A Mind of Her Own: The Story of Mystery Writer Agatha Christie

by Robyn McGrath (Author) Liz Wong (Illustrator)

A Mind of Her Own: The Story of Mystery Writer Agatha Christie
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Uncover the fascinating, inspiring, and sometimes mysterious true story of world-renowned detective novelist Agatha Christie’s journey to authorship in this picture book biography.

Before Agatha Christie became the greatest mystery writer of all time, she was a girl who loved books, make-believe, and puzzling out problems. She was a keen observer, always noticing the secrets hiding in the shadows and the clues just waiting to be uncovered. More than anything, Agatha loved detective stories. She longed to write her own mysteries, but she struggled when she put pen to paper. The letters came out jumbled, the words twisting and snagging. Writing became a new puzzle for her to solve.

Her family and teachers chided her for being lost in her head, but Agatha wasn’t lost…she had a mind of her own!
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Publishers Weekly

This imagination-oriented biography of mystery writer Agatha Christie (1890-1976) by McGrath (There's Always Room for One More) foregrounds the role Christie's internal world played in both her child-hood and her later success. "Agatha, always in her head," the adults repeat. But imagination and observation give the child a way to amuse herself as she listens to and reads stories, wonders what the things she notices could mean, and struggles to write, preferring arithmetic when "the letters and words come out jumbled." First-aid classes and nursing work during WWI teach her about medicine, and her imagined questions grow more serious: "Who does that soldier call to in his sleep?" She begins crafting a detective story, working on solving its puzzle, then on details and plot. After multiple rejections, an acceptance arrives. Period and scenic details in digitally finished, occasionally stiff watercolor spreads by Wong (I Am Not a Penguin: A Pangolin's Lament) give the pages a feeling of romance in this work about an inspirational figure whose mind--through "puzzling and plotting"--brings her success. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Biographical information and creators' notes conclude. Ages up to 8. Author's agent: Amy Thrall Flynn, Rubin Pfeffer Content. Illustrator's agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow. (May)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"This imagination-oriented biography of mystery writer Agatha Christie (1890-1976) by McGrath foregrounds the role Christie's internal world played in both her child-hood and her later success."—Publishers Weekly "3/4/24"
Robyn McGrath
Robyn McGrath is a native of Texas and lives in Austin with her family where she works as a play therapist. She's the author of Dolly!: The Story of Dolly Parton and Her Big Dream, illustrated by Ellen Surrey; There's Always Room for One More, illustrated by Ishaa Lobo; and A Mind of Her Own, illustrated by Liz Wong. To learn more about Robyn, visit RobynMcGrathWrites.com.

Liz Wong is the illustrator of A Mind of Her Own by Robyn McGrath, Pirate Queen by Helaine Becker, Nobody Likes Frogs by Barbara Davis-Pyles, Her Eyes on the Stars by Laurie Wallmark, and her own Quackers, The Goose Egg, and I Am Not a Penguin. Liz lives in Edmonds, Washington, with her husband and son. Learn more about her at LizWongIllustration.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781665917933
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Beach Lane Books
Publication date
May 28, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV000000 - Juvenile Fiction | General
Library of Congress categories
Biographies
Picture books
20th century
Authors, English
Women novelists, English
Christie, Agatha

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