Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

Part of Sammy Keyes

$6.99 US
RH Childrens Books | Yearling
On sale Sep 09, 2003 | 9780375890444
Age 10 and up
Reading Level: Lexile 760L | Fountas & Pinnell T
Sales rights: US, Canada, Open Mkt
"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Review

What Sammy should have done was put the binoculars down and call 911. What she does instead is tighten up the focus on her right eye to get a better look. There's something very familiar about this thief.

But when Sammy eventually spills her story to Officer Borsch, he doesn't believe her. He treats her like some snot-nosed little kid. Well, Sammy's not going to stand for that. She's a snot-nosed seventh grader now, and she knows what she saw. And somehow she's going to prove it.

The Sammy Keyes mysteries are fast-paced, funny, thoroughly modern, and true whodunits. Each mystery is exciting and dramatic, but it's the drama in Sammy's personal life that keeps readers coming back to see what happens next with her love interest Casey, her soap-star mother, and her mysterious father.
  • WINNER | 2000
    Massachusetts Children's Book Master List
  • WINNER | 1999
    Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Novel
  • SELECTION | 2003
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Indiana Young Hoosier Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Tennessee Volunteer State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Florida Sunshine State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Connecticut Nutmeg Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Maryland Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Utah Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Virginia Young Readers Program Master List
Praise for the Sammy Keyes series:
 
“Van Draanen offers such an explosive combination of high-stakes sleuthing, hilarity, and breathlessly paced action that it’s impossible to turn the pages fast enough.” —Kirkus Reviews

“There’s no stopping Sammy.”—Publishers Weekly

“An intelligent, gutsy, flawed, and utterly likable heroine.”—Booklist

"Move over, Nancy Drew—a new sleuth is on the scene.”—Girls’ Life

"Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen’s Flush and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books and you’ll be right on target.” —School Library Journal

“A high-quality, high-amp mystery series.” —The Horn Book
 
“This funny, clever series is NOT for kids only. I challenge the most seasoned mystery reader to guess ‘who done it.’” —Cozies, Capers, and Crimes
 
“Sammy Keyes comes armed with attitude.” —Orlando Sentinel

“Sammy doesn’t find mysteries to solve—they find her.” —Arizona Republic

“Humor, romance and adventure; this story is an absolute blast.” —Chicago Tribune
 
“If you haven’t met Sammy Keyes yet, now is the time.” —Children’s Literature

Classroom Activities for Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

About

"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Review

What Sammy should have done was put the binoculars down and call 911. What she does instead is tighten up the focus on her right eye to get a better look. There's something very familiar about this thief.

But when Sammy eventually spills her story to Officer Borsch, he doesn't believe her. He treats her like some snot-nosed little kid. Well, Sammy's not going to stand for that. She's a snot-nosed seventh grader now, and she knows what she saw. And somehow she's going to prove it.

The Sammy Keyes mysteries are fast-paced, funny, thoroughly modern, and true whodunits. Each mystery is exciting and dramatic, but it's the drama in Sammy's personal life that keeps readers coming back to see what happens next with her love interest Casey, her soap-star mother, and her mysterious father.

Awards

  • WINNER | 2000
    Massachusetts Children's Book Master List
  • WINNER | 1999
    Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Novel
  • SELECTION | 2003
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2002
    Indiana Young Hoosier Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Tennessee Volunteer State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Florida Sunshine State Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Connecticut Nutmeg Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Master List
  • NOMINEE | 2001
    Arizona Young Readers Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Maryland Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Master List
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Utah Children's Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2000
    Virginia Young Readers Program Master List

Praise

Praise for the Sammy Keyes series:
 
“Van Draanen offers such an explosive combination of high-stakes sleuthing, hilarity, and breathlessly paced action that it’s impossible to turn the pages fast enough.” —Kirkus Reviews

“There’s no stopping Sammy.”—Publishers Weekly

“An intelligent, gutsy, flawed, and utterly likable heroine.”—Booklist

"Move over, Nancy Drew—a new sleuth is on the scene.”—Girls’ Life

"Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen’s Flush and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books and you’ll be right on target.” —School Library Journal

“A high-quality, high-amp mystery series.” —The Horn Book
 
“This funny, clever series is NOT for kids only. I challenge the most seasoned mystery reader to guess ‘who done it.’” —Cozies, Capers, and Crimes
 
“Sammy Keyes comes armed with attitude.” —Orlando Sentinel

“Sammy doesn’t find mysteries to solve—they find her.” —Arizona Republic

“Humor, romance and adventure; this story is an absolute blast.” —Chicago Tribune
 
“If you haven’t met Sammy Keyes yet, now is the time.” —Children’s Literature

Guides

Classroom Activities for Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)