Book Review: Out of the Box

Title: Out of the Box
Author: Michelle Mulder
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
ISBN: 9781554693283


Book Source: review copy from author


Ellie's father is a withdrawn workaholic.  Her mother is sensitive and emotionally volatile.  Thirteen-year-old Ellie is the glue that holds her family together.  That's why she's so nervous about spending an entire summer away from home, visiting her free-spirited Aunt Jeanette.  Soon after arriving in Victoria, however, Ellie realizes how much she enjoys just being a teenager, despite her lingering worries about the situation back home.

While cleaning out Jeanette's crowded basement, Ellie discovers a bandoneón, an Argentinian instrument sort of like an accordion.  Bandoneóns are a key component of Ellie's favorite tango music, and she immediately starts learning to play.   Then she discovers money and papers, hidden in the instrument's case.  The find launches a search for the bandoneón's original owners, and solving this family's mysteries changes the way Ellie views her own.


The first thing that struck me about Out of the Box was how much Michelle Mulder manages to accomplish in only 150 pages.  She balances characters and subplots with the style and dexterity of a world-class juggler, and never does a ball hit the ground.  From a writer's perspective, I was hugely impressed by this mastery of craft; as a reader, I felt immersed in a fully-developed world.  This is a contemporary novel, containing neither action nor adventure, but it's a page-turner all the same.

Ellie is a sympathetic and relateable protagonist, and her friend Sarah is quirky and delightful.  I was also rather fond of Jeanette's partner Alison,  whose character is vividly portrayed, despite the fact that she passed away before the story begins.  I felt that the bandoneón subplot relied a teensy bit on coincidences, but overall, a credible explanation is provided for the instrument's travels.  There is also an author's note giving historical background on the more chilling aspects of the book's Argentinian storyline. 

In many ways, Out of the Box reminded me of Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution.  There's secret information in the lining of an instrument's case, a historical mystery set in turbulent times, and a contemporary family crisis tying the whole thing together.  However, Revolution is targeted at older teens, while Out of the Box works for kids ages ten and up. 

For more information on Michelle Mulder and her books, visit her website.