Like most 12 year olds, Mibs (short for Mississippi) Beaumont is looking forward to her 13th birthday. But in the Beaumont family, this means a lot more than just becoming a teenager at last. On her special day, Mibs will discover her very own "savvy," her special, paranormal power.
Before that fateful day, Mibs can only speculate what her savvy will be. It might be a bit overwhelming, like her brother Fish’s tendency to cause terrible weather. It might be electric through and through, just like her brother Rocket’s power. Or it might be gentle, like her mother’s gift of making everything turn out, well, perfect.
But just before Mibs’ big day, her beloved poppa is in a traffic accident. Her mother and Rocket drive off to be with him (Rocket is needed to power the old station wagon!), leaving the rest of the family with Grandpa Bomba (whose savvy is, well, making new places. Where do you think the entire state of Idaho came from, anyway?).
When Mibs suspects her savvy might help Poppa wake up, she has to find a way to get the 90 miles to Salina, Kansas, even if it means commandeering the pink bus of the Heartland Bible Supply company. And if Mibs thinks she can undertake this journey alone, well, fate would have it otherwise.
Mibs is destined to share the ride not just with the Bible delivery-man, Lester, but with the preacher’s kids, the snooty Bobbi and the sweet Will Junior. And then of course there’s a small stowaway, her moody little brother, Samson. And that’s just the beginning!
During this event-filled journey, Mibs discovers that her savvy—along with her first impressions about people—might be different than she expected. She also comes to realize that although the Beaumonts have often been outcasts, it’s possible to find community in unexpected places.
Ingrid Law’s debut novel Savvy is already a hit with tween readers and is being mentioned as a Newbery contender. If you thought the road trip in the film Little Miss Sunshine was wild, hold onto your hat! Or better yet, open up Savvy and settle in for a delightful read.
