Burt, Jake. Greetings from Witness Protection! Feiwel and Friends, 2017. $16.99. ISBN 9781250107114. 359 pages. Ages 10-14. P7 Q7
Trying to outwit the criminals and do something different, the witness protection decides to add a family member to a family they are hiding. Nicki who has spent most of her life in foster families and a group home finds herself with the opportunity to use her street smarts to help a family. The federal agents want the family to appear “normal” and have a plan for them to follow. Along the way, Nicki makes friends, but will she lose them in the end? Does she have the wit to outsmart the criminals? The brother-sister rivalry and family life is believable. Her dad, who she thought was in jail, shows up towards the end of the story and Nicki has to decide to whom she will be loyal. You root for the girl, hoping through the adventure she will find a permanent home.
Verdict: Middle school libraries and public libraries will benefit from this engaging, quick paced chapter book. Tweens and teens will relate to Nicki and what she goes through with her new-found friends.
February 2018 review by Tami Harris.
Oregon Coast Youth Book Preview Center 