Peg Glisson (Children's Literature)
Young Ray and Ivy's parents have been sentenced to 25 years for embezzlement and the judge sends the youngsters to live, in the lap of luxury, with their parents' elderly accusers. Definitely her father's protégé, Ivy decides they will spend their time uncovering evidence to free their parents and reveal Marietta and Nolan for what they really are. Since no one at the big house pays any attention to them (except when "the rain in Spain" appears, i.e. when Ray wets his bed), the children are free to explore the mansion and the grounds. Their hideout under a rhododendron is like a security blanket. From there they plot and stage their moves--looking for clues, rigging up a message system when Ray is moved to a bedroom near the laundry, staging mock trials with Marietta's collection of dolls, and more. Amazingly, they do uncover some evidence that changes their lives forever. Writing with great humor, Coman has produced a book very different from her previous ones. She has captured the world and feelings of these two youngsters who must fend for themselves while hanging onto their dreams. Lively dialogue and many exciting moments will keep youngsters reading as they root for this spirited duo. Shepperson's pencil drawings add energy and fun to the story. 2004, Front Street, $16.95. Ages 9 to 12.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 17))
No!" Ivy shouts in the courtroom when her parents are sentenced to 25 years in jail for embezzlement. Sure, they'd been to jail before, but never together, and never for so long. When Ivy and her younger brother Ray are sent to live with the very same rich septuagenarian couple who sent their parents "up the river," Ivy (a quick-study of her dad's shady dealings and of various courtroom dramas) decrees that they will spend their days scouring the sumptuous mansion for evidence that will acquit her parents. Left to their own devices, the siblings hide out in a rhododendron bush, sentence a fleet of international dolls to do time ("Ivy gave Miss Canada life"), and generally "case the joint." Ivy is as surprised as anyone when their obsessive hunt actually turns up evidence that forever changes everyone's fate. This funny, thoroughly entertaining change of pace for Coman seamlessly blends fantasy and reality in that wonderful way children can, and Shepperson's splendid, Quentin Blake-style illustrations further enliven an engaging story of espionage, family loyalty, and justice prevailing. 2004, Front Street, 224p, $16.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 9 to 12. Starred Review. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kay Bowes (Library Media Connection, February 2005)
Taking a break from her more serious works, author Carolyn Coman has created a hilarious adventure yarn. Ivy and her little brother, Ray, are determined to get their family back together and "spring" their parents from "The Big House." Of course, all is not what it seems when they are sentenced to live in a mansion with the very couple who accused their parents of robbery and had them sent away. Ivy will leave no stone unturned to accomplish their goal, showing herself to be a brave intelligent foe to the strange and creepy Marietta. Hijinks and hilarity pave the way for a fun read, capturing the reader from the first page. Rob Shepperson's line drawings complement the tongue-in-check tone. Coman is well known for her serious, compelling storytelling. Now her voice can be heard in this light-hearted work, with a positive message of perseverance, reminiscent of the Lemony Snicket books and Spiderwick Chronicles series (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing) so very popular right now. Recommended. 2004, Front Street, 224pp., $16.95 hc. Ages 9 to 12.

Krista Hutley (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, October 2004 (Vol. 58, No. 2))
Ivy and Ray don't quite understand the judicial system, but they know that their parents have been sent to the "big house" for twenty-five years for embezzling from charity. They know that they've been sent to a "big house" too, though in their case it's La Grande Maison, home to elderly Marietta and Lionel (who own the charity from which the sibs' parents stole). Ivy and Ray decide that justice has not been served, and they concoct a plan to free their parents by finding evidence to put Marietta on trial--though for what, they don't know. In their search, they discover an ominously covered portrait, an eerily preserved wedding cake, a perpetually weeping maid, and a missing (and, as it turns out, crucial) will. Readers will perceive more than they see through Ivy's limited viewpoint: they will get that the parents are crooks (the unrepentant, joyful kind), that Ivy also exhibits some shifty tendencies, and that only one piece of Ivy's "evidence" has real value. Readers will also smirk knowingly at her humorous misunderstandings of formal speech and words of wisdom. Though the resolution is too perfect and the mystery is disappointing because it cannot be solved by readers without information withheld until the very end, Coman's combination of one part comedy to three parts puzzle works well, and the slightly disheveled, wavy lines of the illustrations complement the enthusiasm and energy of the child protagonists. Ivy and Ray are an appealing duo that will bring out the evidence-collector in many middle-grades children and reluctant readers. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2004, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2004, Front Street, 224p, $16.95. Grades 3-6.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2005)
While their parents begin a twenty-five-year sentence for embezzling from a children's charity, Ivy and Ray try to make the best of their comically gloomy situation when they are ordered by the judge to live with the charity's highly unpleasant founders. The arch gothic mystery is illustrated with inviting black-and-white art. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2004, Front, 220pp, 16.95. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.