and Lorrol spend their time together investigating a mysterious notebook and its link to Charles Darwin.
While I liked seeing the world through Zoomy's eyes, everything always felt slightly out of focus. In a way, this was helpful and made me think about what things in life I miss because I look right past them. But I wanted to be able to see the story more clearly and I'm not sure its haziness around the edges was entirely intentional. It didn't feel that way to me, at any rate.
As I finished up The Danger Box, I pondered why this book held less allure for me than its predecessors. I think there are two factors: 1) I'm a bigger art fan than science fan and 2) the characters in Chasing Vermeer and its sequels are more fully developed. Both sets of characters are roughly the same age, but while I could picture Petra, Calder and Tommy easily, I could never really get a set image of Zoomy and Lorrol in my mind.
If you like children's novel with a mystery (a la The Westing Game, one of my favorite books from childhood), you would be better served to start with Chasing Vermeer. But if you have a budding scientist in your family, or a child who might see him/herself more clearly through the lens of an outsider, Zoomy might be a good companion for a few hundred pages.
The Danger Box is the story of Zoomy, a young boy who lives with his grandparents in a small Michigan town. Zoomy is legally blind and can only see clearly without glasses the length of one finger and with glasses only an arms length. He's quirky, inquisitive and insightful and he meets a kindred spirit in Lorrol, who is in town for the summer with her mother. Zoomy and Lorrol spend their time together investigating a mysterious notebook and its link to Charles Darwin.
While I liked seeing the world through Zoomy's eyes, everything always felt slightly out of focus. In a way, this was helpful and made me think about what things in life I miss because I look right past them. But I wanted to be able to see the story more clearly and I'm not sure its haziness around the edges was entirely intentional. It didn't feel that way to me, at any rate.
As I finished up The Danger Box, I pondered why this book held less allure for me than its predecessors. I think there are two factors: 1) I'm a bigger art fan than science fan and 2) the characters in Chasing Vermeer and its sequels are more fully developed. Both sets of characters are roughly the same age, but while I could picture Petra, Calder and Tommy easily, I could never really get a set image of Zoomy and Lorrol in my mind.
If you like children's novel with a mystery (a la The Westing Game, one of my favorite books from childhood), you would be better served to start with Chasing Vermeer. But if you have a budding scientist in your family, or a child who might see him/herself more clearly through the lens of an outsider, Zoomy might be a good companion for a few hundred pages.
July 20, 2021
My first audiobook of the year and yes two stars is kind of sucky… it wasn’t that it was a bad book I just didn’t like it. I felt like it was just… I don’t know random? Like I understand the mystery was the book and everything with Darwin was cool it’s just not my type of book but I do think other people might like it, so don’t let my two star rating keep you from reading if you want too.
January 10, 2017
Rarely do I write comments on the books I read, but sometimes I feel an importance to share my opinion. Blue Balliett writes children's books. I have read several of them. What I thoroughly enjoy about her books is that I always learn something new. In every book, I have learned about people and things that I never would of explored on my own. In the past, I learned about Johannes Vermeer and Frank Lloyd Wright. I gained an understanding of the plight of homeless families in Chicago. In the Danger Box, I came to know more about Charles Darwin and, as a side tidbit, I discovered that a buckeye is a tree. Perhaps it's a bit silly to some, but absolutely fascinating to me. Maybe it's just the child in me that enjoys learning new things in such an interesting way.
July 26, 2024
I read this in grade 5 but its a very good mystery book
June 24, 2024
when i was younger i would have eaten this up.
April 15, 2019
This book was a great page turning middle grade novel. The characters were well-rounded — loveable, but human. The story was well-written and the author balanced the many twists and turns and the multiple simultaneous timelines seamlessly. I also appreciated the diversity of characters included in this book. If a kid who is sometimes made fun of for being a little different, a little quirky, a little odd picks up this book, they will find characters who are like them and who are loved and appreciated for those qualities. Like many books for children, there was a pretty clear message I felt like I was supposed to learn by the end, but I never felt like I was being beaten over the head with it. I loved the way the author interwove extended metaphors throughout the entire book and used invented expressions to tell the story. Overall, this book was excellent and I’m so glad I randomly chose it off the library shelf.
December 17, 2013
The Danger Box. Ahhh <3
Just kidding.
i picked up this book when I saw it at the library for a number of reasons:
1) Ooh that's an...... interesting cover. Rather reminds me of this one, another personal favorite:
2) Ooh Blue Balliett!!!! I read her book Chasing Vermeer and thoroughly enjoyed it in fourth grade and I assumed that that meant that her other books were all equally entertaining. Alas!
3) Ahh the blurb is so.... intriguing!
4) Omg dat TITLE~! It just sounds amazing and interesting and VERY mysterious.
So there were a lot of things that I felt had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it didn't work out quite as well as I had hoped it would.
Firstly, the main character, Zoomy, is the son of an alcoholic and a migrant worker. His father is the alcoholic, Buckeye, and he did not claim Zoomy, leaving him under the care of his parents (Zoomy's grandparents). "Zoomy" turns out to be the name of Buckeye's childhood 'invisible friend.' I felt like that concept could be developed a little more, like maybe some special link with Buckeye's childhood friend that becomes a special link between estranged father and son.
Secondly, Zoomy has pathological myopia (he's legally blind), so he wears incredibly thick glasses. This does affect the way he sees, as mentioned in the blurb; but, it doesn't play as big of a role as I had hoped it would, nor is the 'affected way he sees' the way I had anticipated, either. Surely he is almost blind, but most of the time anything related to his eyesight comes up it's usually when he's saying "I can't see! What's going on?" or some other version of that.
Also, I never really understood what the Danger Box really was. In the preface in the beginning of the book, something about "Everyone has their own Danger Box" was mentioned, which really heightened my hopes, but in the end, it seems that the Danger Box is just a box full of treasures and memories?
Additionally, the plot was disorganized, for the most part. I would have liked to know more about Lorrel, the "mysterious girl who doesn't fit in", and her family, as well as her life before in the city.
Really, my major disappointment was that it was never really clear what It had all sounded so thrilling, so exciting, so mysterious, in the beginning of the book, but then it really fell flat for me.
However, I would probably consider reading "The Wright 3" and "The Calder Game" just because I thoroughly enjoyed "Chasing Vermeer" and those books are (i think?) sequels to it.
Just kidding.
i picked up this book when I saw it at the library for a number of reasons:
1) Ooh that's an...... interesting cover. Rather reminds me of this one, another personal favorite:
2) Ooh Blue Balliett!!!! I read her book Chasing Vermeer and thoroughly enjoyed it in fourth grade and I assumed that that meant that her other books were all equally entertaining. Alas!
3) Ahh the blurb is so.... intriguing!
4) Omg dat TITLE~! It just sounds amazing and interesting and VERY mysterious.
So there were a lot of things that I felt had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it didn't work out quite as well as I had hoped it would.
Firstly, the main character, Zoomy, is the son of an alcoholic and a migrant worker. His father is the alcoholic, Buckeye, and he did not claim Zoomy, leaving him under the care of his parents (Zoomy's grandparents). "Zoomy" turns out to be the name of Buckeye's childhood 'invisible friend.' I felt like that concept could be developed a little more, like maybe some special link with Buckeye's childhood friend that becomes a special link between estranged father and son.
Secondly, Zoomy has pathological myopia (he's legally blind), so he wears incredibly thick glasses. This does affect the way he sees, as mentioned in the blurb; but, it doesn't play as big of a role as I had hoped it would, nor is the 'affected way he sees' the way I had anticipated, either. Surely he is almost blind, but most of the time anything related to his eyesight comes up it's usually when he's saying "I can't see! What's going on?" or some other version of that.
Also, I never really understood what the Danger Box really was. In the preface in the beginning of the book, something about "Everyone has their own Danger Box" was mentioned, which really heightened my hopes, but in the end, it seems that the Danger Box is just a box full of treasures and memories?
Additionally, the plot was disorganized, for the most part. I would have liked to know more about Lorrel, the "mysterious girl who doesn't fit in", and her family, as well as her life before in the city.
Really, my major disappointment was that it was never really clear what It had all sounded so thrilling, so exciting, so mysterious, in the beginning of the book, but then it really fell flat for me.
However, I would probably consider reading "The Wright 3" and "The Calder Game" just because I thoroughly enjoyed "Chasing Vermeer" and those books are (i think?) sequels to it.
January 4, 2016
"The Danger Box" by Blue Balliett is a mystery and coming of age story about Zoomy, a young boy with Pathological Myopia, finding a strange and valuable notebook in a box his absent father drops off. Zoomy needs lists to function, and when he sees a notebook with similar qualities as his own, he quickly gets attached. He starts researching things he sees in this notebook at the library where he soon meets Lorrol, a quirky girl who quickly becomes his friend and a fellow researcher. Accumulating all of these facts, he grows a friend, and a sense for what the mysterious notebook really is - all this with the question of how to feel about his threatening father in the back of his head. Zoomy is soon put to the test with choices; To reveal a secret or not? To stay loyal to family? To take back whats yours? To give up something valuable for the betterment of everybody? He comes out with a new sense of how everything is linked and the knowledge that the good and the bad must intertwine.
I thought that this book was a great read. Blue Balliett has a captivating writing style that pulls the reader in. The short chapters and lively plot make the pages keep turning while the realistic characters and beautifully painted, clear, setting places the reader in the action. I do have to say I expected more of a mystery upon selecting this book, and it turned out to be more of a sweet coming of age story with a little mystery intertwined, but I still liked the overall book. The three hundred or so pages went by fast. As for the level of the book, it, again, wasn't as challenging as I thought, however, there are some themes that the reader has to think for. These themes are deep and rich and these are what really make the book for me.
Overall, I would recommend this book. Though not meeting some expectations, the writing was well done, and the book overall was sweet, fun, and quite beautiful, actually.
I thought that this book was a great read. Blue Balliett has a captivating writing style that pulls the reader in. The short chapters and lively plot make the pages keep turning while the realistic characters and beautifully painted, clear, setting places the reader in the action. I do have to say I expected more of a mystery upon selecting this book, and it turned out to be more of a sweet coming of age story with a little mystery intertwined, but I still liked the overall book. The three hundred or so pages went by fast. As for the level of the book, it, again, wasn't as challenging as I thought, however, there are some themes that the reader has to think for. These themes are deep and rich and these are what really make the book for me.
Overall, I would recommend this book. Though not meeting some expectations, the writing was well done, and the book overall was sweet, fun, and quite beautiful, actually.
July 13, 2011
Blue Balliett's mysteries always have a lot packed into them and this one is no exception. The primary narrator is Zoomy, a child with pathological myopia which renders him almost blind and with OCD. Apparently left on his grandparents doorstep by his mother, Zoomy has been happily reared in a small town by them. Their son Buckeye, his father, disappeared long ago and is unaware of the child left behind. When he arrives back in town in a stolen truck, he leaves a mysterious box in which Zoomy finds an old journal. Because Zoomy himself is a keeper of many notebooks with many lists and notes, the owner of the old journal becomes a mystery he tries to solve. Researching at the computer in the town's small library, Zoomy makes his first friend, Lorrol, who is staying in town for the summer. Together the two of them decide to write a newsletter about the journal's notable author.
Intermittent chapters are in the voice of the owner of the stolen truck, an antiquities dealer who wants to recover the very important journal. He traces the stolen box to Zoomy's grandfather's junk store, but finds the box no longer holds the journal. He stays in the small town, listening surreptitiously to Zoomy and Lorrol's discoveries.
Finally, throughout the book are the newsletters Zoomy and Lorrol write, asking readers to identify the mysterious figure who is the author of the missing journal.
This is a story of family and friendships; of mystery and adventure; of the curiosity of two young children; of the support of a small town during great adversity; of the strength of a child with disabilties; of the interesting life of a famous scientist.
Intermittent chapters are in the voice of the owner of the stolen truck, an antiquities dealer who wants to recover the very important journal. He traces the stolen box to Zoomy's grandfather's junk store, but finds the box no longer holds the journal. He stays in the small town, listening surreptitiously to Zoomy and Lorrol's discoveries.
Finally, throughout the book are the newsletters Zoomy and Lorrol write, asking readers to identify the mysterious figure who is the author of the missing journal.
This is a story of family and friendships; of mystery and adventure; of the curiosity of two young children; of the support of a small town during great adversity; of the strength of a child with disabilties; of the interesting life of a famous scientist.
July 5, 2015
I have abandoned this book twice before but was determined to finish it this time around.
The Danger Box is initially confusing and simultaneously intriguing due to multiple story lines - a mysterious "game" involving players who do not know each other, periodic appearances of a newspaper written by an unknown author, and a growing relationship between two children who love solving puzzles. Looking back, I believe these seemingly unrelated stories were the reason why I dropped the book in the past. Ultimately, connections are made that pull the stories together.
My positives: main character is a child with diffabilities (Wonder, Rain Reign), interesting information about Charles Darwin, and a strong, positive relationship between grandparents and main character.
My cautions: a character is an alcoholic and has an arrest record, the main character is left by his mother when a baby at his grandparent's home, arson.
The Danger Box is initially confusing and simultaneously intriguing due to multiple story lines - a mysterious "game" involving players who do not know each other, periodic appearances of a newspaper written by an unknown author, and a growing relationship between two children who love solving puzzles. Looking back, I believe these seemingly unrelated stories were the reason why I dropped the book in the past. Ultimately, connections are made that pull the stories together.
My positives: main character is a child with diffabilities (Wonder, Rain Reign), interesting information about Charles Darwin, and a strong, positive relationship between grandparents and main character.
My cautions: a character is an alcoholic and has an arrest record, the main character is left by his mother when a baby at his grandparent's home, arson.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2010
If I was writing children's books, I'd want to write like Blue Balliet. I've loved every single book she's written, and her latest one is no exception. Her first foray away from her Petra/Calder characters, this one stars Zoomy, a rather unusual but likeable boy living in a small town in Michigan. When Zoomy's less-than-perfect father returns to his life, he brings with him a mysterious box containing an old notebook, and starts a chain of events that will change Zoomy's world. Being a science fan, I was thrilled to see this book's connections to Charles Darwin. As usual, Balliet's stellar research and inquisitive mind have narrowed in on little-known and fascinating tidbits about this controversial historic figure. I'll definitely be recommending this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2010
The Danger Box is the third middle school/YA book that I've read this year that relates to the life of Charles Darwin. This book introduces two new kid sleuths: Zoomy, who suffers from myopia and probably OCD, and Lorrol, a brainy girl who is proud of the fact that her name is a palindrome. Zoomy and Lorrol end up immersed in a mystery involving a lost notebook of Darwin. I'm not sure that I liked this book as much as Chasing Vermeer or The Wright Three, but it's close. This book felt a bit darker than Balliett's mysteries with Calder, Petra, and Tommy. Best for grades 5 and 6.
July 7, 2010
I am undeniably biased when reviewing this book/author. Nonetheless, this has to be Blue Balliett's most exciting book yet.
If you open the Danger Box you won't be able to put it down! Balliett's combination of mystery and science is a middle-grade treat and her compassionate characters help us understand different perspectives. This book is sure to delight fans new and old. Perfect for family reading or curious young readers in search of a smart adventure story.
If you open the Danger Box you won't be able to put it down! Balliett's combination of mystery and science is a middle-grade treat and her compassionate characters help us understand different perspectives. This book is sure to delight fans new and old. Perfect for family reading or curious young readers in search of a smart adventure story.
February 14, 2011
How do I love Blue Balliet's books? Let me count the ways. 1) "Worry crumbs" 2) "ping-ness" 3) quirky lovable protagonists 4) Nail-biting mystery
November 18, 2012
Great book for kids and adults. Legally blind main character, Zoomy who must figure out the backstory on a box that appears in his town while a mysterious stranger lurks around.
July 28, 2025
Everyone has odd names. The main character Zoomy is described as autistic without saying the word. He lives with his grandparents who put up with it and spin all his disabilities into a positive light. He befriends another kid with a problem (a stutter) and an odd name (Lorrel). It seemed like a mistake or inconsistency that the author sometimes referred to Zoomy’s grandparents by Gumps and Gam, and other times as Grandpa Ash and Grandma I-Forgot.
Probably the only reason the book got published was because the main characters had problems. Oh, and they weren’t white (117). There was subtle leftism in the book: a mom who rents and doesn’t like to cook (121), Zoomy wanting to stop world hunger and save the environment (171), making excuses for mean kids (“The kids in our room don’t mean to have those bad things happen, it’s more like they can’t help it. The world gets them so fizzed up, they can’t think straight” [36]), encouraging communism (with the kids’ free newsletter and the grandparents’ money-free barter system [262]), and putting a positive spin on kids not raised by two parents: “I think NOT growing up with two parents is the best, don’t you? Kids like us are much more capable, that’s my conclusion. They don’t expect everything to just happen; they learn how to make their own luck” (118). Oh yeah? Then why is it kids raised by single moms have bad outcomes when it comes to drugs, sex, pregnancy, crime, and high school drop out rate, etc.? It seems like they lack discipline and end up staying poor and getting handouts from the government. But they can’t help it, can they? The world gets them so fizzed up, they can’t think straight! No accountability.
The book is told in short chapters that strike me as being written by an extraverted intuitive. The beginning of the book talks about random stuff about Zoomy and his grandparents like he’s writing his memoir. Nothing actually happens in the story until p. 44. The danger box isn’t even talked about until p. 91.
The story would appeal to kids with autism, a stutter, or an interest in Darwin or evolution. I didn’t care for the book, although the facts about Darwin were interesting.
Probably the only reason the book got published was because the main characters had problems. Oh, and they weren’t white (117). There was subtle leftism in the book: a mom who rents and doesn’t like to cook (121), Zoomy wanting to stop world hunger and save the environment (171), making excuses for mean kids (“The kids in our room don’t mean to have those bad things happen, it’s more like they can’t help it. The world gets them so fizzed up, they can’t think straight” [36]), encouraging communism (with the kids’ free newsletter and the grandparents’ money-free barter system [262]), and putting a positive spin on kids not raised by two parents: “I think NOT growing up with two parents is the best, don’t you? Kids like us are much more capable, that’s my conclusion. They don’t expect everything to just happen; they learn how to make their own luck” (118). Oh yeah? Then why is it kids raised by single moms have bad outcomes when it comes to drugs, sex, pregnancy, crime, and high school drop out rate, etc.? It seems like they lack discipline and end up staying poor and getting handouts from the government. But they can’t help it, can they? The world gets them so fizzed up, they can’t think straight! No accountability.
The book is told in short chapters that strike me as being written by an extraverted intuitive. The beginning of the book talks about random stuff about Zoomy and his grandparents like he’s writing his memoir. Nothing actually happens in the story until p. 44. The danger box isn’t even talked about until p. 91.
The story would appeal to kids with autism, a stutter, or an interest in Darwin or evolution. I didn’t care for the book, although the facts about Darwin were interesting.
December 2, 2018
Choice book #2 Quarter 2
The Danger Box,is written by Blue Balliett is a Mystery book and it takes place in a small town named Three Oaks.
Zoomy is the main character. He is legally blind he can only see an arms length away with his glasses on. Zoomy has an unknown father. Once Zoomy met Lorrol they have been hanging out alot and has been doing alot of research together.
Lorrol is another main character. Lorrol is one of Zoomys best friend she is also one of his only friends. Lorrol also has unknown father/parents. She also has a stutter when she first meets people. Zoomy and Lorrol meet in the library one day and has been meeting up at the library most of the days in the book.
Gam is Zoomys grandmother. Game is very positive. Gam also is the one who mostly takes care of Zoomy. She also does a lot of what Gumps dose. Gumps is Zoomys grandfather. He was the one who worked the store that they own. He makes a lot of the ideas to help the family.
Buckeye is part of the family but Zoomy doesn't know what he is in the part of the family. Buckeye has a drinking problem but he has been saying he would stop but doesn't. He can also hold a grudge.
One of the conflicts in the book is that they don't know who owns the thing the find in the danger box that Buckeye brought home. The other problem is that they have a lot of family problems in there life.
In this book you start of with meeting zoomy. After that you get to learn more about their life and their store. Then you meet lorrol and after that the book started to get more interesting.
I didn't really like this book it was really hard to get into and after you got into the book it get really boring. It didn't really have a lot of detail in the wording they kept saying “said” and it got really boring. The mystery was very confusing and was hard to understand. It was very choppy in the chapters, the chapters was also very short. But that I don't really like mysteries so you might like the book.
Somethings I did like is how they chose the names they were very interesting.
The Danger Box,is written by Blue Balliett is a Mystery book and it takes place in a small town named Three Oaks.
Zoomy is the main character. He is legally blind he can only see an arms length away with his glasses on. Zoomy has an unknown father. Once Zoomy met Lorrol they have been hanging out alot and has been doing alot of research together.
Lorrol is another main character. Lorrol is one of Zoomys best friend she is also one of his only friends. Lorrol also has unknown father/parents. She also has a stutter when she first meets people. Zoomy and Lorrol meet in the library one day and has been meeting up at the library most of the days in the book.
Gam is Zoomys grandmother. Game is very positive. Gam also is the one who mostly takes care of Zoomy. She also does a lot of what Gumps dose. Gumps is Zoomys grandfather. He was the one who worked the store that they own. He makes a lot of the ideas to help the family.
Buckeye is part of the family but Zoomy doesn't know what he is in the part of the family. Buckeye has a drinking problem but he has been saying he would stop but doesn't. He can also hold a grudge.
One of the conflicts in the book is that they don't know who owns the thing the find in the danger box that Buckeye brought home. The other problem is that they have a lot of family problems in there life.
In this book you start of with meeting zoomy. After that you get to learn more about their life and their store. Then you meet lorrol and after that the book started to get more interesting.
I didn't really like this book it was really hard to get into and after you got into the book it get really boring. It didn't really have a lot of detail in the wording they kept saying “said” and it got really boring. The mystery was very confusing and was hard to understand. It was very choppy in the chapters, the chapters was also very short. But that I don't really like mysteries so you might like the book.
Somethings I did like is how they chose the names they were very interesting.
April 15, 2019
In the book, The Danger Box, Zoomy is a curious kid who wants to know about his family's history. His father Buckeye left him at his parents front steps because he didn't want to take care of the child (Zoomy). Zoomy's grandparents took care of Zoomy since there was no one else to take care of him. Buckeye is not a person to be trusted. He gets in trouble with the police countless times and stole a car. He is also not proud of having Zoomy and doesn't care about what he is putting his parents through. This quote is when Buckeye came home yelling at everyone and tearing apart Zoomy with his words. "He snorted. 'What is this kid, a nut?' "(49) This shows that he doesn't care about others and only worries about himself. Zoomy finds a box that is from Buckeye and decides to go through it. He finds a blanket and a journal, and in this journal it is written in a secret code that Zoomy tries to figure out. The most important quote in this book is from Zoomy: “I don't know how anyone else sees the world and no one else sees the world exactly how I see the world! We each see in our own, unique way.”(281) This quote describes Zoomy's personality. Zoomy understands that everybody is different in their own way, and instead of judging them he embraces it. Even though Buckeye called Zoomy a nut and a weirdo, he still wanted to find out more about his father, and even went to a library to try and figure out more about him. He digs deeper than people's short stories and learns why people act the way they do.
July 5, 2017
Blue Balliett always brilliantly writes stories that ignite curiosity in kids. Her books make readers want to learn, discover, explore, THINK! In her previous novels, Balliett has introduced a famous artist into the plot (Calder, Vermeer, Frank Lloyd Wright, etc.), expanding the knowledge of readers while they're engrossed in her mysteries. This time, she introduces a well known scientist, again not to stand behind or against the scientist's findings, but in the interest of making kids hungry to learn. Kudos to Balliett for always creating the best characters--kids with quirks, but also with hidden insights and gifts. She does a lovely job of reminding us that everyone has their own special talents and something to add to the conversation. I read her books, because my kids love them. But I LOVE them too!
November 10, 2019
This is my 2nd Blue Balliet book, and both have been quite intriguing in the mystery. Zoomy is a kid who is super curious, very anxious legally blind, lives with his adorable grandparents and has happened upon a special notebook. So special, in fact, that when he does research, he feels he may have stumbled upon something really valuable. The villian comes to get it, and on goes the story. But, the characters of Zoomy and his grandparents are so strong that it makes it a great story. I wavered between a three and a four for this book but I loved the characters so much that I had to go for a 4. That being said, I feel like the plot might be hard for some elementary kids to hang on to, so perhaps it's better for middle schoolers.
November 14, 2024
I grabbed this book when I saw it, not knowing anything about it, because I really enjoyed other books by Blue Balliett. The Calder Game and The Wright Three. And this story begins quite promisingly with a strange game and a lost treasure. But then the organizer dies and the story shifts to the actual main character, a boy named Zoomy. Told from his point of view, the story takes a new direction. The "twists" are fairly obvious and I think they would be just as clear to the intended MG reader. The plot unfolds at a snail's pace and the major points could be summarized in a short bullet point list. In fact, Zoomy writes a recap that takes up only five of the book's three hundred pages. Read those and you will not have missed much.
January 19, 2018
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
it was super helpful and thought provoking that zoomy's grandmother taught him to use lists to help him to be more productive. i think sometime we think that we are being unproductive or lazy when we are spinning in circles in the kitchen, not knowing what to do next. but if lists are the ways that we organize all of the tasks that are bouncing in our brains, why don't we go for it? fill a whole page? use a purple pen?
it was super helpful and thought provoking that zoomy's grandmother taught him to use lists to help him to be more productive. i think sometime we think that we are being unproductive or lazy when we are spinning in circles in the kitchen, not knowing what to do next. but if lists are the ways that we organize all of the tasks that are bouncing in our brains, why don't we go for it? fill a whole page? use a purple pen?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2021
The book was boring at times and it took some time for things to actually start getting interesting. However, the author's way of describing things and people was unique and fun. The book takes place in a small town, and things are pretty normal, except for the main character, Zoomy's, dad, who left him when he was younger, but eventually came back and is violent and mad. Then, there's also the discovery of a very important notebook. The storyline is somewhat exciting, and I'd recommend this to people who like books that aren't too long and complex.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2020
I've enjoyed the Chasing Vermeer series by this author so am progressing through all of her middle grade novels. While the latter series focuses on art in the mysteries, this one focused on science (in particular Darwin). I did not connect to this one as much and did not find the same excitement in this mystery. However, I still think middle grade readers would enjoy this one, particularly if they have an interest in science.
July 11, 2017
Intricate and heartfelt. I liked Balliet's Chasing Vermeer series, but I enjoyed this book even more as it eliminated some of the more far-fetched elements and focused on some really great characters and a realistic-feeling small town in Michigan. (Never been to Three Oaks, MI, but I feel like I have now).
October 10, 2017
Too many contrived parallels. Wasn't convinced by the characters. The books that wow me are the ones in which I feel like I've been told a story that really happened to real people, even in fantastic circumstances. These seemed like adults in 12-year-old bodies. For those choosing books for your kids, this book has a strong message about origins and falls into the Darwinian Evolution camp.
April 11, 2019
The Danger Box was good. It was about a boy named Zoomy that met his first friend when he was at the library. They do some research about Charles Darwin and people have to guess who he is. This book was three out of five because a lot of parts were confusing and I didn’t understand what was happening.
January 17, 2023
AN overcomer tale of sorts, but with an interesting academic focus. Several separate storylines converge to make a satisfying whole. Small town America takes the stage as two unique 'tweens find themselves solving a mystery through research and resourcefulness, the ripples of which will traverse the globe.
February 22, 2018
Between 2 & 2.5 stars. I wanted to like The Danger Box more because I had really enjoyed Blue Balliett's Chasing Vermeer books. There are enough likable characters in this one, but the story itself just didn't do it for me. I got tired of the schtick after a while.
December 11, 2018
Absolutely stunning work of literature!! Reading this book was a full adventure, filled with unexpected events on each page. The years of research and work done to write this book is evident! Amazing job, Balliett :)
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