Anne Bustard

First sentence: When your last name is "Crook" and your best friend is Nick Lawless and your daddy's the sheriff, then folks never forget you. That's A-OK by me. I'm proud to be Magnolia Jean Crook from Totter, Texas. Especially the Totter part. Especially now. Because we are fixing to host our First Annual Come On Down Day. In just one week our small town aims to welcome any and all space aliens who wish to visit. No RSVP required.

Premise/plot: Historical mystery set in a small Texas town in 1964. Far Out! is just that--a bit far out. Magnolia (MJ) and Nick set out to solve a mystery. Someone has stolen a meteorite that was on display at the local public library. It is privately owned and was on borrow. The meteorite is found in MG's grandmother's shed--her grandma who admittedly does have keys to the library--is suffering from Alzheimer's. (Though they may not use that term exactly. Just "old age" and "forgetfulness"). These two kids believe that she is being framed by the real crook, and they have a list of suspects. But the sheriff and deputies must follow the clues...despite personal feelings and intuition.

Meanwhile, the town continues to prepare for a HUGE celebration. (All this takes place in one week in November 1964).

My thoughts: This was an odd read. The town wants a claim to fame and they are hoping that UFOs are the way to go. Though perhaps some are genuine believers? It blends the mystery of who stole the meteorite--and why--AND the town preparing for the UFO landing party. (Spoiler alert--no aliens come to visit; no UFOs are sighted.) I typically enjoy small town mysteries. I didn't not enjoy this one. It just wasn't my favorite in the genre.… (meer)

A fun and exciting children's chapter book that will entertain older readers, too!

Far Out! is the new children's historical mystery by author Anne Bustard that will also entertain and delight older readers. With the main character, Magnolia Jean Crook, and her best guy pal, Nick Lawless, on the case of the missing meteorite, everything is sure to work out fine.

The story's setting is in the small town of Totter, Texas, in November 1964. LBJ is President, and America is smack in the middle of the space race. I loved the idea of the town capitalizing on the country's fascination with all things space and alien with not only the festival but the decorations around town, simple and spectacular (the spaced-out dolls on the square were a hoot and probably one of my favorite images of all time!)

MJ and Nick are sure to appeal to readers of all ages, and there are plenty of other named characters to get to know. I enjoyed the small-town vibe of everyone knowing everyone else. I was surprised by Mimi's official arrest even though I understood the reasoning behind it, trying to treat all suspects equally. A quibble, though, the Miranda Warning issued by the arresting deputy in the story was not in use until after 1966 and, frankly, not in wide or consistent practice at the local level well into the 70s.

I enjoyed the mystery the two new young sleuths pursue and how they worked their investigation into their daily activities. MJ's use of questions and comments she's heard used on TV detective shows was fun and made me laugh. The issue of dementia will resonate with many readers. Chapters are compact and of convenient lengths, perfectly sized for young readers.With its pair of relatable young sleuths, nostalgic mid-60s timeframe, small-town Texas ambiance, and the unique and appealing underlying subject matter of visitors from outer space, I recommend FAR OUT! to readers of all ages but especially upper elementary school-aged readers looking for an exciting yet approachable chapter book.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.… (meer)

I was given a free copy of this book through the Goodreads giveaway program. This does not in any way affect my opinion. I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.

It is 1949 and 10-year-old Glory Bea's daddy was lost to the war years ago, but she has never given up hope that he could still come home. With the Merci Train coming to her hometown right around Valentine's Day, she strongly believes that that will be the day her daddy returns home and surprises them all. But now an old friend of her fathers is in town and here to stay and spending FAR to much time with her mama and she doesn't' like that at all.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm obviously not the targeted audience, but it was an enjoyable book. It says on the back of the book that it is meant for children ages 8-12. I could see my 13-year-old niece enjoying this book. She likes books that take place around the WWII period. It was a quick read but there was a lot to love. After the first couple of chapters, I knew this book was going to turn out really happy or really sad. I do have to say though that this book does an excellent job of dealing with the emotional parts. It does make to light of it so that the child that reads it can understand the seriousness of it but at the same time doesn't dwell too long on the sad stuff, making it an appropriate book for the age range. My daughter is just coming into this age range and I will be keeping an eye on future works by this author.… (meer)