Audacity Jones to the Rescue (Audacity Jones Series #1)

by Kirby Larson

Overview

An irrepressible orphan named Audacity Jones is headed on an adventure of historic proportions! The first book in a brand-new series from beloved Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson!

Audacity Jones pines for adventure, something to break up the monotony of her days at Miss Maisie's School for Wayward Girls. Being a Wayward Girl isn't so awful — even if Audie is condemned to the Punishment Room almost daily. Audie has the dearest of friends at the School, as well as a terribly clever feline companion named Miniver and plenty of books to read there. Still, she longs for an escapade to rival those of the characters in the swashbuckling novels she so adores.But when the mysterious Commodore Crutchfield visits the school and whisks Audie off to Washington, DC, she knows she's in for the journey of a lifetime. Soon, though, it becomes clear that someone has unsavory plans for Audie — plans that involve the President of the United States and a very sinister plot. Can Audie save the day before it's too late? From Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson comes a rollicking adventure starring a plucky and charming orphan readers won't soon forget.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545840606
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	12/27/2016
Series:	Audacity Jones Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

A snippet of a family story transformed Kirby Larson from history-phobe to history fanatic; her debut historical novel, Hattie Big Sky, earned a Newbery Honor. She’s pursued her passion for historical fiction with titles such as Hattie Ever After, Duke, Dash, Liberty, and Code Word Courage and combined her love for both history and mystery in Audacity Jones to the Rescue, and Audacity Jones Steals the Show. Ironically, the next two books for this history lover are contemporary fiction, including the second title in the Shermy and Shake series, Shermy and Shake: The Not-So-Nice Neighbor, and Gut Reaction, which is co-written with her daughter Quinn Wyatt. Kirby lives in Kenmore Washington with her husband Neil and very naughty dog Raleigh.

Read an Excerpt

From Audacity Jones"I suppose you know why you are here?" The bird woman squawked the question.Audie glanced at the Commodore. She didn't want to answer incorrectly. "I thought it best to keep her in the dark." The Commodore shifted on his chair. After a brief pause, the woman nodded. "Yes, of course. The less she knows —" she let the thought hang in the air, unfinished. Audie's imagination couldn't help but finish. The less she knows, the safer she is? Is that what was implied? Audie swiped damp palms on her new wool coat, inhaling deeply to steady her nerves. "We have an exceedingly important job to do. Tomorrow. At the White House." The woman stared down her beak at Audie, her hot gaze warming Audie right through to her backbone. The White House! That silly game she'd played with Beatrice hadn't been too far off the mark after all. The White House. What would the Wayward Girls say to that? Audie sat a little taller, shoulders back, pride puffing out her chest. Think of it! An orphan like her, coming to the aid of the president of the United States. "It's an honor." Audie couldn't help but wonder what sort of assistance the president might require of her. Though there could not be another man in America with more on his mind than poor President Taft, it would hardly do for Audie to offer him a bedtime song such as those she had sung to soothe the triplets. She struggled to imagine what other help a president could demand of an orphan. Nothing came to mind. But nevertheless. The president needed her. And she was not about to let him down. By the time her thoughts cycled through all the possibilities, she was so full of patriotic fervor and passion she nearly saluted Miss Beaknose. "I'll do whatever you need." The woman nodded curtly. "We haven't much time. Listen closely."

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Audacity Jones to the Rescue:*"[T]he story's themes of trust, friendship, and good manners will resonate with many. Audacity's charm and smarts make this historical adventure a winner." — Booklist, starred review*"Larson's thriller deftly mixes humor, heart-pounding moments, and a strongly evoked historical setting - it's truly a story with something for everyone." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"Larson infuses her romp with plenty of humor, making Audacity, her cat, and friends into lively, likable characters. With characteristic deftness, she weaves her historical material seamlessly into the story; Audacity is a modern girl.... Clever, funny, and sweet in equal measures." — Kirkus Reviews"Readers will cheer Audacity's ingenuity and bravery as they relish every moment of her adventures. Highly recommended." — School Library JournalPraise for Liberty:* "Larson once again creates an engaging story that is rich in historical details. She purposefully captures both the fear and the hope in a world torn by war as well as the simple love of a boy for his dog. Practically perfect." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review"A slice-of-life tale for historical fiction fans and animal lovers alike." — School Library Journal"Larson brings the historical setting to life with vivid details and draws readers into the story with a heartfelt dog-and-child relationship." — HornbookPraise for Dash:Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical FictionA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year*"Emotionally satisfying and thought-provoking." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review*"[A] trenchant novel." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"Historical fiction at its best." — School Library JournalPraise for Duke:*"Exceptionally well-crafted and emotionally authentic." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review*"[An] incisive tale of loyalty, patriotism, sacrifice, and bravery." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"A good example of how bravery comes in all shapes, sizes — and breeds." — BooklistPraise for Hattie Big Sky:A Newbery Honor Recipient*"[An] engaging historical novel... [Larson] creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters." — Booklist, starred review*"Larson... create[s] a masterful picture of the homesteading experience and the people who persevered." — School Library Journal, starred review"Refreshing." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher

★ 10/05/2015
It’s 1910, and Audacity Jones is living in a struggling home for “wayward girls” in Swayzee, Ind., when a frequent donor, Commodore Crutchfield, arrives asking for a volunteer for a secret mission. Sharp-witted and well-read, Audie has her doubts about a man “who seemed to have no idea that mainsails were never lashed together with ropes” and “that the rank of Commodore had last been used by the United States Navy eleven years prior,” but she also has a taste for adventure. Before they leave, her favorite chocolate-striped cat, Miniver, slips into the Commodore’s car and becomes an integral part of this delightful historical mystery from Larson (Dash). Audie winds up in the nation’s capital where she makes several friends, including newsboy Juice and his grandfather, who works in the White House stable. Larson’s entertaining narration shifts attention among multiple characters amid the unfolding mystery of what, exactly, the Commodore is planning. First in a series, Larson’s thriller deftly mixes humor, heart-pounding moments, and a strongly evoked historical setting—it’s truly a story with something for everyone. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Grinberg Literary Management. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

01/01/2016
Gr 4–6—Readers will delight in the spunk and resourcefulness of Audacity Jones. An orphan living at Miss Maisie's School for Wayward Girls, she employs her intelligence and natural leadership to compensate for Miss Maisie's negligence and inattention. One day, a patron, Commodore Crutchfield, comes by the home seeking an orphan to accompany him on a special trip. Audie gets a buzzing in her ear that compels her to volunteer for the adventure. As the trip gets underway, she has no idea where they are going and what their purpose is, but she sends postcards back to her friends at every stop. Eventually they arrive in Washington, DC, where she makes a new friend in Juice, a newspaper boy, who rescues her when Crutchfield leaves her stranded at Union Station. Juice and his friend and mentor, Daddy Dub, continue to keep an eye on Audie—and she needs their help when the Commodore and his friend Elva Finch cook up a nefarious plan involving the president of the United States. Audacity and her friends use their wits and courage to save the day. VERDICT Readers will cheer Audacity's ingenuity and bravery as they relish every moment of her adventures. Highly recommended.—Laura Fields Eason, Parker Bennett Curry Elementary School, Bowling Green, KY

School Library Journal

Eleven-year-old Audacity Jones is the star of a new mystery series for the tween set. When Commodore Crutchfield arrives at Miss Masie’s Home for Wayward Girls looking for an orphan to aid him in a secret mission, Audie becomes his unwitting accomplice. Narrator Lyssa Browne uses accents, pacing, and tone to give the large cast of characters life. She’s especially effective with the Southern accent she gives the bombastic Crutchfield; the pretend English accent of his diabolical partner, Mrs. Finch; and the French accent of Beatrice. Audie comes across as a clever, observant girl who loves adventure and is resourceful enough to meet any challenge. An author’s note at the end verifies the facts in this historical fiction. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2016 - AudioFile

2015-10-06
Audacity travels to Washington, D.C., where she foils a kidnapping plot at the White House. Audie is the only actual orphan at Miss Maisie's School for Wayward Girls in Swayzee, Indiana. She's also the only one who must spend time in the dreaded "Punishment Room," which is really an extensive library that she keeps secret from the others. Only an extremely clever stray cat, Min, keeps her company there. When the wealthy Commodore Crutchfield requests an orphan for a mission, Audie volunteers. With Min as a stowaway, they travel to Washington, but she soon learns that not all is on the level: there's wickedness afoot. Posing as a cook's assistant, she winds up in the White House, where she meets the president and learns of the plot to kidnap his niece. Audie, Min, and Juice, a spunky newspaper boy, team up to foil the crime. Larson infuses her romp with plenty of humor, making Audacity, her cat, and friends into lively, likable characters. With characteristic deftness, she weaves her historical material seamlessly into the story; Audacity is a modern girl, but her modern time is 1910. She marvels at the new automobiles that are replacing horses as transportation. The story's focus on Audacity's remarkable cat, with some chapters told from the cat's point of view, adds just another element of charm. Clever, funny, and sweet in equal measures. (Historical fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews