Slight at best.
It is the day the fifth graders submit their STEAM projects to be judged at the school fair.
The fair’s theme is “What My Country Means to Me.” After Sam Witt’s 50-state mega-sandwich disappears, the day continues to produce many other unexpected mysteries. Ravi sees the shadows of evil alien invaders in Mr. Hargrove’s classroom. Animal-loving Shaniqua is convinced that the news reporters on TV announced that a tiger escaped from the zoo and is running loose in the neighborhood. When Deanna sees the police standing in front of the school, she knows for sure her arrest is imminent for illicitly taking home the school library’s reference copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Aspiring foodie author Mateo mistakes the substitute teacher’s pre-labor pains—and baby bump—as evidence she’s the culprit who has eaten Sam’s large sandwich. Moore has cast a diverse group of students in this mystery, mostly relying on naming convention and Huddleston’s illustrations rather than textual details to indicate identity. Troublingly, Deanna claims Pawnee heritage to back up her Kansas bona fides as she auditions for the role of Dorothy. Overall, the characters come across as rather dim—not the sorts of kids actual upper-elementary students are likely to identify with. Companion titles Lab Mice Heist, Math Test Mischief, and Stage Two Hullabaloo publish simultaneously.
Slight at best. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-63163-316-4
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Jolly Fish Press
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
Watch out Cam Jansen, there's a new sleuth in town.
Secret Agent Amelia Kidd has saved the world loads of times.
Or, at least a couple. Amelia, a young detective, is always on the lookout for evil geniuses and criminal masterminds. (The telltale I’m-going-to-rule-the-world smile gives them away every time.) Of course, while searching out trouble, she often finds herself right in the middle of it. Narrating in first person, Amelia shares three case files in one collection. In the first mystery, she catches a jewel thief while on a class trip. In the second, she foils a cat burglary (quite literally; cats are the prime suspects), and in the third, she battles plants that have come alive. Each case contains more than one element of disbelief, but Amelia is so earnest, readers will gladly go along for the ride. Secret asides spoken directly to the audience and classic school tropes such as bullying and popularity make Amelia instantly recognizable. The plots—while offbeat in content—are amusing and easy to follow. More-seasoned suspense readers might wish for more complication, but emerging chapter-book readers will appreciate the linear approach. Black-and-white illustrations on every page also help the stories flow. The start of a new series, Agent Amelia continues her quest in Zombie Cows! (simultaneous publication, 2011).
Watch out Cam Jansen, there's a new sleuth in town. (Mystery. 7-10)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7613-8060-3
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Darby Creek
Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
Everyone wants to be a Goofball in this little town, and readers will want to follow their cases in the future. That #1 on...
Best friends, Mara, Kelly, Brian and Jeff are self-styled Goofball private eyes who solve unusual mysteries.
A private eye has to notice everything, and narrator Jeff and his three goofy friends notice every clue, even when they don’t realize its importance. Jeff just notes it down in his trusty clue book, because you never know when something might matter. When Randall Crandall calls the Goofballs to solve the mystery of his missing horse, Thunder, they call on all their detective skills in order to find Randall’s equine buddy. Short sentences, ample white space, oversized font, silly situations and punny wordplay make this a good choice for readers just ready for chapter books. Though some of the plot twists are downright ridiculous—the Goofballs successfully turn themselves into bushes, for instance—the overall story will satisfy young mystery readers with a funny bone. Charming black-and-white illustrations dot most spreads, helping new readers follow the tricky parts. According to the illustrations, Brian is African-American, a welcome touch in a genre where kids of color are often absent.
Everyone wants to be a Goofball in this little town, and readers will want to follow their cases in the future. That #1 on the spine ensures that there will be many more adventures from these goofy friends. (Mystery. 7-9)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-60684-164-8
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Egmont USA
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2011
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