A sweet, low-key tale of adventure that’s enhanced by its lovable main characters.
The fourth entry in the Grandma Gang middle-grade mystery series finds Donny and Mary Grace learning big and small lessons at summer camp.
Fifth grader Mary Grace and her 5-year-old brother, Donny, who has Down syndrome, are heading to Whispering Oaks Ranch camp in California for the first time. Their parents—an Episcopal priest and a civil engineer—are currently spending two years in Kenya “bringing faith to a small village and ensuring they had clean water.” Mary Grace and Donny have helped to solve several mysteries alongside their caregiver, Grandma Cathy and her friends La Shana and Elizabeth; a local newspaper famously dubbed them the Grandma Gang. But the siblings discover that the mysteries don’t stop just because they’re away at camp. While enjoying simple pleasures, such as roasting marshmallows and learning the basics of hiking safety, Mary Grace investigates a suspicious infestation of frogs in the girls’ cabin that she thinks might be the result of a prank. Despite Donny’s initial reluctance to go away to camp, he acclimates nicely to his new surroundings and learns to shoot a bow and arrow. The short novel culminates in a tense (but not scary) evacuation of the camp due to a spreading wildfire. When Kellan, a camper, goes missing, Mary Grace must solve her greatest mystery yet in order to find him so that all the kids can safely escape. The story ends with a surprising reunion that neatly wraps up this latest series entry but leaves plenty of room for more tales to come.
Although Mary Grace takes the spotlight in this go-round, there are plenty of life lessons to be learned from the Grandma Gang, even in their brief appearances. At one point, for instance, Elizabeth, who teaches karate lessons at the camp, reminds an emotionally struggling Kellan: “That’s why we learn karate, Kellan. Not to hurt people, not to hurt the world, but to take care of ourselves if anything ever happens that might hurt us.” When the kids take a trip to look at ancient Chumash cave paintings, readers learn real-life facts about Chumash history and culture. Pepe also expertly tackles the topic of bullying when it’s revealed that some campers took advantage of Donny’s naïveté; this ends up being a key element of a mystery. There are religious elements scattered throughout, from the mention of the siblings’ parents’ missionary trip to a brief discussion about praying for first responders. The latter is followed by Donny’s appreciation for the rain, which helped put out the fire: “And God made the rain happen.” Athari’s basic, black-and-white sketches of various scenes announce the start of each chapter. The book’s simple sentences, short chapters, and brief page count make it ideal for readers in late elementary and early middle school. Those who have family members or friends with Down syndrome will particularly appreciate Pepe’s sensitive and nuanced portrayal of Donny in this enjoyable, bighearted story.
Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9798986366982
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Quirky and imaginative—postmodern storytelling at its best.
Friendly curiosity and a gift for naming earn a polar bear an assortment of (mostly animal) friends, adventures, mishaps, and discoveries.
Arriving at a northern ocean, Duane spies a shipwreck. Swimming out to investigate, he meets its lone occupant, C.C., a learned snowy owl whose noble goal is acquiring knowledge to apply “toward the benefit of all.” Informing Duane that he’s a polar bear, she points out a nearby cave that might suit him—it even has a mattress. Adding furnishings from the wreck—the grandfather clock’s handless, but who needs to tell time when it’s always now?—he meets a self-involved musk ox, entranced by his own reflection, who’s delighted when Duane names him “Handsome.” As he comes to understand, then appreciate their considerable diversity, Duane brings out the best in his new friends. C.C., who has difficulty reading emotions and dislikes being touched, evokes the autism spectrum. Magic, a bouncy, impulsive arctic fox, manifests ADHD. Major Puff, whose proud puffin ancestry involves courageous retreats from danger, finds a perfect companion in Twitch, a risk-aware, common-sensical hare. As illustrated, Sun Girl, a human child, appears vaguely Native, and Squint, a painter, white, but they’re sui generis: The Canadian author avoids referencing human culture. The art conveys warmth in an icy setting; animal characters suggest beloved stuffed toys, gently reinforcing the message that friendship founded on tolerance breeds comfort and safety.
Quirky and imaginative—postmodern storytelling at its best. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3341-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and...
Catrina narrates the story of her mixed-race (Latino/white) family’s move from Southern California to Bahía de la Luna on the Northern California coast.
Dad has a new job, but it’s little sister Maya’s lungs that motivate the move: she has had cystic fibrosis since birth—a degenerative breathing condition. Despite her health, Maya loves adventure, even if her lungs suffer for it and even when Cat must follow to keep her safe. When Carlos, a tall, brown, and handsome teen Ghost Tour guide introduces the sisters to the Bahía ghosts—most of whom were Spanish-speaking Mexicans when alive—they fascinate Maya and she them, but the terrified Cat wants only to get herself and Maya back to safety. When the ghost adventure leads to Maya’s hospitalization, Cat blames both herself and Carlos, which makes seeing him at school difficult. As Cat awakens to the meaning of Halloween and Day of the Dead in this strange new home, she comes to understand the importance of the ghosts both to herself and to Maya. Telgemeier neatly balances enough issues that a lesser artist would split them into separate stories and delivers as much delight textually as visually. The backmatter includes snippets from Telgemeier’s sketchbook and a photo of her in Día makeup.
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-54061-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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