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The Bad Kid

By Sarah Lariviere

Claudeline Feng LeBernardin learns what it really means to be bad in this “sharp, fun, and optimistic” (Kirkus Reviews) Edgar Award–nominated mystery reminiscent of Harriet the Spy.

Claudeline Feng LeBernardin is very good at being bad. Her Grandpa Si was a real-life gangster, and Claude always thought she’d take over the family business when he was gone. Instead, Claude’s dad is in charge—and she’s sure he’s running things into the ground. She wants to step in, but her parents are keeping secrets and her partner in crime, Fingerless Brett, is suddenly on the straight and narrow.

Then, when a very strange character by the name of Alma Lingonberry shows up in the neighborhood, Claude gets closer to the crime life than ever. Before long, she’s swept up in a maddening mystery that’s got her wondering: What does it really mean to be bad?
Photograph by Tim Mapp
Sarah Lariviere

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.

"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. A unique offering with an atypical protagonist; recommended for kids who like mysteries and crime-solving."

– School Library Journal

"Hard-boiled narrator Claude's world is diverse, bright, and textured, reflecting the best parts of Brooklyn's distinctive charm...Sharp, fun, and optimistic, the novel will have readers rooting for Claude until the end."

– Kirkus Reviews

"In her pursuit of the truth, Claude reclaims faltering relationships with family and friends and solves a darn good little mystery into the bargain."

– BCCB

The Bad Kid

By Sarah Lariviere