The Bell Bandit
Author(s): Jacqueline Davies

Thethird installment ofthe popular Lemonade War series findssiblings Evan and Jessie Treski at their grandmother’s Vermont housefor the holidays,solving another mystery.

Everything about this trip to Grandmas house was different:

First, because of the fire, Mrs. Treski, Evan, and Jessie had driven up to Grandmas two days after Christmas instead of the day before, missing Christmas with Grandma entirely.

Second, the fire had left a hole in the back kitchen wall big enough to drive a car through! And with Grandma in the hospital and not in her house, everything felt off.

Third, someone had climbed the long, slow slope of Lovell Hill to the top and had stolen the old iron bell hanging on its heavy wooden crossbeam.

Who on earth would steal the New Years Bell? And how could Grandma, Mrs.Treski, Evan, Jessie, and their neighbors ring in the New Year without it?

Like a modern-day Beverly Cleary, Ms. Davies writes with heart, humor, and honesty about the inevitability of profound change and reveals just how well she understands the complex emotions of the children.

The five books in this fun-to-read series are:

• The Lemonade War
• The Lemonade Crime
• The Bell Bandit
• The Candy Smash
• The Magic Trap

Review(s):
“Davies’ real talent is human relationships.” Betsy Bird, New York Public Library and Fuse#8 blog “Davies keeps a tight focus on the children: Points of view switch between Evan, with his empathetic and emotional approach to understanding his world, and Jessie, for whom routine is essential and change a puzzle to be worked out. . . . Each of the siblings brings a personal resilience and heroism to the resolution.” Kirkus

Garden State Children’s Book Award (New Jersey), Bank Street Childrens Best Books of the Year

ISBN:9780547567372