Status
Available
Local notes
PB Law
Collection
Series
Publication
Puffin Books (2010), Edition: 1, 384 pages
Description
Recounts the adventures of Mibs Beaumont, whose thirteenth birthday has revealed her "savvy"--a magical power unique to each member of her family--just as her father is injured in a terrible accident.
Awards
Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Honor — 2011)
Texas Bluebonnet Award (Nominee — 2010)
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Honor — Fiction — 2008)
Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award (Nominee — 2011)
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Middle Grade — 2011)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Honor — 2011)
Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction (Finalist — 2008)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Triple Crown Awards (Nominee — 2011)
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2009)
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — Grades 4-8 — 2011)
Great Stone Face Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2010)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2011)
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Junior — 2011)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2010-2011)
Newbery Medal (Honor Book — 2009)
Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2012)
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 2010)
Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature (Honor Book — 2009)
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2011)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — 2012)
Iowa Children's Choice Award (Nominee — 2012)
Rhode Island Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Virginia Readers' Choice (Nominee — Middle School — 2010)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — Grades 4-6 — 2010)
Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2012)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2011)
South Carolina Book Awards (Nominee — Junior Book Award — 2011)
Notable Children's Book (2009)
Reading Olympics (Elementary — 2024)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
384 p.; 5.13 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member tapestry100
I received this through Walden Media's BookShare Club after reading the first chapter and responding with my thoughts on that first chapter. The first chapter had caught enough of my interest that I wanted to read the rest of the book.
Savvy is not a bad book; far from it. It's just not a book for
What Ingrid Law does a great job of in Savvy is show the strength and importance of family. The book centers around Mibs Beaumont, a twelve-year-old girl who will be turning 13 in two days. What makes her 13th birthday even more special is what makes all the Beaumonts special; that's the day that her savvy will develop. Some savvy's are subtle (like her mother's savvy, which is to be perfect) and some are more violent (like her brother Flash's savvy, which is electricity, or her brother Fish's savvy, who can't live near water for fear of creating another hurricane). The idea of the savvy struck me as being very similar to the development of the powers in mutant children in Marvel Comics' X-Men franchise. I found it interesting to see how Ingrid Law took this same idea and created a non-superhero story out of it. Mibs father is in a car accident 2 days before her birthday, and is hospitalized in the next town over. After her mother and older brother goes to stay with her father, Mibs decides to run away and try to get to the hospital as well, knowing that her as yet undetermined savvy will help him wake up from his coma. She hides on a bus with her brother Fish, their younger brother Samson, and the local preacher's kids, Bobbi and Will.
From here the story develops into a road trip adventure where each of the kids, the bus driver Lester, and Lill (whom they pick up on the side of the road when her car breaks down) learn to be true to themselves and grow into their own person. Ingrid Law does a good job of developing the feelings of each individual character and showing their growth. And while the book has a happy ending, it isn't a perfect happily-ever-after, which I also feel is a strong point for the book; life doesn't always come out just the way you expect it to, and all too often I think that YA books tend to push the idea that it does.
With the few flaws aside (which I feel are really only because I'm obviously not the target audience for this book), Ingrid Law has done an admirable job on her first book, Savvy.
Savvy is not a bad book; far from it. It's just not a book for
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me. I think that overall, the book was geared towards a younger crowd than I anticipated, and I feel the book tended to be a bit too simplistic. And it suffered from what seems to be a growing annoyance for me: the "charming" kid colloquialisms that are sprinkled on every single page of the book. I get that the books are geared for kids, but when I was younger, I never spoke like the kids do in these books, nor did any of my friends. To me, it almost seems to be talking down to the readers, as if they wouldn't understand the feelings of the characters unless they were put into an easy-to-understand, cute manner. Maybe this is again that the book is geared towards a younger audience than I imagine it should be, and thus is written perfectly for that age group.What Ingrid Law does a great job of in Savvy is show the strength and importance of family. The book centers around Mibs Beaumont, a twelve-year-old girl who will be turning 13 in two days. What makes her 13th birthday even more special is what makes all the Beaumonts special; that's the day that her savvy will develop. Some savvy's are subtle (like her mother's savvy, which is to be perfect) and some are more violent (like her brother Flash's savvy, which is electricity, or her brother Fish's savvy, who can't live near water for fear of creating another hurricane). The idea of the savvy struck me as being very similar to the development of the powers in mutant children in Marvel Comics' X-Men franchise. I found it interesting to see how Ingrid Law took this same idea and created a non-superhero story out of it. Mibs father is in a car accident 2 days before her birthday, and is hospitalized in the next town over. After her mother and older brother goes to stay with her father, Mibs decides to run away and try to get to the hospital as well, knowing that her as yet undetermined savvy will help him wake up from his coma. She hides on a bus with her brother Fish, their younger brother Samson, and the local preacher's kids, Bobbi and Will.
From here the story develops into a road trip adventure where each of the kids, the bus driver Lester, and Lill (whom they pick up on the side of the road when her car breaks down) learn to be true to themselves and grow into their own person. Ingrid Law does a good job of developing the feelings of each individual character and showing their growth. And while the book has a happy ending, it isn't a perfect happily-ever-after, which I also feel is a strong point for the book; life doesn't always come out just the way you expect it to, and all too often I think that YA books tend to push the idea that it does.
With the few flaws aside (which I feel are really only because I'm obviously not the target audience for this book), Ingrid Law has done an admirable job on her first book, Savvy.
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LibraryThing member ShellyCBuchanan
The Beaumonts are an unusual family living in the wide open territory of Kansaska-Nebransas to adequately secrete some of their awesome and superhuman powers from the general population. Mibs is about to come into her own unique power on her thirteenth birthday, but before she does her father is
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badly hurt in a car accident. From there, events unfold rapid fire, with unlikely individuals, some even strangers, thrown together on a complicated mission. Our heroine learns about herself, develops self-confidence and empathy for others. Perhaps most importantly, Mibs learns how to use her special power to help herself and others. Ingrid Law is a clever storyteller; she is quick with wit and charming turns of phrase and tells an important story. Show Less
LibraryThing member AllisonBates
1. Savvy tells the story of a girl named Mississippi Beaumont who will acquire her “savvy,” or magical power, on her 13th birthday. It is a genetic part of Beaumont family to get these powers, and Mibs (Mississippi’s nickname) is both highly excited and terribly anxious about the unknown
2. This novel is one that is very appropriate for middle school students. It can be used to discuss what it is like to feel terribly out of place, unusual, and strange in one’s own skin. Students can do creative writing exercises describing either what savvy from the novel they would like to have, or another savvy they think would be supremely useful or exciting. How will they use their savvys for good? Will it be hard to learn to scumble them? Also, foreshadowing and inferences are two literary activities that this novel can easily facilitate. Many “hints” are dropped along the way in reference to later portions of the book, like the mention of Poppa’s tattoo, and Will Junior saying he wanted to be just like his “Daddy.” Also, ask students what they think will happen in the sequel “Scumble.” This could be another journaling exercise, especially if you let them read the first chapter of it in order to peak interest.
3. I truly enjoyed this book. It was laid back, easy to read, and completely grasped what it is like to be a 13 year old girl learning what teenage-dom is all about. As Mibs watches Bobbi and begins to understand more fully what it is like to fall for Will Junior, she realizes that gaining her savvy is not the only thing changing in her life. I felt so many emotions for Mibs during this narrative that sometimes I simply just wanted to be her friend. It is obvious by the end of the novel that she is learning not only how to read other people inside and out, but also how to read herself and her own emotions. That in itself is a terrifying thing to discover.
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power that is soon to become a natural part of her life. Her older brothers Rocket and Fish have already obtained their savvys, so Mibs knows that the initial display of her savvy might be an adventurous or possibly terrible affair. Though Mibs’ savvy turns out to be one that is not as forthright as her brothers, nor as destructive, the events surrounding her 13th birthday prove to be extremely trying. First kisses, hijacked pink Bible busses, and police officers all become integral parts of an escapade that Mibs must make in order to find her father, who is meanwhile unconscious in the hospital miles away. This narrative is one that is enjoyable yet powerfully emotional, as it depicts a young girl entering the typical world of adolescence in a very untypical fashion. Teenagers and adults alike can easily relate to Mibs, despite her unusual quality of possessing a savvy. Even for kids with magical powers, coming of age can be a scary process.2. This novel is one that is very appropriate for middle school students. It can be used to discuss what it is like to feel terribly out of place, unusual, and strange in one’s own skin. Students can do creative writing exercises describing either what savvy from the novel they would like to have, or another savvy they think would be supremely useful or exciting. How will they use their savvys for good? Will it be hard to learn to scumble them? Also, foreshadowing and inferences are two literary activities that this novel can easily facilitate. Many “hints” are dropped along the way in reference to later portions of the book, like the mention of Poppa’s tattoo, and Will Junior saying he wanted to be just like his “Daddy.” Also, ask students what they think will happen in the sequel “Scumble.” This could be another journaling exercise, especially if you let them read the first chapter of it in order to peak interest.
3. I truly enjoyed this book. It was laid back, easy to read, and completely grasped what it is like to be a 13 year old girl learning what teenage-dom is all about. As Mibs watches Bobbi and begins to understand more fully what it is like to fall for Will Junior, she realizes that gaining her savvy is not the only thing changing in her life. I felt so many emotions for Mibs during this narrative that sometimes I simply just wanted to be her friend. It is obvious by the end of the novel that she is learning not only how to read other people inside and out, but also how to read herself and her own emotions. That in itself is a terrifying thing to discover.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This engaging book for young adults is a coming of age story narrated by Mississippi, or “Mibs,” Beaumont, who is about to have her thirteenth birthday. Thirteen is the age when her family members find out their “savvies,” or special talents. This talent is more than just a knack, however;
The family lives in a place the kids call “Kansaska-Nebransas,” an area in between the two states. Right before her birthday, Mibs’ father is involved in a terrible car accident and goes into a coma. Her mother and Rocket rush to the hospital. Shortly afterwards, the preacher’s wife arrives to take care of them, bringing along her own teenaged boy and girl, Will and Bobbie. On her birthday, Mibs convinces the other kids to stowaway with her on a bible bus to get to her dad at the hospital in Salina and apply whatever her savvy is to wake up her dad.
Mibs’ savvy, as it turns out, is the ability to hear people’s inner voices (or thoughts) if they have ink on their bodies, such as tattoos. In order to “scumble” this savvy, Mibs has to learn how to separate out the voices she hears: blocking out the bad, making use of the good, and recognizing and respecting her own voice from out of that jumble.
This book is a rather obvious derivation of “The Wizard of Oz.”
It begins with a hurricane (comparable to a tornado) that takes the family to rural Kansaska-Nebransas. Twelve-year old Mibs (similar to twelve-year old Dorothy) leads the characters on a quest, first to the town of “Emerald,” where they encounter “The Great and Powerful Ozzie.” The driver of the bus on which they stowaway, Lester, is constantly bombarded with two witchy voices in his life that tell him he is inadequate. He needs to find courage. He is aided by a “good witch” they pick up along the way, Lill.
Mibs’ brother Fish needs to have the brains to control his savvy. Will needs to have the heart to wait until Mibs is ready for a boyfriend.
More overt references are sprinkled throughout the text:
“I felt selfish and shamed and bad enough to have a house come land PLOP down on me, leaving nothing but my feet sticking out; that’s just how wicked I felt.”
“I was starting to feel low on heart, and my brains and bravery weren’t so sure either. Fish and I weren’t in Kansaska-Nebransas anymore and we didn’t have any yellow bricks to guide us…”
“Carlene (one of the wicked witches) came out of the bedroom hoisting a broom that she pointed our way…”
These allusions to The Wizard of Oz are fun and might help teach younger readers about symbolism and metaphor. (Uses of metaphor abound in this book, from Fish’s “storms” that he needs to control, to Rocket’s “electricity,” to Momma’s “perfection.”)
There are also many lessons for readers imparted by Mibs as she confronts growing up, from learning to let one's own voice be in control instead of those of detractors; to waiting until one is ready to start romance; to realizing that, as Lill said, “You never can tell when a bad thing might make a good thing happen.” Mibs also comes to understand that even those who don't have magic savvies still have a special knack for something.
Evaluation: Normally I don’t like books with supernatural elements, but this cute book is not really about magic. It offers lots of thoughtful concepts for teens, and very engaging characters. I liked that the ending was not sad, but not perfect; rather, it was realistic and heart-warming. Recommended for the suggested age group of 9-12.
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her brother Rocket activates electrical circuits; her brother Fish can roil up the weather into some fierce storms; and her mother has the savvy of being “perfect.” Each of them has to learn to keep the savvy under control, or in other words, to “scumble” it; this is part of growing up. As her mother told Mibs, “…a well-scumbled savvy gives you clarity and control….You have to let your own know-how, your own unique color, shine through as a something-special others can’t quite put a finger on.” But it’s not as easy as her mother made it out to be, judging from the problems her older brothers have had with scumbling. Moreover, Mibs’ father is a “normal” person, and Mibs worries that she will inherit his lack of savvy. The family lives in a place the kids call “Kansaska-Nebransas,” an area in between the two states. Right before her birthday, Mibs’ father is involved in a terrible car accident and goes into a coma. Her mother and Rocket rush to the hospital. Shortly afterwards, the preacher’s wife arrives to take care of them, bringing along her own teenaged boy and girl, Will and Bobbie. On her birthday, Mibs convinces the other kids to stowaway with her on a bible bus to get to her dad at the hospital in Salina and apply whatever her savvy is to wake up her dad.
Mibs’ savvy, as it turns out, is the ability to hear people’s inner voices (or thoughts) if they have ink on their bodies, such as tattoos. In order to “scumble” this savvy, Mibs has to learn how to separate out the voices she hears: blocking out the bad, making use of the good, and recognizing and respecting her own voice from out of that jumble.
This book is a rather obvious derivation of “The Wizard of Oz.”
It begins with a hurricane (comparable to a tornado) that takes the family to rural Kansaska-Nebransas. Twelve-year old Mibs (similar to twelve-year old Dorothy) leads the characters on a quest, first to the town of “Emerald,” where they encounter “The Great and Powerful Ozzie.” The driver of the bus on which they stowaway, Lester, is constantly bombarded with two witchy voices in his life that tell him he is inadequate. He needs to find courage. He is aided by a “good witch” they pick up along the way, Lill.
Mibs’ brother Fish needs to have the brains to control his savvy. Will needs to have the heart to wait until Mibs is ready for a boyfriend.
More overt references are sprinkled throughout the text:
“I felt selfish and shamed and bad enough to have a house come land PLOP down on me, leaving nothing but my feet sticking out; that’s just how wicked I felt.”
“I was starting to feel low on heart, and my brains and bravery weren’t so sure either. Fish and I weren’t in Kansaska-Nebransas anymore and we didn’t have any yellow bricks to guide us…”
“Carlene (one of the wicked witches) came out of the bedroom hoisting a broom that she pointed our way…”
These allusions to The Wizard of Oz are fun and might help teach younger readers about symbolism and metaphor. (Uses of metaphor abound in this book, from Fish’s “storms” that he needs to control, to Rocket’s “electricity,” to Momma’s “perfection.”)
There are also many lessons for readers imparted by Mibs as she confronts growing up, from learning to let one's own voice be in control instead of those of detractors; to waiting until one is ready to start romance; to realizing that, as Lill said, “You never can tell when a bad thing might make a good thing happen.” Mibs also comes to understand that even those who don't have magic savvies still have a special knack for something.
Evaluation: Normally I don’t like books with supernatural elements, but this cute book is not really about magic. It offers lots of thoughtful concepts for teens, and very engaging characters. I liked that the ending was not sad, but not perfect; rather, it was realistic and heart-warming. Recommended for the suggested age group of 9-12.
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LibraryThing member alimcc
Mibs is a member of an extraordinary family, the Beaumonts, who each possess a special power when they turn thirteen. After a tragic accident on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, Mibs finds herself a stowaway on a pink bus, driven by a Bible salesman, headed in the wrong direction.
Mibs’ family
Savvy should be placed in every middle-school library. It is also appropriate for upper-level elementary students. There is nothing inappropriate for younger readers in the novel, but it is at a higher reading level than most younger elementary students are used to. For this reason, I would generally recommend it for 4-7th graders.
Mibs’ family
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is unique. On their thirteenth birthday, each discovers his or her “Savvy,” or special power, which often turns their birthday party into a bit of a disaster. After her Poppa is in a terrible auto accident which leaves him in a coma, Mibs is convinced her savvy will be able to wake him. Determined to do so, and desperate to get to the hospital, she hides on a bus full of pink Bibles, only to discover they are headed in the wrong direction. Savvy is the story of a young girl’s quest to find her father and discover her own super powers. At its core, however, it is a story about growing up and finding the strength inside oneself, and discovering the power of friendship in all its many forms. The story has the distinct feel of a modern fairytale. Law places the story in the center of Middle-America, in an ordinary town full of seemingly ordinary people. As Mibs is soon to discover, however, everyone has secrets of their own. Savvy should be placed in every middle-school library. It is also appropriate for upper-level elementary students. There is nothing inappropriate for younger readers in the novel, but it is at a higher reading level than most younger elementary students are used to. For this reason, I would generally recommend it for 4-7th graders.
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LibraryThing member AnnieGoodwin
Savvy, by Ingrid Law, is an incredible tale of the Beaumont family. At age thirteen, each member of the Beaumont family gains their own personal savvy. Mibs, short for Mississippi, describes each person's savvy as a specific know how. No one savvy is the same, and each one is unique to each person.
I feel that Savvy would be a great addition to a classroom. I think the fun, light nature of the book would be allow this to be a quick read in the classroom. It could also provide a break after reading a very intense or historical based novel. Furthermore, I think this book would be easy to differentiate among students. Advanced readers could finish the novel and then proceed to the sequel, Scumble. Struggling readers could read the text at a slower pace. The short chapters in the text would not frustrate readers and provide good stopping points for discussion.
I really enjoyed this text. I felt it was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed reading a text about magical powers and talents that did not revolve around a witches or wizards. I thought this was a great text to provide kids with an excellent example of using imagination. Ingrid Law uses creative story element such as imagery, plot development, and character detail to tell the Beaumont family's story. This was a great read and I feel that children in grades six through eight would enjoy reading it as well.
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This story begins with Mibs' thirteenth birthday and deals with how she discovers and controls her savvy. However, in the midst of Mibs' birthday, her two older brother's are still trying to control and master their own savvies. Additionally, Mibs' father has been in a car accident out of town. Her mother and oldest brother have been forced to go to the hospital and wait while her father in in a coma. Read to find out how Mibs' discovers her family, meet the unlikely friends she makes along the way, and discover the incredible amount of love within the Beaumont family.I feel that Savvy would be a great addition to a classroom. I think the fun, light nature of the book would be allow this to be a quick read in the classroom. It could also provide a break after reading a very intense or historical based novel. Furthermore, I think this book would be easy to differentiate among students. Advanced readers could finish the novel and then proceed to the sequel, Scumble. Struggling readers could read the text at a slower pace. The short chapters in the text would not frustrate readers and provide good stopping points for discussion.
I really enjoyed this text. I felt it was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed reading a text about magical powers and talents that did not revolve around a witches or wizards. I thought this was a great text to provide kids with an excellent example of using imagination. Ingrid Law uses creative story element such as imagery, plot development, and character detail to tell the Beaumont family's story. This was a great read and I feel that children in grades six through eight would enjoy reading it as well.
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LibraryThing member laurie_library
Cute book about a family that have wonderful gifts appear on their 13th birthdays...the writing was easy flowing and for the most part, very teenish, but there were a few times that I couldn't follow. I'd recommend this as a very light read and maybe recommend it to a teen that's going through
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hormonal changes...feel good kind of story. Show Less
LibraryThing member EKAnderson
In Mibs Beaumont's family, when you turn thirteen, you get a savvy. It could be something dramatic, like her brother Rocket's - he can control electricity - or it could be something more subtle, like her grandmother's savvy: collecting sounds from radio waves in jars. Mibs is terribly excited about
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her special day, but just before her thirteenth birthday, her father is in an accident, and she is determined to help. But how can she? Her Momma and oldest brother leave her, two other brothers, and her sister with the preacher's wife and her two kids, while they visit Mibs' Poppa in the hospital. Mibs, more determined than ever to get a great savvy - one that will help save her Poppa, stows away on a pink Bible-selling bus with her brothers and the preachers kids, only to find out that the bus is going in the wrong direction. The five kids are inadvertently knee-deep in adventure as they travel around the American Midwest (more specifically, Nebransas), and when Mibs' savvy comes, it is not only less than extraordinary, but it threatens to drive her to the brink of insanity. , Savvy is most certainly the most original work of fantasy for children I have read in a long, long time, incorporating elements of faith, family, and, of course, magic into the charming tale of one girl's fight to overcome the trials of adolescence with as few scrapes and scratches as possible. If you only read one book this year, make it Savvy. Show Less
LibraryThing member frazrat
Savvy was a very enjoyable book. It was donated to me by Pengiun Group. It is a Boston-Horn Globe honor book. Parts of this book remind me of "Because of Winn Dixie" and "Larklight". I would recommend this book for student mostly in 3rd through 5th grade, although it could appeal to others.
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Definitely an adventure and a book where the characters learn something about themselves in the process. Show Less
LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
The Beaumonts are special. On their thirteenth birthday, each child comes into their savvy. Fish Beaumont causes storms. Older brother Rocket is electric, able to keep the Beaumont house lit up during a black out and jump start the old family car. Mrs. Beaumont has the savvy of being perfect (even
Savvy opens right before Mibs Beaumont's thirteenth birthday. She's understandably excited, wondering what her savvy will be. Rocket says that girls never get the "big" savvies, but Mibs isn't so sure. Will she be able to walk through walls? Float in the air? She can't wait to find out.
But then something awful happens. There's an accident and Poppa is in a coma. And suddenly Mibs knows what her savvy will be. Well, she doesn't quite know, but she knows that it'll be something that will help Poppa get well. It just has to be.
Savvy is a story about finding oneself. About growing up and about staying young. It's about having an adventure and being there for the people you care about. It's about finding your savvy, even if you aren't a member of the fantastic Beaumont family.
I loved it!
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when she messes up, it's perfectly awful). And grandpa can move the earth.Savvy opens right before Mibs Beaumont's thirteenth birthday. She's understandably excited, wondering what her savvy will be. Rocket says that girls never get the "big" savvies, but Mibs isn't so sure. Will she be able to walk through walls? Float in the air? She can't wait to find out.
But then something awful happens. There's an accident and Poppa is in a coma. And suddenly Mibs knows what her savvy will be. Well, she doesn't quite know, but she knows that it'll be something that will help Poppa get well. It just has to be.
Savvy is a story about finding oneself. About growing up and about staying young. It's about having an adventure and being there for the people you care about. It's about finding your savvy, even if you aren't a member of the fantastic Beaumont family.
I loved it!
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LibraryThing member m.scheuer
Mibs Beaumont's family is unusual - they each possess a savvy, a special knowing, that they discover on their 13th birthday. And yet, they are completely normal as well. I loved this story, in how it's a fantasy (Mibs ends up hearing tatoos speak to her in her mind, her brother's emotions unleash
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storms and hurricanes) and yet it seems so real as Mibs struggles with real pain. At the beginning of the book, Mib's father is hit by a car and ends up in a coma. Her mother and eldest brother quickly leave for the hospital, leaving Mibs at home with her grandpa and 3 siblings. Mibs is determined to be with her father - she's sure that she can wake him up from his coma - so she sneaks aboard a bus driven by a travelling Bible salesman. Two of her brothers and two friends join her, and the book follows their journey. Along the way, Mibs discovers her savvy, develops a friendship with a boy, and realizes that bad decisions can have unintended good consequences. The audio production was mesmerizing. I'd highly recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member smclawler
According to the online Free Dictionary by Farflex, the noun “savvy” is defined as “practical understanding or shrewdness.” Well, in Ingrid Law’s Savvy, this is truly the case for the Beaumont children. For everyone on their mother’s side of the family, the thirteenth birthday heralds
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the beginning of life with their special talent, or savvy. Some savvies are quiet, but some can be quite destructive, until the person learns to “scumble” the power. The story begins on the Kansas-Nebraska border with the soon to be thirteen year old Mibs, anticipating her birthday and her own special savvy. Things aren’t so simple for her father is seriously injured in a car accident, and the story commences from there. Her mother and her oldest brother take of to Salina (KS) Hope Hospital, and Mibs is left behind with her grandfather and other siblings. Miss Rosemary, the very helpful and concerned minister’s wife, decides to step into their mother’s role, complete with arranging a birthday party for Mibs. With some savvies being a little unusual, and very noticeable, Mibs and her siblings aren’t so sure this is a good idea, but Miss Rosemary is not to be deterred. The party isn’t as catastrophic as anticipated, and the arrival of the Southwest Bible delivery bus provides Mibs, her brothers, and the minister’s teenage offspring Bobbi and Will Jr., an escape route. For the Beaumonts it is a ride to Salina Hope Hospital, and for Will Jr., it is a chance to be with Mibs but for the rebellious Bobbi, it is a chance to do something other than what she is doing. There are some detours along the way, but the story and characters are perfect. With the location and the quest to get to Poppa Beaumont’s hospital bed in Salina, I was a reminded of Dorothy and her quest to get from Oz back to Kansas. Does Mibs discover her savvy? Yes, and it is very cool. Readers are encouraged to look for their own savvy. Great read for 9 and up. Show Less
LibraryThing member annekiwi
This book didn't live up to my expectations. It wasn't bad, but I think it was just not as great as I expected. There were long parts that were tedious and I found Mibs 'Savvy' not near as exciting as I had expected. Good book for the 13 - 16 year old crowd.
LibraryThing member lrobe190
Each child in the Beaumont family receives a special power or "savvy" when they turn 13 years old. Older brother Rocket's savvy affects electricity. Another brother, Fish, has a savvy that affects the weather. It is almost time for Mibs Beaumont to turn 13 and she is so excited because she wants to
This is an enchanting novel. Law uses various literary devices (such as onamatopeia) to spice up her narrative. Her "voice" for Mibs is true to that of a 12 year old girl. There is plenty of humor and excitement and once started is very hard to put down! Readers will laugh and cry.
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find out what her savvy is. On her birthday, her father is in a terrible accident and is in a coma in a hospital many miles away. Rocket and Mama go to visit Papa in the hospital living Mibs, Fish and younger brother Samson at home to celebrate at Mibs' birthday party which Pastor Meeks and his wife have thrown for her. Samson has a turtle that has been totally dead for quite awhile. Everyone but Samson, believes the turtle to be dead. On her birthday, Mibs looks at the turtle and he suddenly pokes his head out of his shell! Believing that her savvy is to bring things back to life, she is sure that if she could just get to papa, she could bring him out of his coma! But how will she get to the hospital in Salina, Kansas? She notices a large pink bus in the parking lot of the church with a sign advertising Bibles and the address of the company is Salina, Kansas! She stows away on the bus (and eventually so does Fish, Samson, and the pastor's two children, Bobbie and Will) hoping she will get to Salina that way. But when the bus turns in a different direction, Mibs is panicked! What will she do now?This is an enchanting novel. Law uses various literary devices (such as onamatopeia) to spice up her narrative. Her "voice" for Mibs is true to that of a 12 year old girl. There is plenty of humor and excitement and once started is very hard to put down! Readers will laugh and cry.
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LibraryThing member audryh
Mibs Beamont gets her "savvy" on her 13th birthday - hears tattoos talking - and learns about private thoughts. Saves her father (mermaid tattoo). p 238 "Maybe it's like that for everyone. Maybe we all have other people's voices running higgledy, pigledy through our heads all the time - voices of
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momma and poppa telling me right from wrong. Or girls mean taunts making me feel low. I began to realize how hard it was to separate out all the voices to hear the single, strong one that came just from me." Show Less
LibraryThing member mikitchenlady
Mibs is awaiting her 13th birthday, when her special power (her Savvy) should appear. The family's birthday plans are interrupted by a phone call -- her father has been in a car accident and is miles away in a hospital, and no one is sure if he will recover. Her mother and older brother (whose
Great story, quick read, very affirming of that everyone has some special gift or talent, even if it is not clear in the beginning what that gift can offer. Comes to a nice, not perfect solution, which adds to the story's charm.
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Savvy is causing electrical disturbances) head to the hospital, leaving Mibs and her younger sister, two brothers and Grandpa in the hands of the preacher's wife. Savvy is determined to see if she can help her father, so climbs aboard the bus of a pink bible salesman with her brothers and the preacher's two children, thinking it will head toward the hospital. And we must discover, with Mibs, what her Savvy is and if she will be able to control it and use it to help her dad.Great story, quick read, very affirming of that everyone has some special gift or talent, even if it is not clear in the beginning what that gift can offer. Comes to a nice, not perfect solution, which adds to the story's charm.
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LibraryThing member SpringfieldMnSchool
Our library received galley of this book and we were happy to see that it made its way to the Newberry group this year. What a great imagination with some lessons in personal greatness that can be applied to each individual who reads this book. The characters are colorful, the plot interesting, and
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the lessons inspiring. Show Less
LibraryThing member readinggeek451
Mibs is eagerly awaiting her thirteenth birthday, when she will get her 'savvy', a particular psychic ability. Her mother is perfect, one older brother channels electricity, the other controls weather. What will her savvy be? But when the day comes, her father is in a distant hospital after a
This is written for children, so calibrate your expectations accordingly.
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devastating car accident. Mibs believes that she can wake him with her new savvy, but first she has to get there. And what if she's wrong?This is written for children, so calibrate your expectations accordingly.
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LibraryThing member booksandbosox
The Beaumont family is different. Particularly on their thirteenth birthdays. That's the day a Beaumont child comes into his or her "savvy" - a special power. Mississippi Beaumont (Mibs for short) is on the verge of her very special birthday when something awful happens to her Poppa. Soon, all she
This was a delightful novel. Tons of imagination - pretty much everything about this is unique. The idea of each person having a savvy is reminiscent of X-Men but it doesn't come off as aping that. The characters are all quite endearing and enjoyable and Mibs is a wonderful voice for the story. I wouldn't be surprised to see a sequel for this - the Beaumont family is one I wouldn't mind revisiting. A refreshing new voice.
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hopes for is a savvy that can help him. When her day finally comes, she thinks she's got it - and she leads her friends and family on an adventure to try and sort it all out.This was a delightful novel. Tons of imagination - pretty much everything about this is unique. The idea of each person having a savvy is reminiscent of X-Men but it doesn't come off as aping that. The characters are all quite endearing and enjoyable and Mibs is a wonderful voice for the story. I wouldn't be surprised to see a sequel for this - the Beaumont family is one I wouldn't mind revisiting. A refreshing new voice.
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LibraryThing member dghudson
A strange but interesting book. Has a great opening paragraph, and the voice is good throughout. Would be good for sparking discussions about "gifts" and how we (especially girls) treat each other. Definitely a girls' read.
LibraryThing member litlb00k
Mibs Beaumont is looking forward to her 13th birthday – the day when members of her family discover their “Savvy” – a magical power unique to each individual. Unfortunately, just two days before her momentous birthday, her father is critically injured in a terrible car accident that leaves
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him in a coma. Convinced that her “Savvy” will give her the power to awaken her father, Mibs, two of her brothers, and the local minister’s children hide on board a pink Heartland Bible Supply bus Mibs believes is headed towards Salina where her father lies in a hospital. However, when the bus turns left instead of right and the driver’s tattoos begin to talk to each other, Mibs realizes her Savvy isn’t what she’d hope for and her plan could be heading toward a whole bunch of trouble – for everyone. Quirky characters, loads of bad luck, and a young girl determined to get to her dad make this book a true stand-out adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member creeh
this interesting book has a great plot, and its funny that its really only over a couple days in the life of mibs beaumont, a girl who is about to turn 13. the beaumonts are special and on their thirteenth birthday, they recieve a "savvy", a gift of a magical power or special sensitivity. mibs is
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excited about her birthday, but when her father is in an accident on the day before, her and her brothers go on a journey to see him. they run into interesting characters who cant help but want to help the kids on their way. the book is very interesting with a fully original plot and childish words mixed in to keep the kids interested. this book would be good to use for getting the kids to think of what magic power they might like to have. also, the characters are easy to map and could be useful in teaching the kids about plot dynamics. Show Less
LibraryThing member cnolasco
Law, I. (2008). Savvy. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
Savvy tells the story of Mibs Beaumont and her unique family. They are normal just like everyone else (according to Mibs' mom) but they also have something very special about them. When a Beaumont reaches the age of 13, they receive
The fantasy elements in this story are clearly the Beaumont's special powers. Everyone else in their small town is "normal" and they sort of shun the Beautmonts because they can tell there is something odd about them. Although the author is dealing with people who have superhuman qualities, the characters are still believable because they have human feelings and emotions from Mibs wanting to so desperately see her Poppa in the hospital or her brother Fish wanting to protect Mibs from boys affections.
Overall, a fun read for intermediate readers - possibly 4th to 7th grade.
Savvy tells the story of Mibs Beaumont and her unique family. They are normal just like everyone else (according to Mibs' mom) but they also have something very special about them. When a Beaumont reaches the age of 13, they receive
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their "savvy", a special power. Mibs' brother Rocket can control electricity and her brother Fish can control wind and water, so Mibs can hardly wait for her 13 birthday so she can discover what her savvy is. A few days before her important 13th birthday Mibs' father is in a serious car accident, and everything changes. Mibs ends up going on an important adventure figuring out what her savvy is and how to control it, and trying to get to the hospital to see her Poppa. Through her adventure and experiences she changes from a little girl to a young adult.The fantasy elements in this story are clearly the Beaumont's special powers. Everyone else in their small town is "normal" and they sort of shun the Beautmonts because they can tell there is something odd about them. Although the author is dealing with people who have superhuman qualities, the characters are still believable because they have human feelings and emotions from Mibs wanting to so desperately see her Poppa in the hospital or her brother Fish wanting to protect Mibs from boys affections.
Overall, a fun read for intermediate readers - possibly 4th to 7th grade.
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LibraryThing member ThorneStaff
Shortly before Mibs turns 13 and finds out what her savvy (special power) is, her dad is involved in a car accident that sends him to the hospital 90 miles away. Convinced that her savvy will help save her dad, Mibs (and a couple other people) stows away on a traveling Bible salesman's bus and
At first I was reluctant to pick up this book because I thought, "Not another fantasy book!" But while it certainly has fantasy and supernatural elements, Savvy is not primarily fantasy. The settings are generally commonplace, the people "normal". Mibs and her family, with the exception of their respective savvies, are also fairly normal. Mibs learns that while she might have a very particular gift, everyone (even people without spectacular powers) has a knack for something.
Pacing and voice are reminiscent of Richard Peck's "A Year Down Yonder" and "A Long Way from Chicago". This would be great to read aloud or in an audio book format. Lively storytelling with heart, Savvy is a fine addition to any collection.
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begins an adventure filled with danger, self-discovery, and friendship.At first I was reluctant to pick up this book because I thought, "Not another fantasy book!" But while it certainly has fantasy and supernatural elements, Savvy is not primarily fantasy. The settings are generally commonplace, the people "normal". Mibs and her family, with the exception of their respective savvies, are also fairly normal. Mibs learns that while she might have a very particular gift, everyone (even people without spectacular powers) has a knack for something.
Pacing and voice are reminiscent of Richard Peck's "A Year Down Yonder" and "A Long Way from Chicago". This would be great to read aloud or in an audio book format. Lively storytelling with heart, Savvy is a fine addition to any collection.
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LibraryThing member MsLangdon
Part Cb Fantasy
Law, I. (2008). Savvy. New York: Puffin Books.
Mibs is awaiting her thirteenth birthday. With that birthday, she is awaiting her own special savvy, a magical power each of the Beaumonts receives on that special day. Her anticipation is cut short when her father is in an accident and
Law sets up this fantasy with magical powers and strong family bonds. Each chapter leaves you wanting more. Readers will enjoy this magical adventure on a pink bus.
Law, I. (2008). Savvy. New York: Puffin Books.
Mibs is awaiting her thirteenth birthday. With that birthday, she is awaiting her own special savvy, a magical power each of the Beaumonts receives on that special day. Her anticipation is cut short when her father is in an accident and
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hospitalized. Mibs, her brothers, and some friends, she didn’t know she had, set out on a journey to get to her dad.Law sets up this fantasy with magical powers and strong family bonds. Each chapter leaves you wanting more. Readers will enjoy this magical adventure on a pink bus.
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Similar in this library
Lexile
1070L
Pages
384