Pre-read recollections: I somewhat cheated one this one because I was inspired to read it by Alli at SSR Podcast, but I did stop the episode so as to not spoil myself! I read this book for the first time in middle school English, and I think I picked it at some point in college while babysitting a middle school student, and I remembered a few of the bigger broad strokes: Sam Westing was a wily old minx with a fondness for word play, there was something to do with cardinal directions, and all of these people were willing to move to this building with no idea why.Īdult review: I love a good who-dun-it, and even though this is a children’s book, I think this one is one of the better I’ve ever read. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger-and a possible murderer-to inherit his vast fortune, on things for sure: Sam Westing may be dead…but that won’t stop him from playing one last game! Synopsis: A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. To be honest, I was a little nervous - would it still hold up? would I still love these books? - and a little excited.

When we started talking about what we wanted to do on She’s Full of Lit, rereading childhood faves came up again and again. Raskin died at the age of 56 on August 8, 1984, in New York City due to complications from connective tissue disease.As you can see from our bios, we were all big readers as kids, which probably is why we read so much now. She married Dennis Flanagan, editor of Scientific American, in 1965. She designed dozens of dust jackets for books, including the first edition of Madeleine L'Engle's classic A Wrinkle in Time. Raskin was also an accomplished graphic artist. She received the 1979 Newbery Medal for her 1978 book, The Westing Game.

She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up during the Great Depression. Ellen Raskin was a writer, illustrator, and designer. Raskin died at the age of 56 on August 8, 1984, in New York City due to complications from connective tissue disease.

The westing game book by ellen raskin