Parents' Guide to All the Greys on Greene Street

Rich in detail and aching with sadness, this story unravels what it means to live among artists who see art in everything. All the Greys on Greene Street, Laura Tucker's debut, invites readers to step into another place and time, when New York was dirty, the punk women at the adult parties wore silver combat boots, street artists jumped fences to paste up posters, and artist lofts in SoHo were a new idea. Kids with an artistic eye or urban tastes will enjoy this honest rendering. The sounds of the trucks outside of the window unloading their wares, the slurping of noodles at a favorite restaurant in Chinatown, the colors springing to life in the studio's mixing palette are vividly and memorably rendered.

However, for a book claiming to be a mystery, the mystery reads like a side note. It can't really compete with the throb of the city and the emotional riptide dragging Olympia's mother deeper into depression. The reactions that the characters have to the mysterious disappearance are more compelling than the mystery itself. Like the description of a city kid being taken outside of the urban core for the first time; it's riveting to get a glimpse of a boat ride through Olympia's eyes, and to feel her fall asleep in a room that is really, truly quiet. At its core, this book is a trip through the lens of an artist. Its appeal to ask for help when things are too overwhelming is on point. Though it seems to end a bit too conveniently, the destination is worth the ride.