Chasing Vermeer book cover

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett Summary

Chasing Vermeer
Blue Balliett
Mystery
Fiction
Education
Creativity
Overview
Key Takeaways
Author
FAQs

Overview of Chasing Vermeer

When art meets mystery: "Chasing Vermeer" turns two sixth-grade misfits into detectives hunting a stolen masterpiece. This Edgar Award-winning puzzle book, illustrated with hidden clues by Brett Helquist, challenges readers to see patterns where others see only coincidence.

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Key takeaways

1

When Art Speaks to Those Who Listen

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What if a stolen masterpiece could communicate with you through dreams? In the shadowy corridors of Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, two unlikely sixth-grade detectives are about to discover that art isn't just something hanging on museum walls - it's alive, mysterious, and sometimes desperately trying to tell us something. When a priceless Vermeer painting vanishes, Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay find themselves drawn into a web of coincidences too perfect to be random. Strange letters appear, dreams reveal unseen paintings, and mathematical patterns emerge where none should exist. As they navigate this intellectual labyrinth, they'll discover that seeing isn't just looking - it's understanding the hidden connections that bind us all together across time and space. What begins as a classroom assignment becomes a dangerous adventure that will challenge everything they thought they knew about art, truth, and the boundaries between reality and imagination.

2

The Outsiders Who See What Others Miss

3

When Coincidences Become Too Perfect

4

The Theft and Hidden Patterns

5

The Hunt for Hidden Treasures

6

When Young Detectives Face Real Danger

7

The Art of Seeing What Others Miss

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@Matt, YC alum
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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254
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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