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Summary
Summary
When her best friend's house is threatened with foreclosure, young Annie Jenkins is full of ideas to save the home: selling her appendix on eBay, winning the lottery, facing down the bankers . . . anything to keep Jason from moving. But Jason's out-of-work dad blows up at the smallest things, and he's not very happy with Annie's interventions, which always seem to get them into more trouble. But when Annie tracks a lost treasure to Jason's backyard, she's sure the booty will be enough to save Jason's family. Pirate treasure in the Midwest seems far-fetched, even to Annie, but it could be the answer to all their problems. Now all she has to do is convince Jason. As the two hunt for answers and the pressure gets to Jason and his family, Annie discovers that the best-laid plans aren't always enough and there are worse things than moving away.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Grade school best friends and neighbors Annie and Jason are as compatible as the ingredients of their favorite sandwich: peanut butter and jelly. When Jason learns that he'll have to move to California because his parents' house is undergoing foreclosure, Annie starts concocting unrealistic plans, such as selling her appendix to save his house. Then cranky elderly neighbor Mrs. Schuster bequeaths Annie and Jason something even better: a map that will lead them to treasure buried in the neighborhood. As Annie tries to find the treasure to help Jason, she inadvertently causes him several problems, including destroying the garden his family was relying on for food. At its surface, this is the story of two kids trying to distract themselves with a treasure hunt as serious life circumstances threaten to separate them. However, it's also about Annie's struggle to adapt to change, her ability to figure out realistic solutions to problems, and her realization that even Mrs. Schuster needs companionship. The plot and the character arcs are realistic and fully realized. Readers will get caught up in Annie's funny, desperate quest to save Jason's house but will also relate to the disappointment she feels when she messes up. This is an insightful depiction of two kids wanting what is best for their friendship in a post-recession economy. VERDICT A general purchase for most middle grade collections, especially in communities that are still feeling ripple effects from the 2008 recession.-Liz Anderson, DC Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Fifth graders Annie and Jason are best friends and the sole members of the PB&J Society. When Jason's dad loses his job, forcing the family to sell its suburban house, impulsive Annie hatches outrageous plans to fix things, including searching for treasure hidden by the supposed piratical ancestor of an elderly neighbor. The strong friendship compensates somewhat for the implausible plot and awkward dialogue. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Can anything save Annie's BFF, Jason, from having to move away? The 10-year-old friends play at being spies in their PBJ Society, even using their Spy Bud 2000 (a baby monitor) to listen in on their parents. They are horrified to learn that Jason's out-of-work father is about to lose the house and plans to move the family from their Utah suburb to California. The duo come up with plans to get Jason's parents enough money to stay: getting dad a job, winning the lottery, having a bake sale, and even talking to the bank themselves. Enter Mrs. Schuster, a formerly crabby neighbor, and her stories of pirate Black Marge and her treasurewhich could be hidden locally! Is Mrs. Schuster joking? Why is she suddenly so nice? Will Annie's good-intentioned bumbling just doom the friends to a life apart? Johnson's well-meaning but meandering morass of coincidence and clich is never as amusing or endearing as it tries to be. While Mrs. Schuster's secret is interesting, the PBJ Society, with its rules for burying damaged sandwiches, is neither believable nor amusing. The tale's theme of neighbor helping neighbor is positive, but there is little else to like here. Unfortunately, digging up something better won't be hard. (Fiction. 7-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Ten-year-olds Annie and Jason are not just neighbors they are best friends who belong together like, well, peanut butter and jelly. They even have their own secret society. But when financial hardship means Jason might have to move away, Annie is determined to do whatever it takes sell a kidney, have a bake sale, play the lotto to keep Jason's family in their home. When a crabby neighbor, Mrs. Schuster, hints at buried treasure and offers them a map, it seems too good to be true. Juggling soccer games, bossy older siblings, and parents stressing over money, Annie and Jason do their best to keep their friendship afloat. Mrs. Schuster is the grandmother figure every child wants, and her wit and backstory add depth to the tale. This charming novel, with a friendship reminiscent of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Faith, Hope and Ivy June (2009), will delight readers. Subtly exploring themes of social class, sacrifice, and compassion, Annie and Jason's adventure is a satisfying treat.--Moore, Melissa Copyright 2016 Booklist