Playing for Keeps [Turtleback]

Joan Lowery Nixon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2003

Rosie can’t believe her good luck. Her grandmother, Glory, needs a last-minute roommate for a cruise to the Caribbean. But Glory doesn’t really need a companion–she’s eager for Rosie to meet her friend’s grandson, Neil, a brainy guy full of facts about baseball. Once Rosie is aboard the ship, though, someone else catches her eye–a boy her own age, who introduces himself as Ricky Diago. But after the ship sails, Rosie only sees Ricky’s uncle, Mr. Diago. What’s even stranger is that Neil could swear that Mr. Diago is actually a famous Cuban baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds. Then after a day’s excursion, Rosie is approached by another boy who claims he’s Ricky Diago. She’s certain he’s not the person she met before. Suddenly Rosie finds herself caught in a high-stakes adventure of international intrigue with life-or-death consequences. Who is the real Ricky Diago? And how far is Rosie willing to go to help him?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 6-10. While on a luxury cruise with her grandmother, Glory 16-year-old Rose Marstead worries about the Titanic (think the movie). Also on the ship is superbrain Neil, whom Glory thinks of as the "right kind" of date for her granddaughter. But Rose falls in love with gorgeous Ricky Diago, a Cuban refugee whose life is in danger. As Glory and her friends enjoy the bridge tournament and the fancy dinners, the teens hang out on the sundeck and at the disco. But someone is stalking Rose and Ricky, and there are some intriguing questions: Why was Ricky's rescuer murdered? Did Ricky do it? The fast-paced combination of suspense and romance and the likable teen heroine are sure to appeal to Nixon's many fans. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

Rosie can?t believe her good luck. Her grandmother, Glory, needs a last-minute roommate for a cruise to the Caribbean. But Glory doesn?t really need a companion?she?s eager for Rosie to meet her friend?s grandson, Neil, a brainy guy full of facts about baseball. Once Rosie is aboard the ship, though, someone else catches her eye?a boy her own age, who introduces himself as Ricky Diago. But after the ship sails, Rosie only sees Ricky?s uncle, Mr. Diago. What?s even stranger is that Neil could swear that Mr. Diago is actually a famous Cuban baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds. Then after a day?s excursion, Rosie is approached by another boy who claims he?s Ricky Diago. She?s certain he?s not the person she met before. Suddenly Rosie finds herself caught in a high-stakes adventure of international intrigue with life-or-death consequences. Who is the real Ricky Diago? And how far is Rosie willing to go to help him? --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Turtleback: 199 pages
• Publisher: Demco Media (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606286217
• ISBN-13: 978-0606286213
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Playing For Keeps, December 21, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Playing for Keeps (Mass Market Paperback)

Playing for Keeps, a suspenseful book with murders, adventure, and some fun, is about a fourteen-year-old girl, Julia. Julia meets a boy, Ricky, tall, dark, and handsome, on a cruise ship. They become good friends. Her grandma who was as old as dirt is on the cruise for a shuffleboard tournament. She wants Julia to meet another boy. Julia's friend, who came with her, has met Ricky and has been spending a lot of time with him lately. Julia is starting to get jealous. One day when the kids were in the teen lounge, an announcement came on the loudspeaker, which stated that they were at the paradise island of Cozumel. They got out and toured the busy city; they noticed a lot of busses and trams. The scent of diesel fuel clogged their noses as they headed back towards the ship.

Once on, the buzz was getting around that a crewmember, first mate to be exact, was killed off the coast. The body was recovered in fishing net. Ricky's uncle was suspected of the murder. "It was a lefty with a light blue pocketed shirt," said the night watch. Julia was trying to help Ricky and his uncle to be innocent, but secrets are unveiled that might make it impossible. Is Ricky really who he says he is? Did his uncle commit the crime? Why is he suspected? Read on and find out. Playing for Keeps is a fiction book, for adventure readers. You can never be too careful.

4.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Most Mysterious, Exciting Book In The World!!!, October 1, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Playing for Keeps (Mass Market Paperback)

The book I read and liked very much, was called �gPlaying For Keeps.�h I bet you already knew this author�fs name, and his name is Joan Lowery. I think he writes books that has narrative hook, which means grabs reader�fs attention, and make our feelings �gWants to read more and more.�h Playing For Keeps is a book, which is a fiction story, and it is adventure, and mystery.
It is a book about teenage girl named Rose, and went to the cruise by ship with her grandma, and grandma�fs friend, and her friend�fs grandson, Nick. At the ship, Rose will meet the boy, Ricky. From the day they met, they are in love. But Ricky is in danger, because he just escaped from Cuba, and the Cuban government is searching for him. If somebody from Cuban government finds him, they will take him back to Cuba, and the punishment---to kill him. And, there is another problem. The captain was killed on the ship, and when police found him, he was holding blue t-shirt�fs pocket. They start searching for the people who have the blue shirts which has ripped on the pocket part.
Do you think Rose and her friends, can solve who killed the captain and help Ricky???
I think this book has lot of strength, because again, it has narrative hook, and it has lot of mysteries. I don�ft think it doesn�ft have any weakness, but I don�ft recommend this book to the children who are 2nd or 3rd grade, because it might make little kids scared, because one of the characters are killed by someone.
I recommend to boys and girls and adults, but I really recommends to the teenage girls, because the main character is a teenage girl, and I think you can feel the same feeling as main character.
I am pretty sure that you will enjoy this book, and thank you so much for reading about �gPlaying for the Keeps,�h one of my favorite books in the world.

3.0 out of 5 stars Playing for Keeps, April 29, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Playing for Keeps (Hardcover)

PLAYING FOR KEEPS, by Joan Lowery Nixon, was about Rose Ann Marstead, a sixteen-year old girl who went on a cruise with her grandmother, Glory. Traveling with Glory's friend, Eloise, and Eloise's grandson Neil, Rosie discovered a mystery on the ship. She met a Cuban, Ricky Diago, who feld Cuba and was trying to reach American soil. After two murders, in which Ricky was suspected, Rosie was determined to prove him innocent.

I could probably relate closer to Rosie than any of the other characters. Although I have never helped solve any murder cases, I have felt some of the same things she felt. Before Rosie left, she got into a fight with her mom, and she felt bad the whole trip. She felt bad because she decided to go on the cruise with her grandmother, who, in her mother's eyes, always won. I also feel the same stress she felt of trying to please everyone with her decisions and the way things are handled.

I enjoyed PLAYING FOR KEEPS a great deal. It was an amusing mystery with a fun-loving story line. My favorite part of the book would have to be when Rosie began looking for clues as to who the actual murderer was. My least favorite part would be when Rosie and her mother fought because, although it added to the story, it was just a tiny aspect of it.

I would recommend this book to people. I would think that young teenagers, probably girls (it can get a little cheesy!), would enjoy this book the most. ALso, you should enjoy reading mysteries with a fun, cutesy twist. So all you young, teenage girls out there, just remember PLAYING FOR KEEPS, by Joan Lowery Nixon.