Savvy (novel) facts for kids
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First edition cover
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| Author | Ingrid Law |
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| Illustrator | Elizabeth Parker |
| Cover artist | Hennie Haworth |
| Country | United States of America |
| Language | English |
| Series | Savvy |
| Subject | Kid's fiction coming-of-age tale |
| Genre | Fiction, children's literature |
| Publisher | Penguin Group |
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Publication date
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May 1, 2008 |
| Media type | Hardback, paperback audio |
| Pages | 342 |
| ISBN | 978-0-14-132419-7 |
| OCLC | 222152797 |
| LC Class | PZ7.L41836 Sav 2008 |
| Followed by | Scumble |
Savvy is a 2008 fantasy novel for children. It was written by Ingrid Law. The story is about a girl named Mibs Beaumont. She is almost thirteen years old. In Mibs's family, everyone gets a special power, called a "savvy," when they turn thirteen.
Just before Mibs's birthday, her Poppa (dad) has a bad accident. Mibs wants to use her new savvy to save him. She sneaks onto a bus with her brothers and some new friends. But the bus goes the wrong way! Mibs must learn to control her savvy and grow up fast to help her Poppa. The American Library Association honored Savvy as a Newbery Honor Book in 2009.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
Two days before her thirteenth birthday, Mibs wonders what her savvy will be. Then, her Momma gets a call. Poppa was in a car accident. Momma and Rocket (Mibs's older brother) rush to Salina to see him. Mibs, her other siblings, and Grandpa are left at home.
The next day, Mibs goes to school. She feels picked on and has a tough day. When she gets home, Miss Rosemary and her kids, Bobbi and Will Junior, are visiting. Miss Rosemary decides to throw Mibs a birthday party. The Beaumonts have a big secret: their savvies. They worry the party might reveal it.
The next morning, Mibs notices strange things. Her younger sister, Gypsy, wakes from a deep sleep. Even Samson's pet turtle, thought to be dead, stirs when Mibs passes it. Mibs starts to think about her unknown savvy. She wears a special outfit Poppa picked for her. At her party, she meets Bobbi. Bobbi has a tattoo of an angel that talks to Mibs! Mibs faints.
When Mibs wakes up, everyone is arguing. She decides to find a way to Salina herself. She sneaks onto a pink bus that delivers Bibles. Soon, her brothers Fish and Samson, and her friends Will Junior and Bobbi, join her. But the bus starts going the wrong way! Mibs has to tell the driver where they are.
The bus driver, Lester, agrees to take them to Salina after his deliveries. They pick up a waitress named Lill. At the diner where Lill works, she gives them food. Mibs tells Fish her savvy: she can read minds through ink, like tattoos. Bobbi overhears this and tells Will Junior. Lill's boss, Ozzie, fires her. After some trouble, the group gets back on the bus. Fish finally learns to control his savvy.
Lill finds out the kids ran away. She uses her last paycheck to get them hotel rooms. The kids hide the missing-person reports they've seen. They trick Lill into thinking their parents know where they are. The next day, Lester drives to Carlene's house. He needs to pay her back for the Bibles. Samson gets left behind. Mibs uses her savvy to find him. The police arrive. Officer Bill Meeks understands their story. He lets his son and his friends go to Salina with them.
Lester drives the group to the hospital. Miss Rosemary, Pastor Meeks, and Mibs's family are waiting. The Meekses have to leave. Mibs and her family go into Poppa's room. He is in a coma. Mibs uses her savvy to talk to him through his tattoo. She wakes him up!
A year later, Rocket moves to his Uncle Autry's ranch. He wants to learn to control his savvy better. Fish has mastered his savvy and will start high school. Mibs decides to be homeschooled for a year or two. She wants to truly master her savvy. Mibs hears her Momma thinking about a new baby Beaumont. Mibs is happy. Things are perfect and quiet, for now. At least until Samson turns thirteen!
Main Characters
- Mississippi "Mibs" Beaumont – She is the main character. Mibs is thirteen years old. Her savvy lets her hear people's thoughts through any ink on their skin, like tattoos.
- Fish Beaumont – Mibs's fourteen-year-old brother. His savvy is to control rain or wind. He can get angry easily, which affects his power. He is also very protective.
- Rocket Beaumont – The oldest child, at seventeen. His savvy is to control electricity. He almost destroyed a hospital with his power. He loses confidence and moves to his aunt and uncle's house.
- Samson Beaumont – Mibs's youngest brother, who is seven. He loves quiet, dark places. He doesn't talk much. When he is near, people feel stronger. This might be his savvy starting early.
- Gypsy Beaumont – The youngest in the family, at three years old. She is Mibs's only sister.
- Jenny "Momma" Beaumont – The mother of the family. Her savvy is to be perfect at everything she does. This even includes making perfect mistakes!
- Abram "Poppa" Beaumont – The father of the family. He was in a big car accident. He doesn't have a savvy from his own family. But Mibs says his savvy is "not giving up on anything or anyone." He has a mermaid tattoo from his time in the navy.
- Grandpa Bomba O'Connell – Jenny's father. His savvy is to move land. He can cause earthquakes or create new land. This is why the Beaumonts live in Kansaska-Nebransas, a special land he created.
- Grandma Dollop O'Connell – Jenny's mother. Her savvy was to capture radio waves. She passed away before the story begins. Mibs remembers her in flashbacks.
- Lester Swan – The kind bus driver. He lets the children ride on his Bible bus. He has tattoos of "Rhonda" and "Carlene." Their thoughts often pop into his head.
- Lill Kiteley – A waitress who is often late. She takes care of the kids after she loses her job. She quickly falls in love with Lester.
- Roberta "Bobbi" Meeks – Miss Rosemary's sixteen-year-old daughter. She seems tough but is secretly very caring. She has an eyebrow piercing and a temporary angel tattoo. She likes Rocket.
- Will Meeks Jr. – Miss Rosemary's fourteen-year-old grandson. He was raised by her. He likes Mibs as a friend and more. He accepts her savvy. Will wants to be like his dad, a state trooper.
More Adventures in the Savvy Series
The story of the Beaumont family continues in other books!
Scumble
The sequel to Savvy is called Scumble. It came out in August 2010. This book is about Mibs's cousin, Ledger Kale. His savvy is to break anything. The story takes place ten years after Savvy. Ledge's parents leave him and his sister, Fe, in Wyoming for the summer. They stay with cousins Samson and Gypsy Beaumont. Ledge needs to learn to control his savvy. He also meets a girl named Sarah Jane.
Switch
The third book in the series is Switch. It was released in September 2015. This story follows Mibs's sister, Gypsy. Her savvy was to see the past and future. But then it changes! She gains the power to stop time. This book happens a few months after Ledge's adventure in Scumble.
