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benlc's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed this book INFINITELY more than Chasing Vermeer. While Vermeer had very little plot or development, Danger Box really worked as a mystery with intriguing characters and stakes. I don’t understand some of the very negative reviews for it on this app. However as with other Balliet books, there is a subplot that I found distracting and less interesting.
More intense than some kids books, but a good read for any age.
More intense than some kids books, but a good read for any age.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism and Physical abuse
kim_j_dare's review against another edition
5.0
From September 2010 SLJ:
Gr 58Balliett's latest mystery explores the intricacies of scientific discovery. Wealthy Mr. Zip has arranged for a priceless treasure, stolen years ago, to be delivered to him. He will indulge his dream of savoring this object, and then will return it to society, a magnanimous gesture that will ensure that he is remembered as a hero. Sadly, before the treasure reaches him, Mr. Zip dies of a heart attack. When a mysterious man in possession of the box learns about this, he senses opportunity for personal gain, but before he can learn what he's transporting, his truck is stolen. Switch to our narrator, Zoomy, an engaging 12-year-old who, with pathological myopia, sees the world differently than those around him. Raised by his grandparents, he is pulled into the intrigue when his absent and alcoholic father makes a brief reappearance in his life with the box. Inside, Zoomy and his grandparents find only an old notebook wrapped in a blanket. An inveterate list-maker and notebook-keeper himself, Zoomy immediately falls in love with the journal, sensing a kindred spirit in the creator. He attempts to learn more about its history as the man schemes to reclaim that which does not belong to him, and as issues of The Gas Gazette provide clues but no answers about a "mysterious soul." Balliett demonstrates how danger boxes are all around usnot just as containers of physical objects for which people will hazard a great deal, but as vehicles that expose us to risky ideas and dreams. This highly satisfying story will enlighten readers even as it inspires them to think about their own danger boxes.Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Gr 58Balliett's latest mystery explores the intricacies of scientific discovery. Wealthy Mr. Zip has arranged for a priceless treasure, stolen years ago, to be delivered to him. He will indulge his dream of savoring this object, and then will return it to society, a magnanimous gesture that will ensure that he is remembered as a hero. Sadly, before the treasure reaches him, Mr. Zip dies of a heart attack. When a mysterious man in possession of the box learns about this, he senses opportunity for personal gain, but before he can learn what he's transporting, his truck is stolen. Switch to our narrator, Zoomy, an engaging 12-year-old who, with pathological myopia, sees the world differently than those around him. Raised by his grandparents, he is pulled into the intrigue when his absent and alcoholic father makes a brief reappearance in his life with the box. Inside, Zoomy and his grandparents find only an old notebook wrapped in a blanket. An inveterate list-maker and notebook-keeper himself, Zoomy immediately falls in love with the journal, sensing a kindred spirit in the creator. He attempts to learn more about its history as the man schemes to reclaim that which does not belong to him, and as issues of The Gas Gazette provide clues but no answers about a "mysterious soul." Balliett demonstrates how danger boxes are all around usnot just as containers of physical objects for which people will hazard a great deal, but as vehicles that expose us to risky ideas and dreams. This highly satisfying story will enlighten readers even as it inspires them to think about their own danger boxes.Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
claudine2's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
A fun and interesting mystery.
*Even though this book isn't technically part of the Chasing Vermeer series, the main character from this book is in the last book of that series. I would recommend reading this book before reading #4.
*Even though this book isn't technically part of the Chasing Vermeer series, the main character from this book is in the last book of that series. I would recommend reading this book before reading #4.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
julianna_schock's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the characters and the plot of this book. it's really different than her other books (chasing vermeer, the wright three, the calder game). i liked her other books more and the characters more, but this book was good!
malmark's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
mallorykjorgensen's review against another edition
4.0
Not Balliet's best, but definitely different and intriguing.
nextbestcoast's review against another edition
I didn't love it nearly as much as Chasing Vermeer.
alifromkc1907's review against another edition
1.0
Read more reviews at http://alisbooklife.wix.com/freeyourread
A boy is left on the doorstep of his (would-be) grandparents by the mother of the baby after the father took off. The father, Buckeye, is an alcoholic who chose to steal a truck, which contained a box -and its contents. He left the box with his parents and his newly discovered son, Zoomy. Zoomy begins his own investigation into a notebook in the box and discovers a history-changing secret.
Goodreads readers ranked this book a 3.54 and I'd recommend it if you're into:
a diary like narrative
heavily based in historical facts on Charles Darwin
very basic writing
language that is invented
some factual story line
This book replaces "Twisted" by Laurie Halse Anderson as the worst book of 2015. There are, of course, no positives in this book and a 0-star would be better awarded to this book. What I thought was a YA book really ended up being a book where the main character, Zoomy, seems to have some retardation as he's not sure what many things are, and tends to talk in an invented language that doesn't make sense even to someone on the inside of this book. Once you get past the language barrier, you're reading lists, a random "newspaper article" written by a character ever 20 pages or so, and a tremendous number of sentences involving "Charles Darwin." (I almost didn't finish this book every time I picked it up... it was a real struggle.)
Pros: none.
Cons: the science isn't balanced with "regular" jargon or story-lines, so if science isn't your thing (it isn't mine), this might be a bit difficult to get through; it's never explained what the kids disability means, just that he has one, which forces you into a google explanation of this kids' blindness; the story itself didn't start until 100 pages in, and then you don't really get to the climax unti about 250/300 pages in - it felt slower than slow; I could no longer read the greyed-out Gazette pages because playing a guessing game about Darwin just became an annoyance when I was trying to read a story-line. It seemed out of place considering the voice of the book is Zoomy, not Lorrol.
A boy is left on the doorstep of his (would-be) grandparents by the mother of the baby after the father took off. The father, Buckeye, is an alcoholic who chose to steal a truck, which contained a box -and its contents. He left the box with his parents and his newly discovered son, Zoomy. Zoomy begins his own investigation into a notebook in the box and discovers a history-changing secret.
Goodreads readers ranked this book a 3.54 and I'd recommend it if you're into:
a diary like narrative
heavily based in historical facts on Charles Darwin
very basic writing
language that is invented
some factual story line
This book replaces "Twisted" by Laurie Halse Anderson as the worst book of 2015. There are, of course, no positives in this book and a 0-star would be better awarded to this book. What I thought was a YA book really ended up being a book where the main character, Zoomy, seems to have some retardation as he's not sure what many things are, and tends to talk in an invented language that doesn't make sense even to someone on the inside of this book. Once you get past the language barrier, you're reading lists, a random "newspaper article" written by a character ever 20 pages or so, and a tremendous number of sentences involving "Charles Darwin." (I almost didn't finish this book every time I picked it up... it was a real struggle.)
Pros: none.
Cons: the science isn't balanced with "regular" jargon or story-lines, so if science isn't your thing (it isn't mine), this might be a bit difficult to get through; it's never explained what the kids disability means, just that he has one, which forces you into a google explanation of this kids' blindness; the story itself didn't start until 100 pages in, and then you don't really get to the climax unti about 250/300 pages in - it felt slower than slow; I could no longer read the greyed-out Gazette pages because playing a guessing game about Darwin just became an annoyance when I was trying to read a story-line. It seemed out of place considering the voice of the book is Zoomy, not Lorrol.