7 Ate 9: The Untold Story by Tara LazarMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: 2017 by Scholastic Inc.
Ages: 4- 8
Pages: 28
Synopsis:
6 has a problem
Everyone knows that Seven is always after him. Word on the street is that 7 ate 9. If that’s true, 6’s days are numbered. Lucky for him Private I is on the case. But the facts just don’t add up.
It’s odd.
Will Private I put two and two together and solve the problem . . . . Or is 6 next in line to be subtracted?
P1: Title Page
P2: Copyright
Ac1: Introductions
P3
I was dozing in my chair when an urgent banging on my office door bolted me awake. It was 6. Something had scared the pants off him.
“7 is coming to get me,” said 6.
P4:
As a Private I, I’m used to his type - numbers. They’re always stuck in a problem. But I knew about this 7 fella. He was odd.
Introduction of the detective. Since the story is i first-person the writing style show's Private I's personality, ergo his dry whit and humor. Private I's super power knowing a lot about potential suspects before the case starts.
P5: “Take it easy, 6,” I said “What’s 7 up to?”
P6:
“Word on the street is that 7 ate 9!” And now he’s after me,” said 6.
“Well technically, he’s always after you,” I said. “There’s 5, then 6, then 7.”
“See, that proves it!”
P7: I told 6 not to panic. “Stay here. I’ll get to the root of this,”
“I hope so!” said 6. “I fear my days are numbered.
ACT 1 ends with detective stating clearly that he will take the case. He doesn't state how, but his experience working with numbers, and the fact that he's a P.I. certainly helps. He mentions twice that numbers are always dealing with odd problems.
ACT2
P8: First I went looking for 8. She’s usually caught between 7 and 9.
P8: I found her at the corner of Second Avenue and Fourth Street. But 8 knew nothing. Nada. Zilch.
P9 - P10 “If it’s true,” Eight said “then I’m next in line!” In a flash, she took off her belt. Now 8 looked just like O.” Good disguise
Here we have a first clue, and it's the best kind of clue, one where the detective, doesn't recognize it's usefulness until the end of the story. It isn't a clue to the cracking the case, but it does give the reader and the protagonist insight into something can be used later.
P11
I needed a solid lead. I strolled into Cafe Uno, leaned on the counter, and ordered a slice of pi. B, the waitress, had the scoop.
P12:
“Yeah, I heard 7 ate 9” she said.
“So you haven’t seen 9 around?” I asked.
“Negative, said B. “He just disappeared.”
Another clue that doesn't seem like a clue until the end. Of course, nine must be gone if seven ate him. But, as I pointed out in the Mystery __ he second clue is always misleading. It's still a good clue but it causes the detective to take the wrong path. That is what build's conflict even in these picture book stories.
P13:
So 9 was gone. I couldn’t let 7 be the one who got away.
But I needed more data. I went to see 11. She and 7 are like two peas in a pod.
“7 couldn’t have done it,” said 11. “He’s on vacation.”
P14
“Are you sure?” I prodded.
Author Tara Lazar
“I’m positive!
I saw him leave.”
Gasp! The plot thickens! All the clues are true but now seven has an alibi!
P15
But if 7 is gone, then where was 9? It didn’t add up. Frustrated, I headed back uptown. That’s when I saw him crossing the street.
Finally, I put two and two together.
As I is pondering this dilemma he sees the third and final clue. This clue that leads I back in the right direction. If Clue 1: numbers can disguise them-selves as other numbers. Clue 2: nine is missing. Then Clue 3: Six is crossing the street. There can be only one explanation.
P16 - P17
I had to get back to the office. “On the double,” I told the driver.
ACT 3 The
P18
I busted through my office door and found 6 taking forty winks.
“I have solved this numerical nonsense,” I cried. “I grabbed 6 and turned him . . . upside down. His true color was revealed.
P19: Just as I suspected - my Clint 6, was really 9!
P20
“You had everyone worried, 9” I said “Why did you say that 7 ate 9?”
“Because 7 gets all the attention! ‘Lucky seven’! ‘Seven Wonders of the world’! ’Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’!”
Figures. 9 felt like he didn’t measure up.
Surprise ending, perfect for kids just learning their numbers.
P21:
“Seven! Seven!! SEVEN!! It’s like I don’t exist. Folks hurry right past me on their way to 10. Don’t even get me started on 10. Everyone thinks he’s perfect!”
P22:
I zeroed in on 9. “Are you kidding?” You should be on cloud nine right now. Happy as can be, the whole nine yards!”
P23:
“How come?” Asked 9
“Because you’ve got NINE lives!”
P24
That’s when 11 showed up. “Looks who’s back!” She said
As far as motives go, jealousy is the oldest in the world. The biggest one even. It's also great that the solution was non-violent. 9 just needed some therapy.
P25: It was 7. ‘Umm,” stammered 9. “No hard feelings, 7, old pal?”
“Sure. Let’s not be divided,” 7 said.
P26 - 27
7 seemed awfully pleased for a number who had been framed. “Why so happy, 7?” I asked.
At last, everyone was back in order. And now I could take letter cases again, their
A-Ok in my book.
P28
The next day, while dozing in my chair, my phone bolted me awake. I’d recognize her voice anywhere. It was 2 . . . With another problem to solve. I’ve really got to change my number.”
The last few pages of puns were not needed in my opinion, but I'm an adult reader, not a writer trying to meet the page count. The pressure to make it to 28-32 pages must be pretty strong in the publishing industry.
MY TAKE
I was surprised that such a silly story still fit the Mystery Writer's of America formula for a good mystery plot very well. The detective and the case were introduced, there were up to three clues, a misdirect, and finally a surprise ending! All the steps, and with a number related puns every few sentences that never veered from the mathematic theme. Pretty awesome.
BEDTIME BREAKDOWN
I assumed this story would go over my daughter's head. She's only two and just beginning to recognize numbers and letters. Once again I was surprised by how invested she was in the story. Once she understood that the imposter 6 was afraid of seven she was really interested in what was coming next.
She gasped when eight became the number 0, ( she thought it was the letter O). She shouted out "Five." when the number appeared driving a bus. She shouted out and "Six" when she saw them walking across the street, and gasped at the big reveal. I realized that even though she's under the recommended age for the book, she still benefits from the number recognition. Reading this and "The Deductive Detective" will give her some mathematic vocabulary years before she starts formal math training, not to mention an interest in mysteries.
This is a fun book for young or preschool aged kiddos who just enjoy looking for lost numbers. Please check it out at your local library or patron the author,Tara Lazar, with a purchase. At time of recording "7 Ate 9" by Tara Lazar is only $11.29 - a great price for giving your favorite young mind a head-start in math class.
If you found this breakdown at all useful please let me know in the comments.
I'm pbyear.com; PB&Jellyphish on Twitter, or better known as Porsche B. Yeary
And I'll see on the next page.
View all my reviews