Do You Believe in Bad Luck?

Have you ever felt that you had a black cloud hanging over you?  That is exactly how 7^th grader Henrietta Bloom feels after she opens the door and receives a strange fortune cookie telling her that she is going to be cursed with bad luck. Her parents tell her she is wrong, that the curse was meant for them since they are archeologists and the “misfortune” refers to King Alaric’s lost tomb, which they have been trying to find. Henrietta knows better and sure enough, everywhere she looks she sees the effects! She gets picked on at school and the other kids find out about the misfortune cookie. It isn’t long before they start saying she is cursed and anyone that associates with her will be cursed as well. The meanest girl at school, Margo, won’t leave her alone and is out to destroy her. The one thing Henrietta has been looking forward to is the class trip to the Museum of Natural History. The students get to visit the museum and then go trick-or-treating there after dark. She can’t wait to reveal the creative costume she made herself and impress her friends and the boy she has a crush on. Unfortunately, Halloween is not going to go quite as planned and afterward her life will be thrown into a dangerous tailspin. When her parents leave to go on a dig in Italy, Henrietta is filled with dread. It doesn’t help that she notices a strange man who seems to be watching her. Is there someone out to get her?  Are the Blooms cursed?  Will Henrietta’s life ever be the same?  You will have to read this book to find out!

The Misfortune Cookie by Sara Linton is filled with mystery and suspense. I liked the main character, Henrietta, and felt like a lot of girls could relate to her.  It was a fast read and I enjoyed trying to solve the case. I was able to figure out quite a bit as I read- but there were still a few surprises in the end. It would be pretty fun to have parents who are archeologists and get to travel all over the world. It was clear from the end of the book that this is going to be the first in a series. I will check out the other books to find out what happened to Henrietta, her friends, her crush, Danny, and the mean girl, Margo.  I must say- I hope that in future books Henrietta learns to stand up for herself because I hate to see anyone let people treat them badly. I would love to help her learn good strategies for standing up to bullies. This story is great for anyone 4^th grade and up. After you read it, you may just want to take a trip to a museum! 

Has anyone else read The Misfortune Cookie by Sara Linton?  Or has anyone read another book by this author?  If so, what did you think?

Happy Reading!
~L