ISBN: 9781999114404 Named one of *The Year's Best* by Resource Links.
Awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2019/2020 Reader Views Literary Awards.
Awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2019/2020 Reader Views Literary Awards.
Free shipping for Amazon Prime members on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com. Also available at Barnes and Noble.
eBook available at KINDLE and NOOK.
Library & Bookstore Orders handled by INGRAM
Library & Bookstore Orders handled by INGRAM
What distinguishes a friend from an enemy is a complicated affair for 12-year-old Phoebe as she tries to understand the hurtful behavior of Serena, a girl who is taunting her. By contrast, four-year-old Peter Philby, who is missing from the DUMBO area of Brooklyn, knows exactly what a bully is. It's on his mind all the time. What he doesn't know is that a girl he's never met will change the outcome of his ordeal.
Press Release:
Margaret J. McMaster’s latest book, 8 Days in DUMBO, is a delightful children’s mystery that combines memorable characters with a compelling plotline. Several stories intersect and converge in the novel, keeping the reader engaged in the action.
The title is a deceptively simple reference to the action detailed through the book; DUMBO is an acronym for part of New York - Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass - a gentrified part of the city set apart by its cobblestones and converted warehouses. During the eight days we spend discovering the area, we are introduced to our heroine, 12-year-old Phoebe Sproule, her family, friends, and neighbors. The neighborhood itself becomes a character of sorts as well; we explore DUMBO through “Febes” as she searches for little Peter Philby, who has disappeared from the local Starbrite Diner.
McMaster brings a wide variety of quirky and interesting characters to life as the plot unfolds. We meet Phoebe’s hipster, blogging mom, Abby, who is reinventing herself after an online absence to raise her daughter, and her steadfast dad, Chuck. Phoebe’s friends, London and Washington, and her “frenemies”, Serena and the Disciples, figure prominently as the search for Peter continues.
It is through Phoebe’s close connection to her Grandma Sylvie that DUMBO really comes to life, as the two explore parts of the area together for a history project for school. The author gives us a brief glimpse into the role New York played in the Revolutionary War and uses the stories of war to show how themes of loyalty, division, and intrigue pervade all times and lives.
Several memorable minor characters are peppered throughout the book, like Mr. Wong, Phyllis the waitress, Valerie, and Pirate. Their stories intertwine and enrich the central storyline, adding to the intrigue while also providing greater depth to the main characters.
8 Days in DUMBO is a highly entertaining whodunit. McMaster’s style and language have broad appeal to her intended tween audience while making it an enjoyable read for their parents as well. Beneath the surface story of a mysterious disappearance are timeless lessons of friendship, love, and loyalty. Spend 8 days in DUMBO; you won’t regret it!
REVIEWS:
'A lot happens in this story - the mystery, Phoebe and her friends creating a history project, the man next door who puts signs in his window to communicate, and a girl who can't hear or speak who works at a restaurant where Phoebe and her grandma go a lot. How does all this go together? You just have to read it to find out! I think kids around the ages of 10 to 13 would like "8 Days in DUMBO" by Margaret J. McMaster. It's a fun story and full of action and adventure.' https://www.readerviewskids.com/8-days-in-dumbo-by-margaret-j-mcmaster/
'Phoebe, herself, is a delightful character: smart, funny, clever, forgiving, and just a genuinely good person. Her interactions with the other characters in the novel illustrate a kind and caring nature. She's the kind of character that readers will genuinely root for, despite the fact that most of the major conflicts happen to the characters around her.' Recommended. CM: Canadian Review of Materials, Nov. 22, 2019.
'Margaret McMaster has penned an easy-read, suitable for students in upper elementary and middle school. The author keeps readers engaged in the story, and certainly wanting to solve the mystery, find the missing child, and even learn what secret Serena has. There is lots of adventure and antics happening in 8 Days in DUMBO, portraying the complexity of life found in reality.' Resource Links, Dec. 2019 Issue.
“The overall story content, insight, and theme are very high quality. I could not stop reading, and that always means a compelling story on several levels. Overall the story is excellent.” Judge, 27th Annual Writer’s Digest Independently-Published Book Awards.
Discussion Questions
Q. After Serena taunts Phoebe about her mother’s blog, Phoebe wonders why she is trying to irritate her. What possible explanations are there for Serena’s behavior towards Phoebe?
Q. When Peter Philby goes missing his mother describes him as a “curious, fearless boy”.
a) How does he exhibit these qualities? b) What is the one thing waiting for him at school that Peter is afraid of?
Q. In trying to complete a history project, Phoebe and her friends discover that the ground under their feet was once littered with the dead and wounded soldiers of the Revolutionary War. Have there been any historical events like that in your community?
Q. Even though Grandma Sylvie was a nurse, her passion is history. How does she keep that passion alive in her life? Do you have a hobby that you couldn’t live without?
Q. On Friday Phoebe hopes that Serena won’t be at school. I wasn’t wishing typhoid fever on her, of course, but a cold or stomach flu that would keep her out until Monday would be helpful. Eventually, Phoebe regrets every bad thing she ever thought about Serena and refers to her as the Warrior Princess. What changed her mind? Have you ever been wrong about someone you thought you knew?
Q. London, Washington, Serena, and Valerie are living in households with one, or both, parents absent. What challenges does this present them with?
Q. What scenes made you laugh? Which parts made you sad?
Q. There are several instances in 8 Days in DUMBO of people helping people. Which one stands out the most for you?
Q. Why do you think there’s a picture of a cat and a yellow balloon on the cover?
Q. Describe what you think Phoebe did after she left the storeroom of the diner. Then write what you think London would have done if she’d been the one who figured out what had happened to Peter Philby.
Q. At the end, in the apartment she shares with her father, the girl with the big blue eyes brings a plate of cookies and three napkins for her guests. What do you think Valerie tries to communicate using food?
