Savvy

Law, Ingrid. (2008). //Savvy.// New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.
 * Citation:**

Thirteenth birthdays are, special in the Beaumont family. See the Beaumonts are not like you and mean, they are special and it all starts when they turn thirteen. Mibs Beaumont will be thirteen in one day. When Mibs brother Fish turned thirteen he caused a hurricane that did so much damage the family moved from Mississippi to their house far, far, away from any large bodies of water on the state line of Kansas and Nebraska. When Mibs oldest brother Rocket turned thirteen he knocked out all the power in the entire town. Thirteen is when the Beaumonts get their savvy and a savvy can be a mighty powerful thing to learn to control. Nobody knows what their savvy is going to be. Mibs’s momma does everything perfectly and her grandfather can make the earth shake.
 * Plot Summary:**

When her father gets into a terrible car accident and falls into a coma Mibs wants nothing more than to get a savvy that will help her save her father. At first Mibs is sure her savvy gives her the power to wake things up, when her younger brother Samson’s turtle, which everyone assumed was dead, wakes up when Mibs enters the room. Since Momma and Rocket went to the hospital to be with Poppa, the pastor’s wife, Miss Rosemary comes to stay with the Beaumont children and insists on throwing Mibs a birthday party at the church. Convinced she is the only one who can save her father Mibs makes a plan to escape the party Miss Rosemary has thrown for her and find a way to get to Salina and her poppa.

Mibs stows away on the Bible salesman, Lester’s bus, followed by her brother Fish, and Miss Rosemary’s children, 16 year old Bobbi and 14 year old Will Junior and unbeknownst to the other children Mibs younger brother Samson. It is on the bus that Mibs begins to hear voices and realizes that she was wrong about her savvy. Mibs savvy turns out to be the ability to read the minds of anyone who has ink on their skin. Lester and Bobbi both have tattoos that will not stop talking and Mibs cannot get them out of her head no matter how hard she tries.

Lester soon discovers his stowaways, but with a little fibbing from the children he agrees to take them to Salina. Along the way they are joined by Lill who sweet nature draws in all the children. After hearing about Mibs’ father Lill is determined to help them all make it to Salina, unaware of the wild ride she just signed on for.

Eventually the family is reunited at the hospital, but which time Mibs has accepted that her savvy will not save her father. As they all gather around Poppa, Mibs suddenly remembers Poppa’s mermaid tattoo and knows she cannot give up on her Poppa or her savvy yet!

Ingrid Law’s introductory novel //Savvy// will be a classic for years to come. Mibs is a strong and loving girl who while stop at nothing to get to her ailing father’s side. //Savvy// is a story about self discovery and learning to accept yourself as you are. Mibs must accept that her savvy has not manifested the way she wished it would have and learn to accept the savvy she does have. Mibs also learns about friendship and letting herself be accepted by others as she develops a friendship with Will who likes Mibs savvy and all, just the way she is. Readers will love Law’s unique characters and story and will be left eager for more.
 * Personal Thoughts:**

Fantasy
 * Genre:**

5th to 7th grades
 * Reading Level:**

2009 Newberry Honor ALA notable book 2009, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature 2008 Winner Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature 2009 Finalist
 * Awards/Honors:**

Bird, E. (2008). Savvy. //School Library Journal//, 54(5), 130. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts with Full Text.
 * Reviews:**

Fiction and Poetry Honor Books. (2009). //Horn Book Magazine//, 85(1), 24. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts with Full Text.

Goldsmith, F. (2008). Savvy. //Booklist//, 104(18), 60. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts with Full Text.

Mlynowski, S. (2008). Savvy. //Publishers Weekly//, 255(14), 60 Retrieved from EBSCOhost Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts with Full Text.

SAVVY. (2008). //Kirkus Reviews//, 76(7), 363. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts with Full Text.

Sebesta, K. (2008). Savvy. //Library Media Connection//, 27(2), 73. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts with Full Text.


 * Characters Names/Descriptions:**

Mississippi “Mibs” Beaumont: turning 13 and discovering what her savvy is

Fish Beaumont: 14 year old older brother of Mibs, his savvy is creating storms

Rocket Beaumont: the eldest of the Beaumont children at 17, his savvy is an electric touch

Samson Beaumont: eight years old, younger brother of Mibs, likes to hide in dark corners

Gypsy Beaumont: three year old younger sister of Mibs

William Meeks “Will Junior”: raised by Pastor Meeks and Miss Rosemary as their son, but is really their grandson

Roberta “Bobbi” Meeks: Pastor Meeks and Miss Rosemary’s youngest child at 16 Lester: a down on his luck Bible Salesman

Lill: a kind hearted waitress who helps Lester and the kids get down to Salina

Miss Rosemary: Married to Pastor Meeks, comes to take care of the Beaumont children when their father is in the hospital

Grandpa Bobba: Mamma Beaumont’s daddy, his savvy is the ability to shake the earth and move mountains

Poppa Beaumont: a normal, does not have a savvy; in a coma after a car accident

Mamma Beaumont: her savvy lets her do everything perfectly, including make perfect mistakes

http://www.ingridlaw.com/
 * Author’s Website:**

The Beaumont family has a history of momentous 13th birthdays, because 13 is when the Beaumont children get their savvy. A savvy is a magical ability and as Mibs prepares to turn 13 join her in a journey of self discovery and magic.
 * Annotation:**