Author: Russell Ginns
Illustrator: Barbara Fisinger
© Date: 2018
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 243
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, many page layouts do not have an illustration
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-12
Bonus Activities at End of Book: Yes, fun facts on the value of several items mentioned in the book, more puzzles to solve with websites that have more puzzles (yes, answers to the book puzzles are given at the back of the book), and a map
Summary from Book: For Samantha Spinner, it just isn’t fair. Her uncle Paul disappeared, and here’s what he left:
Samantha’s sister got a check for $2,400,000,000.
Samantha’s brother got the New York Yankees.
And Samantha got a rusty red umbrella with a tag hanging off its worn handle. The tag says “Watch out for the RAIN.”
Thanks a lot, Uncle Paul.
But really, after all the strawberry waffles, stories, and puzzles they’ve shared, how could Uncle Paul just leave without saying goodbye? And what is the meaning of that mysterious message?
The answer is simple, Sam knows in her heart that Uncle Paul is in danger. And if he taught her anything, it’s that not everything is exactly what it seems. Which is why we should pay close attention to that rusty red umbrella, and never trust a monkey at a hula-hoop contest.
The RAIN is coming, and Samantha Spinner is about to find herself mixed up in some super-important, super-dangerous, super-secret plans.
And if she’s brave enough and smart enough, she just might find Uncle Paul.
Page Pig Thoughts: Sometimes we wonder how we’ve missed books on the library shelf. I am so happy that I found this entertaining read. The silliness was interwoven with a mystery, historical facts, and fast paced adventure. Who knew that a stale baguette could be so useful?
I saw that this book was supposed to have the puzzle fun of Mr. Lemoncello, and Samantha Spinner did not disappoint. I quite enjoyed the puzzle solving mystery as it unfolded, and the bonus puzzles at the end add to the fun. I appreciate that some of the additional puzzles do not require going to the internet. I am also appreciative of the puzzle answers at the back of the book. Hooray for reducing potential puzzle frustrations, but hopefully Page Pup does the puzzles before seeing the answers.
Thank you, Samantha Spinner, for the puzzle adventure proving that we can find new magic in our everyday world, if we just take a closer look.
Update: No surprise that this one gets a Page Pup thumbs up, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading it a second time. So many hints and clues to things in the second book were sprinkled throughout this one that I enjoyed reading this one with Page Pup while I read the second one myself.
Family Unit: The Spinner family: Samantha (11, I think), Nipper (8), Buffy (teenage), Mother, Father, Dennis (pug), and Uncle Paul (lived in an apartment above the garage, but went missing on the first page of the book)
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Samantha and Nipper are trying to find clues for what happened to Uncle Paul.
- Samantha and Nipper are trying to escape from ninjas that are trying to steal something from them. The ninjas don’t seem to care what it takes to get their desired item (the old umbrella).
Positive Items:
- Samantha and Nipper get along well, no serious sibling quarrels.
- Historical facts are given in the story. They are short, add interest to the story, and don’t feel like boring, teaching moments.
- Makes you want to take a closer look at things and makes you wonder what you’ve missed on your own travels.
- Gives an appreciation for learning phrases in the native language of the countries that you visit.
Items of Interest:
- Nipper is a nickname, Jeremy Bernard used to bite people when he was younger.
- The book weaves in many facts about historical art and architecture.
- The adults fill out missing person reports for Uncle Paul, but the reports and police don’t seem to be making progress. Which leaves Samantha and Nipper as the only ones really searching for Uncle Paul.
- When Buffy gets her check, she goes on a shopping spree. She then decided to be a Hollywood actress. Her parents say that she cannot leave school, so Buffy has flatbed trailers move the entire school, students, and teachers. She left behind one girl that wore white after Labor Day. Buffy buys a big mansion with a stable for unicorns. She sends a letter to let Samantha and Nipper know that they can stay in the stable if they visit, if there aren’t unicorns yet. Buffy spends all of her money by the end of the story.
- Nipper has a tendency to lose everything, including things of high value.
- The Spinners have “two of the worst next-door neighbors.” On one side is a boy that tells fantastical stories that do not seem true. On the other side is a girl that is “Double-Triple-Super Evil.” The girls takes Nipper’s Yankees, she takes the deed to the stadium and all of the player contracts. She gives Nipper a magnifying glass and calls it a trade.
- Samantha goes into power moping mode after she gets an old umbrella and her siblings get such fantastical gifts. She changes her tune when she discovers that her umbrella has the map for an underground transportation system that goes all over the world. Not only does the map show the locations for the transportation points, the map has the keys to access all of the transportation (e.g. stomp three times on a specific tile).
- When the Spinner parents go to a conference and leave Samantha and Nipper home alone, Samantha and Nipper discover the secret transportation and leave home without telling anyone. Another day, they tell their parents that they are at their neighbor’s house when they intended to leave the country.
- Ninjas follow Samantha and Nipper. The ninjas are trying to get the old umbrella from Samantha. The ninjas throw throwing stars at Samantha and Nipper, threaten them, and attack them with their samurai swords. Samantha outsmarts the ninjas every time.
- The ninjas are super smelly because they have been hiding out in the sewers of Paris and riding garbage barges. They travel around secretly to steal art. The biggest clue that they leave behind is a nasty smell.
- Nipper intended to steal treasure from an Egyptian tomb, but was getting sucked into a black hole by a curse. Samantha saves his life. Nipper then steals a cursed ring that makes him super clumsy.
- Samantha and Nipper find clues that mean Uncle Paul may have died, but they stay focused on getting back home.
- Nipper gets mad at Samantha near the end of the book, he intends to stay mad at her forever, but then gets bored and goes looking for her.
- Samantha outsmarts the ninjas by executing a plan that gets the ninjas caught at a convention of museum security, the Mona Lisa and Hope diamond are recovered.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Book 2 – Samantha Spinner and the Spectacular Specs
- Book 3 – Samantha Spinner and the Boy in the Ball
- Book 4 – Samantha Spinner and the Perplexing Pants
