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.

    Out of the Box
    Out of the Box
    Out of the Box
    Ebook127 pages4 hours

    Out of the Box

    By Michelle Mulder

    5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Life is smoothest for thirteen-year-old Ellie when she keeps her opinions to herself, gets good grades and speaks carefully when her parents ask her to settle their arguments. She feels guilty that she welcomes the chance to spend the summer in another city with her mother's older sister, Jeanette. Ellie makes a new friend and learns to play an Argentine instrument called the bandoneón, which she finds in her aunt's basement. When she goes searching for the bandoneón's original owner, she discovers a story of political intrigue and family secrets that help her start to figure out where her parents end and she begins.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOrca Book Publishers
    Release dateApr 1, 2011
    ISBN9781459800311
    Out of the Box
    Author

    Michelle Mulder

    Michelle Mulder is the founding author of and has written numerous titles in the Orca Footprints series including Pedal It!, Every Last Drop, Trash Talk and Home Sweet Neighborhood. They have also written several works of fiction including The Vegetable Museum and Not a Chance. Michelle lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

    Read more from Michelle Mulder

    Related to Out of the Box

    Related ebooks

    Children's Social Themes For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Counter Waves

      Oct 23, 2020

      Counter Waves
      8 min read

    • Article

      Guests

      Jun 15, 2019

      The month after our mother died, our father began bringing women home. It felt like a behind-her-back kind of operation. “I’m going to have a guest over tonight,” is what he would say. David and I stayed out in the living room, turned up cartoons, bu

      11 min read

    • Article

      Ribs, Muscle, Bone

      Jan 7, 2020

      Ribs, Muscle, Bone
      10 min read

    • Article

      Grandma’s Secret Recipe

      Aug 2, 2022

      Grandma’s Secret Recipe
      3 min read

    • Article

      Nuclear

      Oct 7, 2021

      Nuclear
      7 min read

    • Article

      Down Home On The Farm

      Oct 1, 2020

      How optimistically I envisioned that lockdown would be over last time I wrote Down Home. It is now September and those of us in Victoria have essentially been in lockdown for six months and counting. The novelty has definitely worn off, and at times

      6 min read

    • Article

      Home For The Holidays

      Aug 10, 2021

      It’s been a year since I’ve been home. I missed Christmas because of work, so Thanksgiving marks a full lap around the calendar. My mom’s been complaining lately about how difficult things have gotten for her. Everything seemed so out of reach, so im

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Ones We Sent Away

      Aug 7, 2023

      The Ones We Sent Away
      47 min read

    • Article

      Ella’s Choice

      Oct 6, 2021

      Ella’s Choice
      7 min read

    • Article

      Just Passing

      Aug 17, 2020

      Zoe cracks the curtain in the bay window and watches as he bounces from one foot to another in the cold. Tap, tap, tap, he goes at the letterbox. But she shouldn’t even let him in. He’s trouble. He throws his arms out and shouts through the glass: “S

      5 min read

    • Article

      Frog

      Jan 16, 2022

      Frog
      3 min read

    • Article

      When Life Gives You Lemons

      Apr 2, 2020

      When Life Gives You Lemons
      7 min read

    • Article

      Lies I Tell My Father

      Feb 10, 2024

      “How’s your job at the newspaper?” my father asks me. He is sitting on a couch, a plush throw blanket spread across his legs. “The newspaper’s fine,” I lie. I lie because it is simple. I lie because it is quick. I lie because it is easier than trying

      10 min read

    • Article

      How to Buy a Used Car During a Wildfire

      Jan 14, 2019

      I do not laugh but the children do. “I hate these fucking places,” I think again, turning the radio back on. The post How to Buy a Used Car During a Wildfire appeared first on The Millions.

      12 min read

    • Article

      Old-time LIFE HACKS

      Nov 8, 2020

      Make a list now in a notebook of the things that you want to take on your holiday. It’s much easier to think of all the things beforehand than in the last-minute rush of packing. Take the book on holiday with you and add any extras that will come in

      2 min read

    • Article

      Season Of Goodwill? (You Might Need It)

      Nov 8, 2023

      CHRISTMAS is on the way and those of us with parrots have a lot extra to decide in the way of activities, extra food, presents, guests and so on. My first two parrots, the African greys Artha and Casper, taught me far more than I taught them. Althoug

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Day At The Beach For Aphrodite

      Jul 1, 2023

      A Day At The Beach For Aphrodite
      14 min read

    • Article

      Angels in Bloom

      Feb 27, 2020

      Angels in Bloom
      4 min read

    • Article

      Ly Yeow

      Dec 5, 2023

      Ly Yeow
      5 min read

    • Article

      Singing The Same Tune

      May 19, 2021

      Singing The Same Tune
      2 min read

    • Article

      Meet the MODERN GRANNIES

      Oct 6, 2020

      Meet the MODERN GRANNIES
      4 min read

    • Article

      Singing The Same Tune

      May 19, 2021

      Singing The Same Tune
      2 min read

    • Article

      Advent ANGEL

      Nov 8, 2023

      Advent ANGEL
      6 min read

    • Article

      BITS & PIECES

      Apr 4, 2023

      My father, Basil, was a hardworking West Virginia coal miner, so as a form of relaxation, he would do anything to make people laugh. For example, when my mom, Rachel, my sister, Brenda, and I prepared dinner, we all wore aprons that tied in the back.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Can’t Take It With You

      Apr 10, 2022

      Can’t Take It With You
      8 min read

    • Article

      Lineal Gaps

      Apr 6, 2021

      Lineal Gaps
      15 min read

    • Article

      Daisy And The Doodler

      Aug 7, 2019

      Daisy And The Doodler
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Out of the Box

    5/5

    2 ratings1 review

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I’ve recently had friends tell me that they’ve been a little disenchanted with middle grade. I have to admit, I don’t read a ton of middle grade. I stick mostly to YA and sometimes read an adult book or a tween novel here and there. Which is why I picked up Michelle Mulder‘s OUT OF THE BOX — it has that perfect tween-ness to it, with thirteen-year-old Ellie right on that line that straddles the innocence of childhood and the angst of growing up. I love that kind of story. And OUT OF THE BOX blew me away.Ellie is super close to her family — her mom and dad always taught her that families talk about everything, so she always knows what’s going on in her parents’ heads. Sometimes that’s not such a good thing. Ellie struggles to be supportive of her mom when she’s feeling depressed, or when her dad hides out in his office for a super long time. She’s excited, though, to be spending the summer with her eccentric Aunt Jeanette in Victoria, helping to clean out her basement. While Ellie’s mom is sad to see her go, Ellie can’t wait to spend time with Jeanette sorting through all the junk and looking for gems to sell in a yardsale to benefit the local homeless shelter.It’s not long before Ellie finds a gem of her own — an Argentine instrument similar to the accordion called a bandneon. Ellie secretly loves tango music, even though her dad loathes the accordion he was made to play as a kid. When Aunt Jeanette tells Ellie she can have it, she’s beyond excited. She doesn’t tell anyone about it, though, but her new friend Sarah, the pretty girl next door who has surprised Ellie with her sweet and welcoming nature. Of course, everything isn’t peaches and cream with Ellie. Sure, she’s having a fun time with Sarah and going on regular adventures with her aunt, but things at home aren’t exactly spectacular, and Ellie’s mom calls every day to tell her how much she is missed. Plus, Ellie has found a secret sewn into the lining of the bandoneon case — both Canadian and Argentine money, and identification that Ellie traces back to people who went missing in the 70′s. In fact, she’s about to find out a lot about Argentine history that puts her on the hunt for the original owner of the bandoneon, even though it means she might have to give it back.OUT OF THE BOX has so many elements — the nature of family and friends, loss, politics, mystery, music, and even mental illness — but everything is tightly knit together, creating a story that is both compelling and beautifully written. I felt like I knew Ellie by the time I finished this book. I was rooting for her every time she got a tough call from her mother, I cheered her on while she researched Argentine history, and I held my breath when she was having a tough time with her friends. For everyone who feels like there’s something missing in contemporary middle grade, I’m telling you, you’ve got to hunt this title down. You won’t be sorry.

    Book preview

    Out of the Box - Michelle Mulder

    OUT OF THE BOX

    MICHELLE MULDER

    ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS

    Text copyright © 2011 Michelle Mulder

    All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

    Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

    Mulder, Michelle

    Out of the box [electronic resource] / Michelle Mulder.

    Type of computer file: Electronic monograph in PDF format.

    Issued also in print format.

    ISBN 978-1-55469-329-0

    I. Title.

    PS8626.U435O98 2011A        JC813’.6        C2010-907949-3

    First published in the United States, 2011

    Library of Congress Control Number: 2010941927

    Summary: Ellie’s passion for tango music leads to an interest in Argentine history

    and a desire to separate herself from her parents’ problems.

    Orca Book Publishers is dedicated to preserving the environment and has printed this book on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

    Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

    Cover Design by Teresa Bubela

    Cover photo by Getty Images

    Typesetting by Jasmine Devonshire

    Author photo by David Lowes

    www.orcabook.com

    Printed and bound in Canada.

    14   13   12   11   •   4   3   2   1

    For my family

    CONTENTS

    ONE

    TWO

    THREE

    FOUR

    FIVE

    SIX

    SEVEN

    EIGHT

    NINE

    TEN

    ELEVEN

    TWELVE

    THIRTEEN

    FOURTEEN

    FIFTEEN

    SIXTEEN

    SEVENTEEN

    EIGHTEEN

    NINETEEN

    TWENTY

    TWENTY - ONE

    TWENTY - TWO

    TWENTY - THREE

    TWENTY - FOUR

    TWENTY - FIVE

    AUTHOR’S NOTE

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    ONE

    Ellie?

    My parents are staring at me across our dining-room table. Mom’s still in her work clothes—a tailored beige blouse and black pants that make her seem confident and professional. Dad has changed from his usual T-shirt into something dressier. They’ve raised their wineglasses full of bubbly water for a goodbye toast, and they’re waiting for me to do the same.

    I grip the stem of my glass, trying to figure out how long I’ve been staring out the window at our bark-mulched yard. I was imagining myself picking raspberries in Aunt Jeanette’s garden in Victoria. My parents have finally agreed to let me stay with my aunt for the whole summer this year, instead of just a week. Jeanette says she needs help cleaning her basement— something she and Alison had promised each other they would do this summer. They had wanted to hold a giant yard sale and give all the proceeds to a soup kitchen where they volunteer. Despite everything that’s happened, my aunt’s sticking to the plan. I told my parents I wanted to help, because it feels like the last thing I can do for Alison. Maybe they get it, or maybe they’re worried Jeanette’ll get depressed if she sorts through twenty years of memories of Alison by herself. Either way, I’ve been counting the days until I get to my aunt’s place.

    I raise my glass. To a fantastic summer! I say.

    To Ellie, says Dad.

    To Jeanette, Mom adds, giving us each a long, meaningful look. She’s reminded me often in the past few weeks that I can’t expect my aunt to be the same as before, now that Alison’s gone. Even though Jeanette sounds fine when we talk on the phone or when she visits, grief might come crashing in on her when summer arrives and she’s not busy teaching. Besides, summer is the season of kayaking, hiking and lake swimming—activities she and Alison used to share. I think Mom imagines her curled up in a chair, desperate for company, but personally I can’t picture it. My aunt always says that life is nothing if not a great adventure. I’ve told Mom she shouldn’t worry so much, but telling Mom not to worry is like telling her not to breathe. Sure enough, Mom seems sad and tired as we clink glasses, and I scramble to think of something cheerful to say. I was thinking about what to pack, I lie.

    Don’t think too hard, Dad says, his voice cheerful enough to make up for my mother’s mood. This goodbye dinner was his idea, and he spent all afternoon chopping sun-dried tomatoes and grating extra-aged cheddar for his gourmet macaroni and cheese, my favorite meal. He doesn’t usually try this hard, but we both know tonight is important. You never know what Jeanette has up her sleeve, he says. You can’t possibly prepare for everything.

    No kidding, I say, digging into my macaroni. One year, Jeanette, Alison and I made elaborate costumes and waved from a float in the Canada Day parade. Another time, we rode horses to a secret waterfall at the top of a mountain. Last year we went camping, whitewater rafting and to the opera, all in one weekend. That’s what visits with Jeanette have always been like. Intense. Fabulous. And full of stuff I’d never do at home.

    Dad and I are smiling.

    Mom isn’t. Tears are welling up in her eyes.

    I feel a pang of guilt, but I grit my teeth. I’m not giving in. Not this time. Great supper, Dad, I say.

    Somewhere outside, a lawn mower roars to life, startling us and giving me a few extra seconds to think up a cheery new topic. You guys’ll have a great summer too, right? What did Jeanette call it? The romantic opportunity of a lifetime?

    Mom had laughed when Jeanette said that a few weeks ago, and I’m hoping for the same response now. Tomorrow I want to leave with memories of us laughing together. If I can think about that, I’ll worry less about what happens here while I’m gone.

    On the outside not much will change, I know. When I return, the lawns on our cul-de-sac will be as green as ever. The air will smell of sprinkler water on pavement, and the neighbors will be walking their dogs.

    Our backyard might be weedier. The house was new when my parents bought it thirteen years ago, right before I was born, and they’ve never gotten around to putting in a garden. Each year they order a load of bark mulch and hire a gardener to spread it out so the weeds don’t take over. I pull out the dandelions and grasses that sprout through the mulch. Not many do.

    It’s hard to say what things will be like inside our house two months from now. Mom gets upset a lot, and Dad says no one can calm her down like I can. Dad spends most of his time downstairs in his office, designing software for his company or just surfing the Internet. Mom says no one gets him out of his shell like I do.

    I want my parents to laugh now so I can think about that laughter on the ferry ride to Victoria tomorrow.

    But Mom’s tears are brimming over. I look pleadingly at Dad, and for once, he jumps in. Come on, now, Gloria, he says. It’ll be a great summer, right? For all of us. His tone is more forceful than usual, as though he won’t take no for an answer.

    Mom closes her eyes and takes a long, deep breath. A breath like she taught me to take before math tests. When she opens her eyes, she looks as determined as Dad. "It will be a great summer, she says with a confident smile that matches her professional clothing. And we’ll look forward to hearing about your adventures, Ellie. I know you’ll have a wonderful time."

    I relax. Dad does too. We talk about the kite Jeanette and I plan to build together—an improvement on last summer’s design—and about the park north of Victoria where we want to picnic. Then Dad cracks a joke about being the suburb’s King of Romance this summer, and at last I hear the laughter I’ve been hoping for.

    Later that evening I stuff a book and an extra toothbrush into the crannies of my backpack. I leave my iPod and my cell phone on my desk. Jeanette has banned both of them from her house. She says technology takes people away from the moment. Life at her house is all about being present. I rolled my eyes when she made that declaration. I’m going to miss my music. (Mom thinks I hate music because I don’t always want to practice my violin, but listening to great artists and wanting to practice an instrument I never liked anyway are two completely different things.)

    I don’t mind leaving the cell phone behind. My friend Samantha is in Tasmania visiting relatives for the summer, and the only other person who ever calls me is my mother.

    I take a last look around my room and ease the zipper

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1