Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

Part of Sammy Keyes

Ebook
On sale Sep 09, 2003 | 192 Pages | 9780375890444

"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Review

What Sammy should have done was put the binoculars down and call 911. What she does instead is tighten up the focus on her right eye to get a better look. There's something very familiar about this thief.

But when Sammy eventually spills her story to Officer Borsch, he doesn't believe her. He treats her like some snot-nosed little kid. Well, Sammy's not going to stand for that. She's a snot-nosed seventh grader now, and she knows what she saw. And somehow she's going to prove it.

The Sammy Keyes mysteries are fast-paced, funny, thoroughly modern, and true whodunits. Each mystery is exciting and dramatic, but it's the drama in Sammy's personal life that keeps readers coming back to see what happens next with her love interest Casey, her soap-star mother, and her mysterious father.
  • WINNER | 2000
    Massachusetts Children's Book Master List
  • WINNER | 1999
    Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Novel
  • SELECTION | 2003
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • NOMINEE | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Master List
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Indiana Young Hoosier Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Connecticut Nutmeg Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Florida Sunshine State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Tennessee Volunteer State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Maryland Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Utah Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Virginia Young Readers Program Master List
Wendelin Van Draanen spent many years as a classroom teacher and is now a full-time writer. She is the author of many award-winning books, including the Sammy Keyes mysteries, Flipped, The Running Dream, Runaway, Wild Bird, Confessions of a Serial Kisser, The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones, Swear to Howdy, and Hope in the Mail, Reflections on Writing and Life. Ms. Van Draanen lives with her husband in California. Her hobbies include the “three R’s”: reading, running, and rock ’n’ roll. To read more about Wendelin Van Draanen’s books, please visit WendelinVanDraanen.com. View titles by Wendelin Van Draanen
Praise for the Sammy Keyes series:
 
“Van Draanen offers such an explosive combination of high-stakes sleuthing, hilarity, and breathlessly paced action that it’s impossible to turn the pages fast enough.” —Kirkus Reviews

“There’s no stopping Sammy.”—Publishers Weekly

“An intelligent, gutsy, flawed, and utterly likable heroine.”—Booklist

"Move over, Nancy Drew—a new sleuth is on the scene.”—Girls’ Life

"Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen’s Flush and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books and you’ll be right on target.” —School Library Journal

“A high-quality, high-amp mystery series.” —The Horn Book
 
“This funny, clever series is NOT for kids only. I challenge the most seasoned mystery reader to guess ‘who done it.’” —Cozies, Capers, and Crimes
 
“Sammy Keyes comes armed with attitude.” —Orlando Sentinel

“Sammy doesn’t find mysteries to solve—they find her.” —Arizona Republic

“Humor, romance and adventure; this story is an absolute blast.” —Chicago Tribune
 
“If you haven’t met Sammy Keyes yet, now is the time.” —Children’s Literature

About

"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Review

What Sammy should have done was put the binoculars down and call 911. What she does instead is tighten up the focus on her right eye to get a better look. There's something very familiar about this thief.

But when Sammy eventually spills her story to Officer Borsch, he doesn't believe her. He treats her like some snot-nosed little kid. Well, Sammy's not going to stand for that. She's a snot-nosed seventh grader now, and she knows what she saw. And somehow she's going to prove it.

The Sammy Keyes mysteries are fast-paced, funny, thoroughly modern, and true whodunits. Each mystery is exciting and dramatic, but it's the drama in Sammy's personal life that keeps readers coming back to see what happens next with her love interest Casey, her soap-star mother, and her mysterious father.

Awards

  • WINNER | 2000
    Massachusetts Children's Book Master List
  • WINNER | 1999
    Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Novel
  • SELECTION | 2003
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • NOMINEE | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Master List
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Indiana Young Hoosier Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Connecticut Nutmeg Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Florida Sunshine State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Tennessee Volunteer State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Maryland Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Utah Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Virginia Young Readers Program Master List

Author

Wendelin Van Draanen spent many years as a classroom teacher and is now a full-time writer. She is the author of many award-winning books, including the Sammy Keyes mysteries, Flipped, The Running Dream, Runaway, Wild Bird, Confessions of a Serial Kisser, The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones, Swear to Howdy, and Hope in the Mail, Reflections on Writing and Life. Ms. Van Draanen lives with her husband in California. Her hobbies include the “three R’s”: reading, running, and rock ’n’ roll. To read more about Wendelin Van Draanen’s books, please visit WendelinVanDraanen.com. View titles by Wendelin Van Draanen

Praise

Praise for the Sammy Keyes series:
 
“Van Draanen offers such an explosive combination of high-stakes sleuthing, hilarity, and breathlessly paced action that it’s impossible to turn the pages fast enough.” —Kirkus Reviews

“There’s no stopping Sammy.”—Publishers Weekly

“An intelligent, gutsy, flawed, and utterly likable heroine.”—Booklist

"Move over, Nancy Drew—a new sleuth is on the scene.”—Girls’ Life

"Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen’s Flush and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books and you’ll be right on target.” —School Library Journal

“A high-quality, high-amp mystery series.” —The Horn Book
 
“This funny, clever series is NOT for kids only. I challenge the most seasoned mystery reader to guess ‘who done it.’” —Cozies, Capers, and Crimes
 
“Sammy Keyes comes armed with attitude.” —Orlando Sentinel

“Sammy doesn’t find mysteries to solve—they find her.” —Arizona Republic

“Humor, romance and adventure; this story is an absolute blast.” —Chicago Tribune
 
“If you haven’t met Sammy Keyes yet, now is the time.” —Children’s Literature

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