Will leave readers screaming for the next installment.
Following Whispering Pines (2020), the kids dig deeper into the town’s mysteries.
A prologue reintroduces readers to the town of Whispering Pines and its dangerous Watchful Woods and gives a preview of a new threat. Rae has diverged from empath Caden (he wants nothing to do with Green On! or senior consultant Patrick), accepting Patrick’s internship offer as he teases her with information about her missing father’s whereabouts. The seven interns—some familiar faces, some new—have hardly started their tour of Green On! when things get alarming. Soon, they’re divided into teams and tasked with uncovering—and solving—a mystery. Rae’s team accidentally falls right into a creepy-crawly scenario sure to give readers the willies. Meanwhile, Caden struggles with his family’s changing dynamics in the aftermath of his brother’s actions. The nonchalant attitude that the residents, both kids and adults, take toward all of the weirdness is endearing. The gross-out elements manage to push gore and violence into ooey-gooey territory, giving a slight distance between the disgustingness (that’s absolutely reveled in) and realism. Just as compelling as the supernatural storylines are the interpersonal ones, with conflicts rooted in the complex nature of family and friendships. The elements all meld together into a world that’s easy to get lost in. Most characters default to White, though some side characters have surnames that point to other ethnicities.
Will leave readers screaming for the next installment. (Horror. 8-13)Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6050-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
Fresh exploits in a series notable for its engaging characters and high quality of detective work.
The game is afoot as the Sherlock Society’s four middle school detectives are hired to track down elusive Miami graffiti artist Funky Munky.
In their third caper, the savvy young sleuths engage in another round of expert clue gathering and clever analysis as they seek their gifted quarry, “an activist and street artist” known for painting “graffiti monkeys alongside quotes protesting everything from real estate developments to environmental issues to accusations of government corruption.” Chaperoned and kept from doing anything really dangerous by a strict lawyer mom and a flashy grandpa driving a classic Cadillac convertible, siblings Alex and Zoe, plus their friends Yadi and Lina, nonetheless again prove themselves smart and able investigators with the inner stuff to rise to the occasion when the going gets tricky and the stakes mount. The growing suspense breaks for occasional, well-timed comic relief, including some fiendish (if harmless) pranks—one of which prompts Alex to remark good-humoredly to his big sister, “I still can’t decide if you’re an evil genius or just plain evil.” Along with lots of eye-opening exposure to the secretive, part-legitimate, part-outlaw world of graffiti art (South Florida–style, anyway), readers will be swept up in the closely knit quartet’s lively dynamics as well as the details of the investigation as the tale progresses to its climactic denouement. Yadi reads Latine, and the other leads present white.
Fresh exploits in a series notable for its engaging characters and high quality of detective work. (Mystery. 9-13)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9781665983563
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
A snappy mystery that’s full of heart.
A group of bright friends tackles the puzzle of their lives.
Elmwood, New Hampshire, 11-year-old Gina Sparks is small in stature but big on reporting ongoing dramas for the local newspaper with support from her journalist mom. When an unbelievable scoop comes her way, Gina must rely on her tightknit crew of sixth grade best friends whose initials happen to spell GEEK, a label they choose to proudly reclaim. She and science-minded prankster Elena Hernández, theater kid Edgar Feingarten, and driven math genius Kevin Robinson decide to get to the bottom of things when they learn that the Van Houten Toy & Game Company heir made elaborate plans to leave everything to the town of Elmwood before her death—but only if a member of the community could solve an intricate multistep puzzle. Gina hopes that deciphering the clues and finding the missing fortune will be just the thing to revitalize the down-on-its-luck town and bring the Elmwood Tribune back into the black, saving her mom’s job and Gina’s passion project. The GEEKs work together, using their individual talents and deductive reasoning skills to unravel the mystery. Infused with media literacy pointers, such as the difference between fact and opinion and reminders to avoid bias when reporting, the story encourages readers to think critically. Gina and Edgar read as White; Elena is cued as Latinx, and Kevin is implied Black.
A snappy mystery that’s full of heart. (Mystery. 9-13)Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-37793-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
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