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Martha Freeman

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Trashed! Kindle Edition

by Martha Freeman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

5.0 2 ratings

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From Edgar Award–nominated author Martha Freeman comes a “delightful” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade mystery following a young boy working at his family’s secondhand store that is a steal-your-heart story about family and friendship.

Arthur Popper helps out in his family’s Boulder, Colorado, junk store, Universal Trash, a place so full of cool stuff it inspires awe in first-time shoppers. When it comes to ukuleles, peppermills, and rhinestones, Arthur knows what’s what. But unlike his motorcycle-riding grandma and his namesake, King Arthur, he’s not brave or adventurous.

Then Arthur finds a chipped teacup, of all things, and realizes it’s the key to solving the perfect crime—a crime only he knows about.

With help from a supernatural sidekick, his best friend, his annoying little sister, and a sad-faced police officer, Arthur embarks on the hard work of detecting. Everyone knows Arthur is good at customer service. Does he have what it takes to solve a mystery and confront a thief?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A delightful mystery that will lure in young sleuths." — -- Kirkus

"A fast, fun read with a great setting, recommended for young mystery readers." — -- Booklist

"A fun mystery adventure with small openings for important conversations about racism and more." — -- School Library Journal

About the Author

Martha Freeman worked as a reporter and teacher before becoming a full-time writer of books for young readers, including the Edgar Award–nominated Zap!, Born Curious, The Secret Cookie Club series, Who Stole Halloween?, and Effie Starr Zook Has One More Question, which School Library Journal called “accessible and exciting” in a starred review. She also collaborated with NASA astronaut Mark Kelly on the Astrotwins books. Martha lives in Oregon. Learn more at MarthaFreeman.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One CHAPTER ONE
Ramona’s mouse died suddenly.

Friday night it had been scrabbling around the sawdust in its cage, whiskers twitching, eyes bright.

Saturday morning it was paws-up, eyes shut.

“Rigor mortis,” said Arthur. He had heard those words in a movie and wanted to test them out.

“Okay, and it’s a girl, and why did she die?” Ramona Popper was six. She didn’t know what “rigor mortis” meant, but she would never ask her brother. She figured he was showing off, which he was.

Arthur Popper was eleven. He and his sister mostly ignored each other. But Ramona had gone to him when she’d found her mouse. Now they were standing in Ramona’s bedroom, which was in the back of the family’s apartment. Through the window was a view of hills, the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Arthur’s room was on the other side and looked out on the street, cars going by.

“Do you know if the mouse was old?” Arthur asked.

Ramona wiped her nose with the back of her hand and sniffled. They were standing by the mouse’s cage, which rested on a table by the window. The mouse didn’t look peaceful exactly. The poor thing looked uncomfortable.

Ramona and Arthur were still wearing their pajamas, Ramona’s blue with tiny red triangle trees, Arthur’s red with a big green Grinch on the shirt—Christmas pajamas in April. Like a lot of Arthur’s and Ramona’s clothes, the pajamas had come from the store, which always had a good supply of kids’ Christmas pajamas—worn once, outgrown by the next year.

Ramona didn’t know if her mouse had been old.

Arthur could think of things besides old age that might kill a mouse. Things like germs and viruses and cancer. But Ramona was only in first grade. She didn’t need to hear such bad stuff yet.

Arthur was not the best big brother, but he wasn’t totally heartless.

“Should we bury her?” Ramona asked.

“Yes,” Arthur said. “For a fact, I think we should have a funeral.”

Ramona widened her eyes. “I’ve never been to a funeral before,” she said.

Arthur hadn’t either, but he’d seen them in movies. Organizing a funeral couldn’t be that hard. Besides, Ramona wouldn’t know if he got it wrong.

“The service will be at one o’clock,” he announced. “After breakfast you can find a coffin—a box to bury the mouse in.”

“I know what a coffin is, Arthur,” Ramona said.

Arthur didn’t have to say where Ramona would find a coffin. They both knew there would be a box in the store. That was a good thing about having the store downstairs. When you needed something, you could usually find it.

Arthur and Ramona ate cereal for breakfast at the big table in the kitchen. Even though it was Saturday, their mom, a lawyer, had gone to work to catch up. She had to do that a lot. Arthur pictured being a lawyer as one big race, with their mom a few steps behind.

As for Dad, the store didn’t open till ten, but some rich Boulder citizen had died the week before, and Dad was downstairs sorting possessions the man’s family didn’t want. The next day, Sunday, Arthur and his best friend, Veda Lopez, would probably be assigned to help.

After she ate, Ramona went downstairs to find something she could use for a mouse coffin, and Arthur went back to his bedroom, where the cars outside—swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—made a soothing soundtrack.
--This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B3Y8NR6L
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (January 17, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 17, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1721 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 303 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #3,427,914 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2,971 in Children's Detectives Books
- #16,755 in Children's Spine-Chilling Horror
- #17,298 in Children's Family Life Books (Kindle Store)

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5.0 2 ratings

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Martha Freeman

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Martha Freeman was born in Southern California shortly after the Big Bang. As the universe cooled and the Earth formed, Martha grew up and fought injustice, mostly with her pen but sometimes with her feet.

Martha has worked as a newspaper reporter, copy editor, substitute teacher, college lecturer, advertising copywriter, and freelance magazine writer. In 1995, she published her first book for children, STINK BOMB MOM (not an autobiography). Subsequently, she has published 30 more books, most recently ZAP! a techno-thriller about a power blackout, and IF YOU'RE GOING TO A MARCH, the perfect how-and-why picturebook for kids on their way to a protest.

Besides writing, Martha enjoys running, parallel parking, making pies, hiking and talking on the phone to her far-flung children.

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Heidi DeStefano

Well-written and Insightful!

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024

Once again, Martha Freeman has produced an imaginative and insightful story, punctuated throughout with her unique and totally contagious brand of humor. The main character, Arthur Popper, quickly works his way into your heart, and the rest of the characters are unforgettable as well.
The junk store setting is a delight in description, and the story's mystery is truly intriguing. If you enjoy mysteries or thinking about the stories contained within thrift store items, or just appreciate a well-crafted children's novel, I recommend TRASHED.

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