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First US edition cover
Author	Blue Balliett
Cover artist	Brett Helquist
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Children's Mystery Fiction
Publisher	Scholastic Press
Released	2003
Media type	Print Hardcover
Pages	256
ISBN	ISBN 0-439-37294-1
Followed by	The Wright 3

Chasing Vermeer is a children's book by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist, illustrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Chasing Vermeer Book Cover Taken from the Library of Congress catalog through a link at the [1] San Diego Library On-Line Catalog This image is a book cover. ... Elizabeth Blue Balliett Klein is an American author, best known for her award-winning novel for children, Chasing Vermeer. ... Link titleBold text--82. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is an American book publishing company known for publishing educational materials for schools, teachers, and parents, and selling and distributing them by mail order and via book clubs and book fairs. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Wright 3 is the sequel to Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist. ... Elizabeth Blue Balliett Klein is an American author, best known for her award-winning novel for children, Chasing Vermeer. ... Link titleBold text--82. ... A Series of Unfortunate Events is a childrens book series, written by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket, and illustrated by Brett Helquist. ...

Synopsis

In this art mystery, two sixth graders, Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay, are intertwined in the story by a series of unknown coincidences. These events continue, drawing them ever deeper into the theft of a Johannes Vermeer painting, A Lady Writing a Letter, en route from the National Gallery of Art (in Washington D.C.) to Chicago. Girl with a Pearl Earring, known as the Mona Lisa of the North Johannes Vermeer or Jan Vermeer (baptized October 31, 1632, died December 15, 1675) was a Dutch painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of ordinary bourgeois life. ... A Lady Writing a Letter, currently owned by the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. A Lady Writing a Letter is a painting attributed to 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. ... The West building of the National Gallery of Art with the East building visible behind and to to the left The National Gallery of Art is an art museum, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The museum was established in 1937 by the Congress, with funds for... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

The mathematical puzzle known as the pentomino plays a great role in the book, as well as emphasizing the admittedly empty spaces in accounts of the Vermeer's life. A pentomino is a polyomino composed of five (Greek πέντε / pente) congruent squares, connected orthogonally. ...

Code

As stated in the preface, throughout the book there is a code hidden in the illustrations. The code involves images of pentominoes and a particular animal. To decode the code you must count the number of frogs in every other illustration, as well as find the hidden pentomino. Once you have collected these facts you may use the same code presented in the story (on page 57 of the American Version) that Calder and Tommy use in the book. When decoded the message reads "The Lady Lives." The book also uses this same code as a narrative device which, in turn, becomes a clue to the illustration puzzle. A pentomino is a polyomino composed of five (Greek πέντε / pente) congruent squares, connected orthogonally. ...

Awards

Alternate cover, contrasting the Helquist illustrations with the Vermeer painting, A Lady Writing.

Chasing Vermeer received much critical acclaim following its release. It was the Book Sense Book of the Year Award winner, as well as the recipient of an Edgar Award and an Agatha Award. Parents' Choice Foundation and Child Magazine both gave it honors, and it was a Booklist editor's choice, as well as listed as a "Top 10 youth mystery." A New York Times notable title, it also won the Chicago Tribune Prize for Young Adult fiction. Image File history File links Chver. ... Image File history File links Chver. ... Book Sense is a family of independent booksellers who organized in order to better compete with the large book chains. ... The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (popularly called the Edgars), named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America. ... The Agatha Awards are literary awards for mystery and crime writers who write mystery novels in the traditional method exemplified by Agatha Christie. ... The Parents Choice Awards is an award by the non-profitThe Parents Choice Foundation, established in 1978 in Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland, USA. The award is for Identifying the best products for children of different ages, backgrounds, skills, and interests, the awards are given to products that meet and exceed standards... Booklist is the digital counterpart of the American Library Associations Booklist magazine that provides a critical review of books. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ...

Trivia

• A sequel, The Wright 3, was released in 2006.
• Warner Brothers recently acquired the rights to a film version of the book. No release date has been announced.

The Wright 3 is the sequel to Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist. ... Warner Bros. ... Chasing Vermeer is a film based on the novel Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett and Brett Helquist. ...

External links

• Official website
• New York Times book review