The Ambrose Deception
Written by Emily Ecton, Illustrated by Gilbert Ford

Publisher’s Summary:
Three Chicago students, Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi, are unlikely participants in a competition for a ten thousand-dollar scholarship, unaware that there is much more at stake.

Primary Source Pairing:
Equal parts adventure and mystery, The Ambrose Deception will intrigue and delight middle grade readers. Chock-full of Chicago trivia and fun facts, there are many opportunities to pull in primary sources either historical or contemporary to add context to the clues.  Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi are searching for answers as they research, collaborate, and use their problem solving skills. For this primary source pairing, invite students to study a photograph from 1923 showing the Tribune Tower and Wrigley Building. 

Questions for Discussion:

• Describe what you see.
• What do you notice first?
• What objects are shown?
• How are they arranged?
• What is the physical setting?
• Make a connection to something you see in this photograph to something you read in the book The Ambrose Deception. 
• Why is the Tribune Tower important in the story?
• What other areas of Chicago from the book are you interesting in learning more about?

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Tribune Tower and Wrigley Building, Chicago, Ill., photograph from Library of Congress.