Gertie Milk and the Keeper of Lost Things

August 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Gertie has suddenly washed up on shore and doesn't know where or who she is. The only reason she knows her name is because it's sewn onto her shirt...if it is indeed her shirt. Soon after she meets Kolt, the only other human on the island. Kolt tells Gertie that she is on the island of lost things, and they are both caretakers of those lost things. Kolt begins teaching Gertie the ways of a Keeper when things take a turn for the worst. The enemy of the Keepers shows up and it's up to Gertie to choose which side is the right one. Booy offers a story that explores good, evil, and those gray areas. Readers learn along with Gertie about this new world, which drives the pacing and suspense. VERDICT This appealing and accessible adventure story is a supplemental purchase for larger collections.-Rena Gibson, Ralph Ellison Library, Oklahoma City

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2017
Grades 4-6 Though so much of a set-up volume that it ends before the villain even arrives, Van Booy's first novel for young readers features both an unusually promisingif not exactly uniquepremise and a cast replete with delightful scene-stealers. Washed ashore with no knowledge of her identity aside from the Gertie Milk embroidered on her nightgown, a child with a large facial birthmark meets Kolt, an excitable gent who tells her that, like him, she is a Keeper of Lost Things, charged with returning historically significant items that have been misplaced down the ages. Along the way, Gertie bonds with Robot Rabbit Boy, an abandoned AI pet with a limited vocabulary ( Dollop! Eggcup! ) and a useful ability to shoot laser blasts from its cute button nose. A climactic dustup with Losers, (supposed) villains out to save humanity from itself by making sure that Lost Things stay lost, leads to stunning revelations about Gertie's origins, and also hints of future Keeper business that will leave readers eager to see more of this tumultuous trio in action.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)