MILKSHAKE THE DISAPPEARING MILK SNAKE

A snake on the loose sparks some school-wide sleuthing.

Carter Rogers is on the case. His specialty? Looking into deceased and missing class pets. After his class pet, a naked mole-rat named Mr. Pebbles, mysteriously died, Carter teamed up with the snarky rodent’s disembodied spirit to find out why. Now Carter must track down a reptile gone rogue. A milk snake named Milkshake, Carter’s older brother JJ’s classroom pet, fled her enclosure while JJ was preparing her lunch (a frozen baby mouse). Although skeptical of Carter’s spirit connections, JJ nonetheless enlists his assistance. With the help of a magical necklace, Carter speaks with Mr. Pebbles and Rootbeer (a spectral snake and Milkshake’s former tankmate) to uncover Milkshake’s whereabouts. Their search leads them to the cafeteria, to the teacher’s lounge, and finally to a warm bowl of chicken soup. Compared with the first installment, this title features slightly less mystery and far more sibling rivalry—in particular, Roberts draws effective parallels between Carter and JJ’s relationship and Rootbeer’s bond with Milkshake, her adopted sister. The tale also provides ample hallway adventures and slapstick silliness, brought to life by Roberts’ lively cartooning. Carter, JJ, and Lester, an interloping classmate who wants in on the spirit conversations, are Black; the supporting cast is diverse.

A goofy, entertaining mystery certain to engage young readers.