An ambitious and atmospheric paranormal mystery that charms, even as its storytelling stumbles.
The sixth installment of Paavola’s middle-grade mystery series offers a vivid glimpse into a secret history of Memphis, Tennessee.
Thirteen-year-olds Sonny and Breanne share some unique skills: Sonny sees ghosts, and Breanne hears them—and together, they can do both at once. When a ghostly presence haunts their school bully, Sonny and Breanne meet Leticia Gonzales, the ghost of a Mexican American elementary school student who died in the year 2000. The pair’s interactions with Leticia soon attract more spirits, including Kenzo Nakamura, a Japanese American first grader who passed on in 1998, and Ms. Dub, a woman who “worked at this school for generations” and died more than a half-century ago. As Sonny and Breanne investigate their new ghost friends’ origins, Sonny’s amulet, a family heirloom, begins to vibrate, and Breanne is tormented by prophetic dreams. The mystery deepens when Sonny discovers Ms. Dub’s connection to him, and the duo follow their visions to a historic general store, where they encounter Flora, who also has a connection to Sonny. All threads converge in an emotional, multigenerational reunion that brings the characters well-earned closure. Paavola’s novel has an exciting premise, and the author develops his characters with impressive specificity that makes them feel realistic and relatable. However, the story also leans heavily on exposition. As the sixth book in a series, it frequently summarizes past events for newcomers, slowing the pace; also, several major story events in this installment are discussed but not shown, making some sections feel rushed. The novel features a diverse cast, although Leticia and Kenzo’s cultural identities are only superficially addressed. Some inconsistencies, such as Sonny’s surname changing from Etherly to Elliott, create distractions that undermine an otherwise thoughtful work. Despite this, readers drawn to friendship-centered mysteries will find plenty to enjoy, including engaging history lessons and engaging supernatural suspense.
An ambitious and atmospheric paranormal mystery that charms, even as its storytelling stumbles.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Contagiously goofy and fun.
Area 51 gets its first new resident in 5 years—and a new mystery.
When her grandma moves into a kid-free retirement home, 12-year-old orphan Priya “Sky” Patel-Baum and Spike, her pet hedgehog, relocate to Area 51 to live with Sky’s eccentric Uncle Anish. At 51, humans and Break Throughs (government-speak for aliens) live together off-grid in harmony. Unfortunately, several Zdstrammars (one of many Break Through species) mysteriously disappear, disrupting the base’s harmony and contributing to feelings of suspicion. Despite being deputy head of the Federal Bureau of Alien Investigations, Uncle Anish becomes a prime suspect. Can Sky and Elvis, her alien classmate, prove Uncle Anish’s innocence and find the missing Zdstrammars before it’s too late? YA author Buxbaum’s middle-grade debut is a rip-roaring series opener complete with over-the-top characters and jokes galore. Naidu’s black-and-white cartoon illustrations extend the comedy with ongoing commentary that smartly interacts with the prose. The cast of Break Through species—like Audiotooters, Galzorian, and Sanitizoria—have hilariously creative on-the-nose names with illustrations to match. Sky is coded biracial, with a White dad and Indian mom. Aliens appear in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors; Elvis shape-shifts but looks like a brown-skinned boy to Sky. Though the main mystery is neatly wrapped up, the cliffhanger ending promises more laughs.
Contagiously goofy and fun. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-42946-4
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans.
Only children, rejoice! A cozy mystery just for you! (People with siblings will probably enjoy it too.)
Debut novelist Cornett introduces the One and Onlys, a trio of mystery-solving only kids: Gloria Longshanks “Shanks” Hill, Alexander “Peephole” Calloway, and narrator Paul (alas, no nickname) Marconi. The trio has a knack for finding and solving low-level mysteries, but they come up against a true head-scratcher when the yard of a resident of their small town is covered in rubber ducks overnight. Working ahead of Officer Portnoy, who’s a little on the slow side, can Paul, Shanks, and Peephole solve the mystery? Cornett has a lot of fun with this adventure, dropping additional side mysteries, a subplot about small businesses, big corporations, and economics, and a town’s love of bratwurst into the mix. Most importantly, he plays fair with the clues throughout, allowing astute readers to potentially solve the case ahead of the trio. The tone and mystery are perfect for younger readers who want to test their detective skills but are put off by anything scary or gory. The pacing would serve well for chapter-by-chapter read-alouds. If there are any quibbles, it’s the lack of diversity of the cast, as it defaults white. Diversity exists in small towns, and this one is crying out for more. Hopefully a sequel will introduce additional faces.
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3003-6
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
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