The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill

March 10, 2014
Blakemore (The Water Castle) sets her story in a seldom-explored era in middle-grade fiction: the autumn of 1953, the height of McCarthyism. Hazel Kaplansky is a smart, awkward, and fervent fifth-grader who grows obsessed with sniffing out Communism in her small Vermont town and proving that the taciturn gravedigger at her family’s cemetery, Paul Jones, is a Communist spy. Teaming up with Samuel, an unusual new boy in town (“Some people are more fragile than others,” Hazel’s mother warns her), she plunges into solving the mystery of Mr. Jones, dreaming of the day she will report him to Senator McCarthy. Blakemore’s choice of perspective is refreshing and well-executed; readers will sympathize with Hazel’s patriotic passion while anticipating her downfall. Rich in period details, strong on family/friendship dynamics, with a cast of well-drawn secondary characters (Samuel, in particular, is sensitively rendered), the book demonstrates how easy it is to get caught up in an atmosphere of fear and suspicion. A light-handed yet thoughtful presentation of a difficult time in U.S. history, Blakemore’s story inspires reflection and discussion. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger.

April 1, 2014
If Harriet M. Welsch lived in 1953 in a community vulnerable to McCarthyism, this might be her story. Fifth-grader Hazel has short hair, a Mysteries Notebook and, when the school day ends, dungarees. Her stomping grounds are Memory's Garden--the cemetery that her parents run--and their sleepy Vermont town. Hazel sneaks canned goods from her kitchen to a graveyard mausoleum so that when the Russians attack, her family can use it as a fallout shelter. Her fear of Communists comes from duck-and-cover drills at school, Sen. McCarthy's search for "Reds" at a local factory, the repeated failures of adults to explain anything and her own proclivity to fill in the gaps. In addition to threatening atomic annihilation, the Russians will put people into sausage grinders and eliminate ice cream floats. Surely the gravedigger her parents recently hired must be a spy. Hazel shanghais strange new boy Samuel into helping her gather evidence, but Samuel's life holds mysteries too--and sadness. For a smart, probing kid, Hazel's an interesting and believable mix of persistence and naivete. Some schoolmates have "a dark, solid center that ma[kes] them mean" and some adults "[r]umor, whisper [and] lie," but funny, relentless Hazel does what's necessary until things come clear for her, her people and her town--with some emotional insight gained. Hazel's inquisitiveness, independence and imperfections are a winning combination. (author's note) (Historical mystery. 9-12)

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April 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-Hazel may not be the best musician in her class, but she is a grade A detective. When rumors of Russian spies infiltrating her hometown of Maple Hill, Vermont begin swirling through the neighborhood, Hazel stops building her bomb shelter and starts tailing the most likely suspect-the mysterious Mr. Jones. With the help of Samuel, the new boy in town fascinated by the stories contained in her family's graveyard, the protagonist begins collecting clues and soon finds that most stories are more than they initially appear to the untrained eye. Hazel is a wonderfully memorable character, larger-than-life, and so certain of her well-intentioned, but often misguided, ways. Blakemore perfectly captures that fine line between childhood and early adolescence, when tall tales from large imaginations are quickly formed, friendships with boys are still easy, and a young girl sees her place in the world as an unstoppable force. The storytelling is vivid and descriptive, but it's the characters that will draw readers in, including quiet, unassuming Samuel and Hazel's mother, who serves as a more soft-spoken proponent of change than her incredibly vocal daughter. The book does a wonderful job of displaying the way in which the fear inherent in the McCarthy era turned neighbor against neighbor. While the heart of the story lies within the issues of trust and truth, the writing is never preachy, using Hazel's innate humor to deflect moments that veer close to saccarine or preachy. A strong work of historical fiction for mystery fans.-Nicole Signoretta Sutton, Kingston Elementary School, Cherry Hill, NJ

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