Review: Floors by Patrick Carman

In a sentence or so: When the whimsical and wacky founder of the Whippet Hotel goes missing, it’s up to young Leo to piece together a series of clues that only one who truly loves and appreciates the Hotel could solve.

Leo and his dad live in and serve the Whippet Hotel. As the maintenance man’s son, Leo is very familiar with most of the quirks and oddities and peculiar occurrences within the hotel. What’s more than that – Leo loves each and every inch of the hotel. From the pinball room to the cupcake room to the puzzle room to the garden room, Leo appreciates the eccentricities of each and every floor…if not each and every guest.

Leo’s journey begins when he finds a package in the duck elevator that is addressed to him. He doesn’t know where the series of clues will lead him, but he is desperately hopeful that Mr. Whippet will be waiting at the very end of it all.

Think Charlie and The Chocolate Factory in a hotel, complimented with an affinity for ducks and a swiftly earned and fiercely loyal best friend – and you have FLOORS in a nutshell. The hotel is pretty rad in and of itself, the guests are quirky as all get out, AND there’s a roaming team of ducks who are led by the coolest duck around, Betty.

Leo’s discovering of clues and exploring the floors are what drove the plot. Underneath that layer, however, are subtle explorations of human relationships, gently reminding the reader to do what you love, be unabashed about who you are, and believing in yourself and those who love you. Really, it doesn’t get much better than a quirky and whimsical book that leaves you with a warm feeling in your heart. Oh wait, it totally does when you ADD AWESOME DUCKS.

Fave quote: "The problem with Blop - besides the fact that he really would not stop talking - was that he was a sneaky little robot." (pg. 93)

Fix er up: Some of the characters felt unnecessary to the plot. However, this is the first in a series (though this is certainly a great stand alone), so perhaps they will have their chance to shine at a later time.

Title: Floors

Author: Patrick Carman

Genre: Middle Grade, Friendship

Publishing Info: September 2011, Scholastic

[FTC Notice: I received an ARC of this book from April at Good Books and Good Wine. I was not compensated for this review.]