This is a perfect mystery read aloud for an elementary classroom. Deeper than your traditional early mystery with well-developed characters, Warga has readers not only invested in finding the missing painting but also in seeing characters right the wrongs of the past.

Jasmine Warga, master of all things Middle Grade! All through this book I kept thinking, THIS is how you write a Middle Grade mystery! It was compelling without being confusing. Emotional without being cheesy. Understandable without being condescending. Perfect characters, perfect arc, perfect pacing - I can’t wait to get a physical copy and book talk the heck out of this title at school.

Yes, this is the story of two kids banding together to solve a stolen painting mystery, but it’s so much more than that. I kept thinking about the parallels between Rami feeling invisible and his ability to see “invisible” details that others overlook. Having an open mind and being open to new possibilities allows him to see the world in a new way and find out that he is seen by others in return. It doesn’t sugarcoat the middle school experience, but it does remind the reader (again, without being condescending) the importance of opening up to the safe people around them.

The ending of this book is so satisfying and ties the different POVs together in such a creative way. I don’t see many kids guessing the ending (I didn’t!) which means this story will for sure elicit gasps of delight from many readers!

Middle grade novels have gotten lengthy lately. I am always on the hunt for good novels that are shorter in length. This was perfect. Great story. Fun characters. Good mystery and a shorter length. I can see this being a hit with middle grade readers

This book will be my go-to book middle grade talk in the library this fall. From its gentle mystery to its multi-POV short chapter construction, this book will be a huge hit to a wide range of readers.

Just finished A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga , and like everything else I’ve read by her it was fantastic! It's a great mystery with endearing characters, a turtle, and a ghost, I will definitely rec to students!

I love Warga's writing style and voice - it is so easy to slip into a story she writes before you even realize you are completely engaged. In this book, Warga shifts from the science fiction story of a sentient robot on Mars who is gathering data and trying to navigate emotions when he is supposed to have none to a stolen painting in an art museum.

Rami's mother works at a custodian at the art museum, so Rami gets to hang out a lot. Which is good since school is not going great, and the guys who used to be his friends have frozen him out and he is certain they are making fun of him and causing all the other kids not to like him anymore. But it's also bad because when the painting is stolen, his mom becomes a suspect, and by extension so does he, especially if people listen to one of the guards.

Rami begins searching for the thief in order to prove his mother's innocence and ends up finding many other things: not all the kids at school have been listening to his two bad former friends, and that his mother might have some secrets.

This is a solid choice for an upper elementary library or classroom. It's not long, and is easy to read, which will gain readership. This will likely also be a contender for state reading award lists.

I absolutely adored this gentle middle grade mystery! Warga knocks it out of the park (again) with this perfectly paced, not-too-spooky ghost story. Short chapters and expertly done shifting perspectives will keep readers turning the pages. I can't wait to press this into so many little hands when it publishes in September!

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those times when I can’t really remember what made me request a particular title. I’m familiar with Jasmine Warga - I think I read about half of Other Words for Home in library school - but she’s not a can’t miss author for me (although she probably is now!). Warga mentions in the author’s note that this is meant to evoke the mystery stories she read and fell in love with as a kid. It definitely has a timeless, nostalgic feel, even though it’s set in the present day.

When the novel opens, a painting has been stolen from The Penelope, a small art museum in a converted Victorian house. The only witness? A turtle named Agatha. Turtle aside, this reminded me of the Isabella Stewart-Gardiner art theft, although that’s not mentioned in the current version of the author’s note, so it’s probably a coincidence. The painting is by a semi-famous local artist named HF Bottemtow, and although she’s still alive, she hasn’t been heard from in years, and the nursing home where she lives has cut off non-family visitors, since so many press people keep showing up. Our main character Rami’s mother works at the museum, and she just happened to be working the day of the theft (which happened on the one day a week the museum is closed for deep cleaning, so of course the cleaning crew are all prime suspects). Rami knows his mother would never put her job in jeopardy like that, so he and his new friend Veda work to clear her name and figure out who really stole the painting. There are tweenage hijinks and library research, and a couple of heisty situations that strain credibility (just like an old Nancy Drew book!). It’s ultimately a really sweet story about friendship and family. And also there’s a ghost! (sort of)

I liked Rami a lot. He’s dealing with typical middle school growing pains - the friends he’s had since elementary school ditched him for seemingly no reason (they’re “cool”, he’s not), and he feels invisible. But there’s a floating girl in the museum who really *is* invisible…until Rami starts talking to her. She doesn’t know her name, or why she’s there, or why she can’t seem to leave the museum. So Rami and Veda have two mysteries to solve - who stole the painting, and who’s the floating girl? (Veda can see her too)

This is one I would have loved to use for a 7th grade read aloud if I were still teaching. The chapters aren’t terribly long, so there are plenty of good stopping points. There’s a good mystery to keep them interested, but the plot isn’t so complicated you need a roadmap to follow it (that’s what makes mysteries tricky read alouds! I’d end up spending 5 minutes recapping everything before we could start reading).

I feel like I’m preferring middle grade over YA lately. The last few YA books I’ve read, I’ve been more interested in what the adults were up to. For some reason, I still find middle grade characters and plots charming, but I get easily irritated with YA (to quote one of my coworkers - I just don’t care about your math test!). I’m not really sure what it is - maybe the lack of focus on romance? Middle grade books tend to focus more on friendship, family, friends-as-family.

Rami fears his mother will be accused of stealing a pastoral painting from the museum where she works. He and his new friend Veda set about to uncover the true thief aided by a barefoot girl ghost who resembles the person in the missing picture and an observant turtle, who resides in the pond in the museum’s courtyard.

Incredibly riveting mystery involving a missing painting, a ghostly girl, an artistic turtle. Can Rami figure it out?
I loved the themes, which are similar to those in A Rover’s Story.
Must read!

11 year old Rami is having a weird sixth grade year. His friends have become strangely distant, he’s starting to have questions about his missing father, the art museum where his mother works had a painting stolen during his mother’s cleaning shift, oh, and he’s been talking to a floating girl who can’t remember her name. Strange things are indeed happening at Cherry Hall and Rami and his friend Veda are on the case.
This new offering from Jasmine Warga is a perfect gentle/spookyish/mystery story for middle grade readers who aren’t yet ready for high stakes spookiness. This one is kind of a hybrid ghost story/mystery with a little bit of a fun animal story tossed in as well.
I think readers in grades 3-5 will find this story is right in their sweet spot. It has that lovely gentle appeal that books like Katherine Applegate’s Wishtree and Naomi Shihab Nye’s The Turtle Of Oman have. Fans of these types of books will adore Cherry Hall. I give it five Agatha-drawn stars! 🐢 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Absolutely loved this poignant mystery in which a missing painting brings friends together. 6th grade has been hard for Rami, and he has lost his confidence, feeling invisible. When a painting goes missing in the art gallery where his mom works, and a mysterious girl appears only to Rami, he is intrigued. When his classmate Veda catches the scent, they partner up to solve the mystery of who stole the painting and why, who witnessed the crime, and who the mysterious floating girl is that only the two kids can talk to and see.
A mystery with links to the past, written in a tone reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo's work, this is a compelling read that is hard to put down. I was impressed with how the characters came to life, how the story felt both simple and profound, and how expertly the story was paced. Well done, Jasmine Warga!

Rami, the son of a museum employee, is present at the scene of the crime when a painting is stolen. Determined to clear his name (and his mom's too) he sets out to find the painting and also to figure out what's going on with the floating girl in the gallery who doesn't remember who she is. He teams up with Veda, and with the help of stepping outside of his comfort zone and an artistic turtle, tries to solve both mysteries.

This was a sweet, gentle mystery and friendship story, with a hint of magical realism. Jasmine Warga is a great writer - I'm amazed by how skillfully she approaches different styles and formats of writing. This book in particular has a strong Rebecca Stead/Wendy Mass vibe, a la The Lost Library. It will be a huge hit with teachers, librarians, and general grown-ups. Content-wise, this book is just right for the younger end of middle grade (3rd and 4th graders) because it's not scary and focuses on friendship. However, magical realism and perspective shifts can be tricky for those younger readers. For all of those reasons, I think this book is perfect for a classroom read-aloud at the beginning of a mystery unit or genre study.

I really enjoy a good mystery and had heard good things about A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall. I was hesitant to read it as a ghost plays a promenade role in the story. I don't usually like ghost stories. However, this wasn't a scary, creepy, horror kind of ghost story, and I found I didn't mind the ghost at all. In fact, she was one of my favorite characters in the book. But . . . I'm getting ahead of myself.

This is a story filled with invisible people (and animals). Well, not truly invisible - aside from one, but I don't want to spoil too much. From Rami's mom, a cleaner at the local art museum, down to Agatha, a turtle who lives in the museum garden. Actually, most of the characters in this story feel unseen in some way or another. The thing that is most unseen, however, is the often overlooked painting, "Untitled," that has been stolen from the library. Now, all eyes are on the museum with Rami and his mom appearing to be top suspects. Rami has to clear his name and his mom's name and find the true thief. He can't achieve such a monumental task alone, but who can help him? He doesn't have any friends, and no one seems to notice him at all.

This is ultimately a story about being seen, about seeing others. As a middle grade novel, there were, of course, some things that were a pit far-fetched, but overall, I found A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall to be an enjoyable read. I feel like the ending won't be predictable for most people, but a few keen eyes might pick up on the culprit before they are revealed. While I do like Agatha, the turtle, I'm not sure the addition of her character was entirely necessary, but I know some people would disagree.

Overall I would recommend this book to middle grader who love a good caper and would be pleased with a friendly ghost thrown in the mix, especially if said reader often feels a bit unseen by those around them.

Jasmine Warga hits it out of the park again with a fantastical mystery. I am excited to add this to my library collection and recommend it to my students who love mysteries and all things spooky.

Fast read that was super enjoyable! Full of mystery, excitement, and a bit of spooky mixed in- perfect read for middle grade kids. I think many of them will identify with Rami and his struggles with friends, and hopefully strive to be more like Veda! Another heart filled book by Jasmine Warga! Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

The unique characters and setting of this story drew me in, and the plot kept me reading! We first meet Agatha, a turtle, who is a witness to the theft that is at the center of the story. Then Rami meets a ghost, who he knows he has seen before. Rami and his classmate, Vada, attempt to solve the mystery of the stolen painting. In doing so, Rami seeks answers of his own. He wants to know about his dad, and about how his mom used to be happy. As I read, I found myself cheering for Rami and Vada, and trying to solve the mystery right alongside them. The mystery will draw readers in, but they also will learn about the importance of belonging, and wanting to feel seen. This book will have a place on my library shelves, and I am excited to recommend it to kids!

This was such a lovely middle grade mystery! The narrative voice was very engaging and I enjoyed reading about a not-quite-alive-but-not-a-ghost character. The big reveal of the art thief was surprising but not out of nowhere. I look forward to recommending this to patrons.

This was a charming, heartwarming story for middle grade lovers of mystery and ghosts.

A missing painting. A floating girl. A turtle who knows the whole story. What a fun mix of concepts.

Rami feels unseen until he finds Veda who is brave enough to confront not only the clues to solve the mystery but also to have the courage to be who you are.