Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Scumble
    Unavailable
    Scumble
    Unavailable
    Scumble
    Audiobook7 hours

    Scumble

    Written by Ingrid Law

    Narrated by David Kremenitzer

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Read the New York Times bestseller and companion to Newbery Honor winner Savvy!

    It's nine years after Savvy, and Mibs' cousin Ledge is on the verge of turning thirteen. More than anything, he wants the power to run like the wind. But when his birthday comes, he discovers that his savvy is actually making things fall apart. It starts out with small things, but then it gets worse. To top it all off, someone outside the family has witnessed his destruction. Now, in addition to trying to figure out how to control - or scumble - his savvy, he's got to worry about how to protect the family secrets. Over the course of one amazing summer, Ledge learns a lot about himself and his family, makes a new - and very unlikely - friend, and learns to appreciate his newfound skills.

    "Readers will delight in the tall-tale tropes and Ledge's authentic physical, emotional, and artistic challenges." - Booklist, starred review

    "The title stands alone in its fast-paced plot with twists and turns galore, and readers familiar with Savvy will eat it up and wish for more." - School Library Journal
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateAug 17, 2010
    ISBN9781101436660
    Unavailable
    Scumble

    Related to Scumble

    Related audiobooks

    Children's Fantasy & Magic For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Dear DOCTOR

      Jun 8, 2020

      Dear Reading Doctor, My football team isn’t meeting right now, but it’s OK because I still see them and speak to them all the time. My coach sends us exercises that we can do in our houses, and then we meet on video chat and everyone does the exerc

      4 min read

    • Article

      Books That Hook

      Mar 19, 2021

      At age 39 Ellie Barker is super-rich, having just sold her sportswear company for a sizeable fortune. But there’s gap in her life which largely has to do with her mother’s mysterious death. More than three decades ago, her mom was found in a burnt-ou

      2 min read

    • Article

      Bye The Book?

      Mar 9, 2020

      Bye The Book?
      4 min read

    • Article

      Ask Us Anything

      Apr 15, 2020

      Ask Us Anything
      2 min read

    • Article

      Reviews

      Jul 2, 2021

      This is the seventh book in the series about seven girls adopted and named for the stars of The Seven Sisters constellation in Greek Mythology. Their adoptive father has died and the girls of the previous six books, now armed with the knowledge of th

      2 min read

    • Article

      Humorist David Sedaris Delivers His Choicest Material In ‘The Best Of Me’

      Nov 3, 2020

      A mainstay on the bestseller lists, the often wry and deadpan Sedaris takes a victory lap with this amusing collection of published work.

      3 min read

    • Article

      A Wild Welcome

      Jan 27, 2021

      A Wild Welcome
      2 min read

    • Article

      Blood(s) Brothers

      Dec 4, 2022

      enshealth.cam.au Men's Health Australia MensHealthAU @menshealthaustralia THESE DAYS you hear a lot about the friendship shortage among middle-aged men. As we find partners and get married, many men, it's commonly observed, cease to make new friends

      2 min read

    • Article

      Have your SAY

      Feb 16, 2020

      After watching the first episode of The Bachelorette NZ, I wondered what on earth the producers were thinking. Here was Lesina, a beautiful 32-year-old professional woman, and 25 of the most unlikely men (including a 20-year-old!?) vying for her atte

      2 min read

    • Article

      Ed’s Letter

      Aug 5, 2021

      Hi everyone, This is a special issue of It GiRL because it's all about besties! Whether you have one best friend or 10, this issue is for you! Our cover stars, Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler are not only sisters but besties, too! Read all about their s

      1 min read

    • Article

      Town & Notebook

      Jun 8, 2022

      Town & Notebook
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Platonic Ideal

      Nov 24, 2023

      The Platonic Ideal
      3 min read

    • Article

      Readers Recoil

      May 22, 2019

      Readers Recoil
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      Nov 1, 2021

      Dear Everybuggy, I love your magazine so much! I first got into Cricket when my older sister’s old issues were lying about the house. I read them all and I begged my parents to let me have my own subscription. I finally got it! I am the youngest of f

      7 min read

    • Article

      Join The Weekly CONVERSATION

      Mar 26, 2023

      ● Winning letter We may be older but we’re not past our prime. Opening my Weekly last week, I just had to smile at the picture of the four Oscar winners holding their awards: two men in their 50s and two women in their 60s receiving their first-ever

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Family Business

      Oct 7, 2020

      The Family Business
      9 min read

    • Article

      YOUR STARS FOR February

      Dec 22, 2020

      YOUR STARS FOR February
      14 min read

    • Article

      IT GIRL OF the MONTH meet: ISABELLA

      Dec 3, 2023

      AGE: 9 NICKNAMES: Bella, Issy, Belle SIBLINGS: A younger brother, Lucas PETS: A dog, a cat, two guinea pigs, two birds, and seven chickens FAVE SINGERS: Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift FAVE COLOURS: Purple and blue FAVE TV SHOW: Wednesday FUN FACTS: •

      1 min read

    • Article

      DON’T TRUST your GUT

      Feb 17, 2023

      DON’T TRUST your GUT
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Letterbox

      May 1, 2020

      Dear Cricket, I’m a first-time writer, but I’ve been getting your magazine for about two years. I know that everyone says this, but it is really awesome and I look forward to getting each issue. I’m homeschooled and I love animals. Horses are my favo

      7 min read

    • Article

      On The Shelf

      Jan 18, 2021

      On The Shelf
      2 min read

    Reviews for Scumble

    4/5

    171 ratings33 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Scumble is the sequel/companion novel to Newbery Honor book Savvy, and is set nine years later. A number of the characters from Savvy make appearances, but the main character and narrator is just-turned-thirteen Ledger Kale, cousin to the Beaumonts.I enjoyed reading Savvy, so I had high hopes for Scumble. It did not disappoint! Rather, Scumble takes all the good things from Savvy and makes them even better. Characterisation and pacing are tightened up. Distinction between character voices is improved. And we get to see how the various Beaumonts grew up in the nine intervening years.There definitely seems to be room for more books about these delightful families, and I really hope there will be.
    • 4/5
      Ledger Kale is in a family that gets a "savvy" - a special talent, of sorts - on their thirteenth birthday. Unfortunately, his appears to be a really unhelpful one: he can make things fall apart. When his family is off to a cousin's wedding and he causes problems with the car, they pull over and he meets a young girl Sarah Jane, who definitely spells trouble if she finds out about his family. Plus, Ledge needs to figure out how to control, or "scumble" his savvy fast, or he'll do worse damage than making the barn fall down and crushing all the jars of music his grandma saved (true story). A summer on the farm with his uncle, sister, and a bunch of cousins may be just what he needs, if he can manage to save that jar that ending up in Sarah Jane's possession...I had really liked Savvy, the Newbery Honor-winning book about Ledge's older cousin, Mibs Beaumont. Scumble can be read entirely independently, and only slightly overlaps with those characters from the first book. Ledge has what sounds to me like an authentic voice of a 13-year-old boy just trying to figure out this thing called life. His family comes straight out of tall tales, and story has a lot of heart and humor.
    • 4/5
      I loved Savvy - the plot was creative and unique. For those who haven't read Savvy (and you don't need to to read Scumble), in the Beaumont family, children recieve their "savvy" on their thirteenth birthdays. A savvy is a special power, unique to each family member - such as being able control the weather or the ability to do everything perfectly. When Ledge Kale gets his savvy, he's disappointed to find out that it's the ability to make things completely fall apart. Ledge's particular savvy will be very difficult to "scumble" (control). Ledge really needs to scumble his savvy before he lets the family secret out to the world!This is a fun book for kids (3-5th grade) and will particularly appeal to those who loved Savvy. The adventure is fast paced and has the kind of plot lots of different readers will enjoy. I'll be passing this one out to lots of kids at the library!
    • 5/5
      very enjoyable. cant wait for the next book to.come out
    • 3/5
      cute follow up to Savvy, totally different protagonist (male), totally different situation (mystery,land grab vs. dead father). I enjoyed Savvy more than Scumble, but they both are full of charming alliteration.
    • 5/5
      If Ingrid Law's debut, SAVVY, taught us anything, it's that this writer is adept at portraying humanity at its most basic level. While I loved SAVVY, I can't think of an adequate word to describe my adoration for SCUMBLE. Maybe it's because I live in the Mountain West near Wyoming, but something in the story of young Ledge struck home.

      What Law does best in both her books is show an everyman struggling with an extraordinary power and coming out more human than before. I can't recommend SCUMBLE highly enough. Pay attention to this story, and it will change you. It changed me.
    • 5/5
      After reading Savvy, I couldn't wait to read Scumble. It was fantastic, I almost liked it better than Savvy. Scumble is about Mibs Beaumont cousin, Ledger Kale, and on his 13 birthday, he receives the power to make things fall apart. When attending a family wedding (for Fish Beaumont) out in Wyoming, a young girl who wants to be a reporter, Sarah-Jane, becomes nosy in Ledger's life and learns his secret. Ledger must protect his family secret and learn to scumble his savvy before he makes his uncle's entire ranch fall down. Ledger becomes friends with Sarah-Jane, although her father has banned them from seeing each other, and Ledger is not really sure why...*****SPOILER*****Ledger finds out that Sarah-Jane (although she does not know it) also has a savvy, the power to convince people through writing, and her father did not want SJ to hang around people with savvies because he didn't want to lose his daughter like he lost his wife (who had a savvy). Ledger ends up saving his uncle's ranch from demolition by SJ's father by learning to use his savvy in a good way, and he learns that in addition to taking things apart, he can also put things back together.This is a great read for middle schoolers, even late elementary schoolers who are advanced readers. The vocabulary is not too difficult, and the plot is very fun and engaging! Definitely recommend reading!
    • 5/5
      If you liked savvy and the pink bible bus then you also will like the story of 13 year old Ledger when he tries to scumble his savvy to save his uncles barn. He must be brave and strong in his decisions.
    • 5/5
      This book was one of the cutest books i've ever read and was just an amazing read. This book would be perfect for middle schoolers and even for high schoolers.
    • 3/5
      Cute fantasy read for middle schoolers about a boy from an unusual magical family who has to learn to get control of his unique magic power (or "savvy") when he gains it at age 13. He destroys things like clocks and motorcycles by inadvertently magically deconstructing them. His extended family is experiencing trouble with a local "Mr. Potter" style banker character and might lose their ranch, and the plot revolves around this. Not as touching as the author's prior book Savvy, which takes place some 12 or so years earlier than the events of this book, but it's still a solid story.
    • 4/5
      I loved Savvy - the plot was creative and unique. For those who haven't read Savvy (and you don't need to to read Scumble), in the Beaumont family, children recieve their "savvy" on their thirteenth birthdays. A savvy is a special power, unique to each family member - such as being able control the weather or the ability to do everything perfectly. When Ledge Kale gets his savvy, he's disappointed to find out that it's the ability to make things completely fall apart. Ledge's particular savvy will be very difficult to "scumble" (control). Ledge really needs to scumble his savvy before he lets the family secret out to the world!This is a fun book for kids (3-5th grade) and will particularly appeal to those who loved Savvy. The adventure is fast paced and has the kind of plot lots of different readers will enjoy. I'll be passing this one out to lots of kids at the library!
    • 4/5
      I will preface this by saying I did not read Savvy before this, but I enjoyed it and understood it all the same. About a boy who is coming to terms with his newly acquired magical skill (something every member of his family gets when they turn 13), Scumble follows Ledger Kale through his taming, or "scumbling," of his particular skill, which happens to be destroying everything in sight. Every time he experiences an extreme emotion, something around him breaks in a spectacular way. It is set against the picturesque backdrop of his uncle's midwestern bug farm, where other family members go to gather and hide out (if they, too, are having trouble scumbling). This makes for quite the cast of memorable, quirky and completely lovable characters. Although it hits a few speed bumps a bit in the beginning, it ambles along with the midwest charm that emanates from the characters themselves and makes a place for itself right in your heart. It's about figuring out exactly who you are and excepting others for the same. New friends, self-confidence, family, and discovering talent (especially in the arts) are all on display in this charming story.
    • 4/5
      I loved Savvy from start to finish. Scumble didn't grab me right away, but I'm glad I kept reading. I liked the story more and more as it progressed. By the time it was over, I was sad to see it end. The idea of a having a special power, or savvy, is so appealing - especially if you're not quite 13, the age when many of the characters acquire their savvy. Scumble is a story that reminds us how tough change can be for anyone, as well as how overwhelming it can be to learn something new. The funky family and townspeople in this story make a great backdrop for an entertaining story.
    • 4/5
      Ledger Kane can't wait for his 13th birthday. In his family, that's when you get your savvy, or your magical talent. His dad is sure that Ledger's gift will be speed, but instead, Ledger gets the not-so-wonderful gift of breaking things. Toaster, blenders, cars, you name it, he can break it without really thinking about it. His parents take him to a family wedding and once there, his gift really erupts. But now is his chance to learn to scumble it, or control it, in the quiet surrounding of the Wyoming countryside. But he better hurry up, because town girl Sarah Jane is on to him and his family, his grandpa's failing fast, and his uncle is about to lose his home.I really enjoyed this book. Lots of fun and very inventive. I loved Ledger and I was really rooting for him.
    • 3/5
      My daughters and I loved Savvy and were excited about Law's new book Scumble. I had a hard time sticking this with this one though. I found it hard to empathize with the main character, Ledge. His poor me, everything I do is wrong, everybody hates me act that went on chapter after chapter felt tedious after a while. The book picked up toward the end and had an exciting conclusion, but I wish the road to get there had been a little more compelling.
    • 4/5
      Ingrid Law is one of the best authors these days. I thoroughly enjoyed "Savvy" a few years ago and now "Scumble" is equally as satisfying. If you have read "Savvy" then you are familiar with the basic concept of these books: when you turn 13 you acquire your 'savvy' or special abililty. The main characters of her books are usually unable to recognize or control their newfound abilities and so the story evolves around their enlightenment. In "Scumble" we meet Ledge (cousin to Mibs from "Savvy"). He wanted a savvy that would enhance his relationship with his dad - like becoming a marathon runner - but instead he ends up with the ability to destroy things. We quickly see how debilitating this ability is when he attends a family wedding in Wyoming and totally (and accidentally) destroys the barn where it takes place. You can't help but empathize with the poor lad when you become immersed in his misery. Not only does he destroy the barn but a young lady (Sarah Jane: a self described reporter) witnesses this event and makes off with an important family heirloom in the process. Her daddy is no one to mess with either! Now Ledge is faced with being left in Wyoming to learn to control his savvy (also known as 'scumbling'). Will his immediate family leave him there forever? Thankfully he gets help from his uncle and cousins who are wonderful support characters. Who can't help but get a kick out of Uncle Autry and cousin Rocket (not to mention Marisol and Mesquite, Autry's twin daughters who can levitate things). What a wonderful story for a family to share together - all of Ingrid Law's families are so close and loving and the stories are so uplifting and ego-boosting. Enjoy!!
    • 4/5
      Ledge is excited about life and all it has to offer. For him, its about to get even better since he is turning 13. Why is that so special? In his family, 13 is the magical age that you come into your savvy, or special talent and with any luck it'll mesh perfectly with his heart's desire. Ooh...too bad savvy's don't really care what talent you want....they just come as they are. As things start to come undone rather quickly, in more ways than one, will Ledge be able to scumble his savvy before it's too late?A fantastic addition to the series that started out with SAVVY, author Ingrid Law has a way of drawing readers into her magically tinged world with relateable story lines and likeable characters. Even those you'd sooner dislike than count amongst your friends are given a back story to explain the reason behind their current state that makes you feel for them. With magical talents ranging from the functional to the amazing, you can't help but marvel at the creativity behind it all. A great book for the whole family...happy reading!
    • 2/5
      I found the narration to be irritating. There were too many gaps in the story that I needed to fill in. In all honesty, I did not read Savvy , so maybe it would have made more sense to start with the first book in the series, but I like a series book that allows the reader to jump in and still get the gist of what is going on even if you haven't read them in order. I do have to admit I wish I had Ledger's mom's Savvy! It would be very useful for both my children and my students!
    • 4/5
      For all those readers who enjoyed Savvy and wanted more from author, Ingrid Law, check out Scumble. In her newest book, Ingrid has created another great humorous story about a young boy, Ledger Kale. Ledger is the cousin of Mibs, the main character from Savvy. The story takes place nine years after Savvy and it isn’t a sequel but rather a companion novel. Ledger, like Mibs, inherits a magical power (or savvy) once they turn 13. Ledger is about to turn 13 and nobody knows what his savvy is going to be. While he hopes for more running power to make him one of the fastest marathon runners around, he is sadly disappointed when his savvy creates complete destruction around him. When his body begins to tingle, vibrate and become itchy, he knows that whatever metal objects are around him will start flying through the air destroying everything in it’s path. Things just tend to completely fall apart. While he tries to control this savvy his family decides to take a trip to Wyoming and attend a family wedding. Unfortunately Ledger’s savvy is so out of control that even his younger sister insists on wearing an oversized football helmet to protect her self from the mass destruction that seems to follow Ledger. This story is about Ledge and how he tries to control his talent and learn how to use to in a positive manner. Ledge is taught that he needs to “scumble” his savvy. Scumble is a term used by painters when they tone down a color by blending it in with the painting, making it feel more balanced. The author uses this term as she compares Ledger’s savvy to the ability to scumble a painting. Ledger must learn to control and use the savvy by having his savvy gain balance. Even though the scenes of destruction are hilarious to the reader, at one point you feel sad for Ledger who is really trying to control his savvy and just be a normal 13 year-old boy. A great read for 4-7th graders with a mixture of humor, sadness, adventures and some fabulous characters.
    • 4/5
      Ledge's family all develop a "savvy"--some kind of magical ability--on their thirteenth birthdays. Ledge is hoping--expecting--that he will get super-speed. Instead, he gets the ability to destroy mechanical things just by looking at them--and he has no control over it. He and his little sister wind up spending the summer at his cousins' ranch in Wyoming, in the hopes that he will learn to manage his savvy. An annoying neighbor girl and her obnoxious father further complicate matters.Smoother and more accomplished than Savvy, to which this is an indirect sequel.
    • 4/5
      In Scumble, a companion story to Savvy, published in 2008 by Ingrid Law, members of the O’Connell acquire a savvy upon reaching their thirteenth birthday. Savvys are best described as special skills that in this family range from the ability to capture music in jars, a special affinity for bugs (even making them communicate for you), the ability to levitate and move objects, or even a propensity toward electricity, albeit unmanaged. Scumbling is the ability to control your savvy, to make it work for you and when you want it to.It comes as no surprise to the Kale family (mother Dinah O’Connell) when Ledge develops his savvy on his thirteen birthday, although initially his seems to be the ability to tear apart and destroy things, which poses minor and major challenges as the family heads to the O’Connell ranch to celebrate a wedding. On the way, Ledge makes the acquaintance of 13 year old Sarah Jane Cabot, writer, editor and publisher of "The Sundance Scuttlebutt: Your #1 Source for News of the Strange". Sarah has stolen something from Ledge, and as he struggles to get it back from her, will she find out more about the O’Connell family than it’s good for her to know? And with Sarah’s father foreclosing on so many businesses in Sundance, will the O’Connell’s ranch be next? This is a great story, and can be read independent of Savvy, although reading both together would help younger reader remember some important details of family members that are shared between the stories. Ledge is a well-formed character, pretty typical of an early teenage boy, savvy notwithstanding – he prefers to bathe in the river, he gets flustered around girls, and he’s having a hard time growing up. The concept of a savvy is a nice metaphor for a person’s individual gifts and talents, and how these can be nurtured into something worthwhile, even if at first it’s not clear how someone might use them. A great middle school read, good for both boys and girls.
    • 5/5
      In Ledger Kale’s family no one knows what types of surprises they are in for when one of them turns 13, and guess who just turned 13. With a perfect blending of magic, suspense, humor, personal responsibility, and coming of age angst, SCUMBLE scores a touchdown with the two point conversion to boot. While one does not have to read the Newbery Honor winning companion book, SAVVY, to enjoy this story, it would give a better background as to what a savvy is and some of the unique talents of this interesting family.
    • 5/5
      When I read Savvy last summer I must admit that though I thought it was good I didn't *love* it for some reason. Maybe because I tend to prefer edgier fiction written for older teens, maybe it was just the wrong book at the wrong time. Nonetheless, I expected to feel the same way about Scumble. Instead I found myself really enjoying it. It's well-written, pitch-perfect, and an overall fantastic bit of magical realism for juvenile level readers. It's touching, original and really held my interest. The characters learn lessons without the tone ever being too didactic or preachy. In fact God and prayer are mentioned several times but in such a natural, matter-of-fact way that you know it's more a representation of who the characters are than a point the author is trying to get across. I think we would have a lot of readership for it in our library, and I'll be adding it to my "wish list" and waiting for the next volume.
    • 5/5
      (Sequel to Saavy) - Thirteen year old Ledge comes into his "saavy" (special power) on his 13th birthday. He was hoping it would be running track so he could fulfill his father's dreams, but instead, it's the power to disassemble metal things… involuntarily and explosively. Disappointed, he spends the summer on his uncle's ranch, trying to get control of his powers and come to grips with his disappointment. His family (all of whom have their own "saavies" try to encourage him. He meets Sarah Jane who first annoys him but then kind of gets under his skin. Finally, he's able to learn to "scumble" (use his powers selectively) and find his own future as an artist while helping to save the family ranch. A fantasy full of everyday wisdom, this charming novel will appeal to anyone who would love to see the world be a touch more magical.
    • 4/5
      A whimsical, fantasy of a story about a boy from a family of people with special powers (or “savvy”). The awkwardness of adolescence and puberty are magnified by the development of Ledger’s savvy on his thirteenth birthday. Instead of a useful power like mind-reading, Ledger has acquired a destructive one he struggles to control. "Scumble" is a companion (not a sequel) to Law’s "Savvy" and new readers are brought up to speed quickly through the introduction of the savvy clan.
    • 4/5
      Not a sequel, but a companion book to Savvy. It can stand alone, but in the beginning there are LOTS of characters introduced that you learned about in Savvy, so it may be a little less overwhelming if you've read Savvy first. I was thinking it would be cute in a middle school classroom to have literature circles... the boys reading Scumble and the girls reading Savvy and then talking about them and comparing. Anyways, I liked this book a lot, but there was one thing that bothered me. Often the character's reactions seemed unrealistic. A kid would say something I can't picture any kid saying or the uncle would burst out laughing when what was said or done was nowhere near funny enough to laugh out loud for. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story and would suggest the book to many young readers.
    • 4/5
      Ledger Kale's just turned 13, and his savvy isn't what he wanted it to be. Instead of something cool, like reading people's minds (like his cousin), forcing someone's will (like his mother), or creating vast amounts of land (like his grandfather), Ledger's savvy is just...breaking stuff. And he can't control it. After a disastrous family wedding, Ledger is left to spend the summer at his uncle's ranch, where he hopes to scumble his savvy.What fun! I love the cover and typeset of this book. I love the cast of characters, and I liked that this book isn't so much a sequel as it is a side by side novel. You don't have to have read Savvy to read Scumble, and since Scumble is about a boy, maybe Law will reach a new set of readers with this one. It's super fun, intelligent, and fresh.
    • 4/5
      Loved it! Scumble has wonderful characters, a great story, an engaging voice, and a lot of heart. I liked it even better than Law's award-winning Savvy.Ledger Kale is hoping his 13th birthday will bring him a cool savvy like his cousins'...the ability to read minds or control the weather. Instead he gets stuck with the catastrophic, and difficult to control, tendency to make everything around him fall apart. This makes the drive up to Uncle Autry's ranch, where all the "savvy misfits" live, all the more harrowing. While at the ranch, Ledge falls under the scrutiny of local teen reporter Sarah Jane, who threatens to expose the family's secrets. Ledge must figure out how to scumble (control) his savvy while trying to save his uncle's ranch from being foreclosed by Sarah Jane's father, and sorting out his feelings toward SJ herself.I really enjoyed this well-written book. Even the somewhat hackneyed lesson about finding balance in your life as you grow up and affirm your identity is delivered tastefully. The warmth and humor of the novel see to that. I can only hope that there are more books about the Beaumont family to come, since this is one of those books that leaves you wanting more when it's finished.
    • 3/5
      Ledger has turned thirteen years old and experiencing his savvy - special powers - for the first time. He was hoping to be able to run like the wind, instead mechanical objects are breaking to pieces all around him. Several of his family members shared an inability to control their savvy when they gained them, but Ledger is embarrassed and unable to see the silver lining in an ability to break things. Avoiding "helpful hints," the house and all of its fragile contents, and running consume Ledger's summer. Will he be able to slow down and control his savvy?Tweens will appreciate this book with challenges familiar to their own...awkwardness, misunderstanding adults, and new abilities that are seemingly out of control.
    • 4/5
      As if puberty wasn't bad enough! In Ledger Kale's extended family, kids look forward to their thirteenth birthday, not just as their entry to the turbulent teen years, but as the day their "savvy" will manifest. A savvy is a quirky special ability, such as Ledger's uncle's affinity for insects, or his grandpa's fabled ability to shift the ground for miles around. Ledger hopes for enough speed to make him the champion of his school track team (and the next father-son marathon), but his dreams of glory are shattered right along with his dad's nose-hair trimmers and his sister's stopwatch. Ledger's savvy involves breaking man-made gadgets, and the more agitated he becomes, the more likely he is to break bigger things. On a trip to Wyoming for a wedding at the family ranch, Ledger nearly disables the family car, not to mention blowing up a motorcycle and dismantling a barn. Ledger must learn to scumble (control, or tone down) his savvy before he breaks the first big rule of his family: don't let the world know about your savvy! His parents leave him for a few weeks' vacation at the ranch, but Ledger has more troubles than just an over-active savvy while he's there. Ledger's twin cousins are determined to pester him to the breaking point, and his cousin Rocket, with whom he shares a room, may just hate him. Girl reporter Sarah Jane from the nearby town has latched on to Ledger, certain that there's something different about him. And worst of all, the ranch is in danger of foreclosure unless Uncle Autry can figure out a way to scrape together enough money to pay off his loan. In the midst of all of these problems, Ledger learns some important lessons about self-control and keeping promises -- but will he find a way to help his uncle save the ranch, too?This companion to Newbery Honor book Savvy stands on its own, though fans of the earlier book will be excited to see that Mibs makes a brief cameo in this volume. Ledger's plight will resonate with adolescents who struggle with finding their place in the world while dealing with difficult families, changing bodies, and bewildering budding romances. Scumble is part tall tale, part coming-of-age novel, and completely fun!