Searching for Lottie

"Readers will appreciate putting together the puzzle pieces, which are loosely based on the author's own family's story. A highly accessible and endearing historical mystery about a painful period of the past that still resonates in the contemporary landscape."—Kirkus Reviews

"Ross (Kiki and Jacques) convincingly depicts Charlie's growing passion for—and persistence in—her quest, together with her love for music and a blossoming crush on a fellow musician. Family relationships, as well as issues of aging and Alzheimer’s, are drawn with gentleness and compassion. Ross moves the story at a smooth pace as Charlie encounters new obstacles and overcomes them, thanks to several serendipitous events. This is a tender, hopeful work with just the right level of suspense for younger fans of historical fiction."—Publishers Weekly


"Charlie’s quest for information is realistically interrupted by her own life as a middle-schooler with crushes, friends, and her violin practice, and her competitive but still affectionate relationship with her brother underlines the loss that her grandmother feels in her sister’s disappearance. When the perennial family history project approaches, readers may be inspired to explore lesser-known limbs of their family tree to find surprises of their own."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A satisfactory Holocaust story with encouraging words for readers to spark storytelling and genealogical research."—School Library Journal

 
"While tweens will identify with the daily challenges Charlie faces (her best friend moving, her crush on a cello player, her relationship with her older brother), this is all background for an unpredictable, page-turning mystery. Students may be motivated to find out more about this horrific period in world history or become interested in genealogy. . . . A short novel with brief chapters, this title would be an excellent read aloud for instruction on the Holocaust or for recognizing Remembrance Day on May 2nd."—School Library Connection