Smoke & Mirrors

Gr 4-6–Ransaw’s debut will have readers reevaluating biases and eager to uncover clues to a small-town mystery. Twelve-year-old Andy is living with his aunt while his dad waits for his parole hearing. As the only Black kid in town, Andy experiences microaggressions and feels like he doesn’t fit in, especially after the townsfolk accuse him of arson. Now his summer will be spent working for grumpy Mr. Gilbert on a dilapidated mansion that once belonged to the Red Knave, a mysterious magician who vanished after being suspected of murder in 1954. Having firsthand experience of being falsely accused of a crime, Andy is determined to prove that the Red Knave is innocent even if everyone else in town believes otherwise. While uncovering hidden rooms and piecing together clues, Andy also begins to process his feelings over his own situation and that of his dad. The conflict between Andy and the local boys in town feels authentic. Readers will be able to relate to Andy’s frustrations over feeling unheard and misunderstood by the adults around him.