Review Detail

Ingrid Laws fantasy/realistic fiction novel, Savvy, was a delightful read! Law employs a cast of intriguing and often unpredictable characters to flesh out a unique and entertaining plot. Mississippi Beaumont (Mibs, for short) is about to turn 13. Not only will she be a teenager, but she will discover her savvy. A savvy, as Mibs family calls it, is a secret talent that sets the Beaumonts apart from other people in the most extraordinary of ways. Mibs Grandfather Bomba can move mountains; her oldest brother, Rocket, can manipulate electricity; her mothers savvy is being perfect, and another brother, Fish, can create severe storms. As exciting as this sounds, Mibs has cause for concern: when her brothers first discovered their savvies, the results were catastrophic. Could the same fate be in store for Mibs?

Sadly, just days before her 13^th birthday, Mibs Poppa is involved in a terrible car accident that leaves him in critical condition at a hospital in Salina, Kansas, a town at least 60 miles from where Mibs and her family lives. Mibs knows for certain that she can use what she thinks is her savvy to save her father, if she can only figure out a way to reach him.

When Mibs, her brothers, and the local pastors two children stowaway on a pink bus owned by an awkward Bible salesman, the real adventure begins. On the mixed up journey, Mibs discovers her true savvy and realizes that love and friendship can be found in the oddest of places.

The novel started out slowly, and it was a struggle to keep reading. But the paced picked up after the kids hid on the bus, and it was wild ride until the end. Law seems to love language, and I enjoyed the playful, sometimes nonsensical words she injected throughout the story. I got the sense the she really enjoyed telling this tale. I know I enjoyed reading it.