Bad Kid

Description: In the Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park, eleven-year-old Claudeline Feng LeBernardin hopes to take over the "family business" previously run by her mobster grandfather, but first she must try to uncover a local scam artist and salvage her friendship with her best friend and partner in crime, Fingerless Brett.

Brief description: Sarah Lariviere grew up in Champaign, Illinois. She graduated from Oberlin College and has a master's degree in social work from Hunter College in New York City, where she specialized in casework with children and families. She wrote The Bad Kid in Paris, France, and Austin, Texas. She now writes, makes art, cooks, and gardens in San Francisco, California, with her husband, Tim Mapp, and their children, Adèle and Laszlo.

Review Quotes: "The humor, quirky characters, and contemporary New York setting, combined with the gangster lore, make this ideal for middle grade readers who enjoy slightly naughty characters with hearts of gold. VERDICT A unique offering with an atypical protagonist; recommended for kids who like mysteries and crime-solving."-- "School Library Journal"