Dangerous Deception by Peg Kehret - OPTIONAL

Kehret, Peg Dangerous Deception, 192 p. Dutton (Penguin), 2014.  

Emmy’s mother works for a local department store and her mother helps with the annual contest for gifts from the store.  When Emmy reads some entries, even though she has always been told to leave them alone, she finds a young girl who is without food for her family.  As part of a class assignment, she decides to collect with her group members anyway, secretly, and tries to remain anonymous.  For some reason, the teacher goes along with the plan.  Emmy’s involvement causes problems, however, not just because the family has secrets, but also because Emmy unthinkingly angers their neighbor, who has even shadier dealings of his own.

Kehret is a little heavy handed in this novel – its not as cleverly plotted as her past books, drawing in a few too many themes and collusions that don’t ring quite true.  For all that, however, it just fine for an upper elementary girl or boy who likes Kehret’s past mysteries.  

EL, MS – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS