When I first saw Chasing Vermeer in the store the same week it was released nearly three years ago, I was instantly intrigued. I read it straightaway. Since then, I've read it an additional half a dozen times and it’s become one of my favorite childhood books. After all, what's not to like? Mature middle school readers will be delightful the two unconventional characters, tossed headfirst into an international art scandal, and left to solve it use patchy clues, intuition, and chance. Furthermore, they’ll undoubtedly be captivated by Blue Balliet’s introductions to Chicago, Johannes Vermeer, Lo!, pentominoes, etc.; so much so, as a matter of fact, that they may chose to do a bit of investigating of their own.