Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose [Hardcover]

Mary Quattlebaum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 14, 2006 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Jackson Jones

Jackson Jones can't get away from roses. First his mother got him a plot at Rooter's, a community garden, where Jackson planted a rosebush of thorns and no blooms. Now Mr. K., a fellow gardener, enlists Jackson's help to rustle up some hardier, prettier, sweeter-smelling old-time roses. The kind that grow in cemeteries! But no sooner do Jackson and his good friend, Reuben, take the rose cutting home than Reuben's gloom-and-doom talk of curses seems real.

Broken bones. Poison ivy. Stinging bees. Jackson doesn't want to believe that anyone who comes in contact with the cemetery roses or cut twig suffers any of these consequences. But could it be that by taking the cutting, Jackson places his friends, Rooter's, and even himself--gulp!--under the curse of the outlaw rose?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–A well-written, fast-paced adventure for early chapter book readers. Things get a little thorny for Quattlebaum's green-thumb hero in this third installment. Jackson Jones, still tending his plot of land at the community garden, is now working for his neighbor, Mr. K. In fact, it is the old bossy man who brings on a new garden of trouble for Jackson and sidekick Reuben when they agree to become rose rustlers. Stealing a clipping of an old rose branch from a cemetery seems to bring on a number of unpleasant incidents, convincing the boys that they are cursed. Is the mysterious rose branch to blame for poison ivy, bee stings, and a broken leg? Can the spooky rose twig be returned? Engaging characters, a unique mystery, and the familiarity of returning cast members (although this book does stand on its own) make this an appealing selection. The book also includes an interesting note about antique roses.–Jennifer Cogan, Bucks County Free Library, Doylestown, PA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In a lively companion to Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns (1994), which won the Marguerite de Angeli prize, Jackson, 10, and his friends are continuing to work on their plot in an inner-city community garden. This time, however, things get shivery when Jackson takes a rose twig from an abandoned cemetery. Suddenly bad things begin to happen. Is there a curse on those who rustle rare, old-time roses? Why is a huge bee following the kids? Once again Jackson's wry contemporary narrative packs exciting facts about plants and how they grow into a warm story of friends and neighbors. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (November 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385733496
• ISBN-13: 978-0385733496
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,596,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Quattlebaum is an award-winning children's book author. Her new picture book Pirate vs. Pirate is a "rip-roaring pirate yarn" (Booklist) about two buccaneers--a guy and a girl--who both want to be the biggest, baddest pirate in the world. School Library Journal gave it a "four-arrrrr! rating."

Pirate vs. Pirate was inspired by Mary's husband, who asked for a pirate book so he could dress up like a pirate at book events. Mary actually is amazed at the number of kids (and adults) who, like her husband, want to dress up like pirates and shout "arrrr" along with the characters in the book.

Some of Mary's other titles include Winter Friends (starred review, Publishers Weekly), a book of poems based on her snowy city neighborhood, and Sparks Fly High (starred review, Kirkus), her retelling of a Colonial American folktale. Mary's humorous Jackson Jones chapter-book series features a city boy and his adventures in a community garden. The first book, Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns, was called "fast-paced and funny" (Booklist). The latest title, Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose, is a "unique mystery" (School Library Journal) about a haunted, historical rosebush.

Mary is eagerly awaiting two soon-to-be-published picture books. The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans is about a playful ghost who haunts a New Orleans restaurant. Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond was inspired by the pond and wild critters of Mary's country childhood.

When she is not writing, Mary likes to garden, read, walk the family dogs, play the harmonica (badly), juggle (very badly), and eat popcorn (noisily).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent mystery for ages 8-12 evolves., February 3, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose (Hardcover)

Mary Quattlebaum's JACKSON JONES AND THE CURSE OF THE OUTLAW ROSE tells of Jackson, who can't get away from roses between his mother and a fellow gardener. But Mr. K. needs help obtaining some rare old-time roses that grow in cemeteries - and which may provoke a centuries-old curse. Can it be a string of bad luck - or has Jackson put himself and his friends in danger? An excellent mystery for ages 8-12 evolves.