Found Sound

Mother-son collaborators Wolitzer (To Night Owl from Dogfish) and Panek, making his debut, craft a charming summer romp with a brisk educational component, featuring two tweens who embark on a sound-inspired scavenger hunt. Every July, 11-year-old Felix Frank’s family travel from their cramped New York City apartment to a house in Blissfield, Mass., where Felix attends camp. But when a septic tank mishap cancels camp the summer after his older brother Dylan leaves home, Felix dreads having nothing to do and no one to spend time with. Relief arrives in the form of neighbor Marigold Tanizaki-Weathers, whose combat boots and multicolored hair match her devil-may-care personality. When the pair unearth a mysterious box in Felix’s bedroom containing a field recorder and the first of several sound-based clues, they set out to uncover the truth behind the cryptic message. Both an affectionate ode to the textures of everyday sound and a sensorial adventure, this freewheeling novel seamlessly integrates lessons in recording, remixing, and engineering, lending the mystery an accessible STEAM sheen. Beneath the action lies a tender emotional thread as Felix attempts to reconnect with Dylan and Marigold struggles with her own social challenges. Felix is described as having pale skin. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 7–11. (Apr.)