Charlie and Frog

Charlie Tickler has been unceremoniously dumped with his sedentary, tv-obsessed grandparents in the village of Castle-on-the-Hudson, while his parents are off to Africa to save gorillas. Castle-on-the-Hudson may not have cell phone or Internet service, but it does have murder, intrigue, and a school for the deaf. Lonely and bored, Charlie decides to visit the library, where he meets an elderly deaf woman who looks frightened and tries to tell him something. But Charlie doesn't understand, and when it looks like the woman has disappeared, he searches for an answer. The answer comes by way of Frog-a local girl who is deaf. She reveals the woman's desperate message: dead. Charlie has no idea what this could mean, but Frog sees this as a chance to solve a real life mystery, just like her favorite fictional detective character, Dorrie McCann.

Now, Charlie must learn sign language to fully communicate with Frog, who despite being deaf interacts easily with everyone she meets. Charlie is a fast learner, and not only finds new ways to communicate his feelings, but also forges a lasting friendship.

“"The mystery here is entertaining, but what makes the book unique is its positive and thorough incorporation of deafness. Kane is a graduate of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and she seamlessly integrates American Sign Language (ASL) and deaf characters into the story, subtly reminding readers that these are capable, complete individuals. A worthy addition to mystery collections."-- Booklist”

"An enjoyable read that artfully mixes adventure, heart, and cultural competence."--Kirkus Reviews
"Kane's debut, a light and engaging mystery, takes on added depth through its focus on the Deaf community. Charlie longs for kinship with others; intriguingly, it's through learning sign language that he finds friendship and connection."--Publisher's Weekly
"The mystery here is entertaining, but what makes the book unique is its positive and thorough incorporation of deafness. Kane is a graduate of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and she seamlessly integrates American Sign Language (ASL) and deaf characters into the story, subtly reminding readers that these are capable, complete individuals. A worthy addition to mystery collections."--Booklist

Karen Kane is currently at Gallaudet University in Washington DC, the world's only university for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, and has worked as an interpreter for the Deaf community for over 25 years. She graduated from Vermont College of Fine Arts in January 2016 with a MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults and worked on Charlie and Frog with A.S. King, Tom Birdseye and award-winning Canadian author Tim Wynne. Karen lives in Washington DC with her husband and youngest daughter.

Edgar Award Finalist for Best Middle Grade Mystery All Charlie Tickler wants is for his parents to listen. Charlie's parents have left him (again). This time they are off to South Africa to help giant golden moles. And Charlie? He's been dumped with his TV-obsessed grandparents. Lonely and curious, Charlie heads into the village of Castle-on-the-Hudson, where a frightened old woman gives him a desperate message-in sign language. When she suddenly disappears, Charlie is determined to find answers. All Francine (aka Frog) Castle wants is to be the world's greatest detective. Frog, who is Deaf, would rather be solving crimes than working at the Flying Hands Caf. When Charlie Tickler walks into the caflooking for help, Frog jumps at the chance to tackle a real-life case. Together, Charlie and Frog set out to decipher a series of clues and uncover the truth behind the missing woman's mysterious message. Charlie needs to learn American Sign Language ( fast) to keep up with quick-witted Frog. And Frog needs to gather her detective know-how ( now ) to break the case before it's too late. Discover the surprising ways people listen in debut author Karen Kane's page-turning mystery filled with humor, intrigue, and heartwarming friendships.

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