Tracking Daddy Down

Tracking Daddy Down, by Marybeth Kelsey is too outrageously funny. I couldn’t get to the end fast enough. I fell in love with all the characters, but most especially Billie Wisher. Billie is the daughter of a bank robber and she wants to find him and convince him to give himself up.

Beneath the humor is the serious lesson that Billie learns when she finds her daddy but discovers more than she was looking for. You can’t help but chuckle when this mighty master of the mouth speaks. She is the future captain of the debate team without a doubt. Billie made me think of Gillie, from The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson. Both have the same funny, quick witted, sassy backtalk that you just have to love because it is so genuinely show more real.

This writer defines each character with perfection by giving them a natural voice that is believable. I love her writing style and wit. I hope this becomes a character series because the main character is too good to say goodbye to.

This book would be suitable for read aloud grades 3-6 and independent readers age 8-12. Teachers would find this ideally suited for literature circles or readers’ workshop.
In doing a brief search online, I believe this is the author’s first book. She hit it this one out of the park, and in my opinion, after reading this treat, we can expect more of the same. show less

Billie Wisher's father is on the run after robbing a bank in the next town with his good-for-nothing brother. Billie lives in the small town of Myron, Indiana with her mother, stepfather and little sister Carla, and she desperately wants her father back in her life. She's determined to find him and get him to give the money back so he won't have to go to Pendleton state prison, but in Myron, everybody knows everyone else's business, and Billie has to figure out how to do this without being noticed or caught. Billie is a delightfully stubborn and courageous eleven-year-old who sees injustice everywhere she looks, and she knows exactly what she wants. What she gets is something different, but it turns out to be more what she needs than show more she knows. Wonderful characters! 6th grade. show less

It doesn't matter that her daddy is a wanted criminal for robbing a bank. Billie Wisher knows exactly the type of person her daddy is, and she absolutely refuses to listen to the denigrating rumors surrounding him. Nothing anyone says will influence her adamant love for her daddy and that includes her mother; she readily defends her father against anyone. While her daddy is on the run, Billie is stuck at home with her stepdad Daddy Joe, who she resents. Along with her friends, Tommy and Ernestine, Billie sets out to find her real daddy to get him to confess to his crime. Despite some clues that may lead Billie to locate her daddy, this proves to be a difficult challenge.

I like the idea of this book; it had a lot of potential. A bank show more robbery (or perhaps several), a chase after two criminals, and a little girl who just wants to find her daddy are excellent ideas to start off with. The strength in this novel lies in the voice and the writing style. It was easy for me to believe that Billie was an eleven year old girl; she definitely sounded like one. Billie's feelings are expressed successfully, and the writing remained consistent throughout.

Initially, I found the protagonist annoying and immature though her behavior is understandable. Perhaps it's because of her age but I felt detached from her. Billie incessantly whines about Daddy Joe, even though he didn't commit any major misdeeds. She's disrespectful, obstinate, and impertinent towards her elders; she constantly talks back. Her strong personality did prove to be a good quality; you've got to admire someone who can stand up for themselves, especially when they're so young. After all, it did help her maintain her loyalty for her father despite all the suspicions and accusations against her.

There isn't much character development; most of the characters are static. Though Billie does show changes in her perspective, there were characters that I would've liked to know more about, such as Tommy. The main plot revolves around Billie finding her daddy, though I wish the reason why Billie's daddy robbed the bank was elaborated upon; we're left to rely on the numerous rumors of the gossipy town.

This was overall a decent read; actually, for a debut novel, this was pretty good.

(Note: This was also reviewed for HarperCollins). show less

Fascinating....Stunning.... A wonderful exciting and informative fiction written in an original first person account, that is amazingly real. I could not put the book down. Tracking Daddy Down will certainly hold the attention of any reader, no matter the age. I think this book would make a wonderful series as the main charachter Billie Wisher is too hard to forget. After Billie's daddy robs a bank she desperately wants to find him and persuade him to give himself up. Her tenacity and loyalty are commendable, but not without serious consequences. Beneath Marybeth Kelsey's humor is a serious lesson that Billie only discovers shortly after finding her daddy. and finds more than she was looking for.