Jim Averbeck

A Hitch at the Fairmont Jim Averbeck

Brief Description: When his aunt is kidnapped, an eleven-year-old boy staying at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel in 1956 tries to find her, with the help of Alfred Hitchcock. Review Quotes: "Clever, intelligent, and completely entertaining. Read it!"--Patricia MacLachlan, author of Newbery Medal-winning Sarah, Plain and TallReview Quotes: ""A Hitch at the Fairmont" is terrific...a fun plot, wonderful characters, belly-laugh humor, and lots of truly lovely writing."--Linda Sue Park, author of the Newbery Medal-winning A Single ShardMarc Notes: Spine title.; When his aunt is kidnapped, an eleven-year-old boy staying at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel in 1956 tries to find her, with the help of Alfred Hitchcock.;008-012. Publisher Marketing: An intrepid boy teams up with Alfred Hitchcock himself in this rollicking mystery rife with action, adventure, intrigue, and all the flavor of film noir. After the mysterious death of his mother, eleven-year-old Jack Fair is whisked away to San Francisco's swanky Fairmont Hotel by his wicked Aunt Edith. There, he seems doomed to a life of fetching chocolates for his aunt and her pet chinchilla. Until one night, when Aunt Edith disappears, and the only clue is a ransom note written...in chocolate? Suddenly, Jack finds himself all alone on a quest to discover who kidnapped Aunt Edith and what happened to his mother. Alone, that is, until he meets an unlikely accomplice--Alfred Hitchcock himself! The two embark on a madcap journey full of hidden doorways, secret societies, cryptic clues, sinister villains, and cinematic flair. Review Citations:

Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2014 (EAN 9781442494473, Hardcover)

School Library Journal 06/01/2014 pg. 96 (EAN 9781442494473, Hardcover)

Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 09/01/2014 pg. 6 (EAN 9781442494473, Hardcover)

Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2015 (EAN 9781442494473, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Averbeck, Jim Jim Averbeck is the author of "One Word from Sophia", illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail; "In a Blue Room", illustrated by Tricia Tusa; and of the novel "A Hitch at the Fairmont". He is also the author and illustrator of the picture books "Oh No, Little Dragon!" and" Except If". He studied Children's Book Writing and Illustration at the University of California Berkeley and now makes his home in San Francisco. You can visit him at JimAverbeck.com. Contributor Bio:  Bertozzi, Nick Nick Bertozzi lives in Queens, NY, with his wife and daughters and is the author and artist of many other cartoon stories, among them "The Salon, Houdini: The Handcuff King, " and First Second's "Lewis & Clark". He is a teacher at the School of Visual Arts.