Fast-paced and action-packed fun.
Rashford, the renowned Manchester United footballer of Jamaican and Kittitian descent and a lauded child welfare activist, makes his children’s fiction debut in this work inspired by his own childhood and co-written with London author Falase-Koya.
Ever since Marcus lost his soccer ball after he accidentally kicked it over the fence at school, he’s lost his touch for his favorite sport. When he receives an invitation to join the Breakfast Club Investigators, it seems like a great opportunity to retrieve his ball before his cousin, Lola, who gave it to him, returns from America in less than a week. The BCI was created by other kids from Rutherford Secondary School who, like Marcus, gather in the canteen for free breakfasts. No one from Rutherford has ever been known to retrieve a ball that went over that particular fence, and Marcus and the racially diverse BCI members, Asim, Lise, and Stacey, face obstacles—like a stern head teacher and a howling beast—that weaken their morale. The story moves rapidly, with Marcus counting down the days until Lola’s return and figuring out how to balance his old friends with his new BCI connections. The book explores themes like the power of relying on your community, having confidence in yourself, and not fearing life’s changes as the characters grapple with their own problems. Kissi’s illustrations and a variety of font shapes and sizes add zest to this series opener.
Fast-paced and action-packed fun. (Adventure. 8-11)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781529076622
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
A wild romp that champions making space for vulnerable creatures and each other.
A boy with ADHD explores nature and himself.
Eleven-year-old Jake Rizzi just wants to be seen as “normal”; he blames his brain for leading him into trouble and making him do things that annoy his peers and even his own parents. Case in point: He’s stuck spending a week in rural Oregon with an aunt he barely knows while his parents go on vacation. Jake’s reluctance changes as he learns about the town’s annual festival, during which locals search for a fabled turtle. But news of this possibly undiscovered species has spread. Although Aunt Hettle insists to Jake that it’s only folklore, the fame-hungry convene, sure that the Ruby-Backed Turtle is indeed real—just as Jake discovers is the case. Keeping its existence secret is critical to protecting the rare creature from a poacher and others with ill intentions. Readers will keep turning pages to find out how Jake and new friend Mia will foil the caricatured villains. Along the way, Bramucci packs in teachable moments around digital literacy, mindfulness, and ecological interdependence, along with the message that “the only way to protect the natural world is to love it.” Jake’s inner monologue elucidates the challenges and benefits of ADHD as well as practical coping strategies. Whether or not readers share Jake’s diagnosis, they’ll empathize with his insecurities. Jake and his family present white; Mia is Black, and names of secondary characters indicate some ethnic diversity.
A wild romp that champions making space for vulnerable creatures and each other. (Adventure. 8-11)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781547607020
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A smart, fresh take on an old favorite makes for a terrific series kickoff
A modern Sherlock Holmes retelling brings an 11-year-old black John Watson into the sphere of know-it-all 9-year-old white detective Shelby Holmes.
John's an Army brat who's lived in four states already. Now, with his parents' divorce still fresh, the boy who's lived only on military bases must explore the wilds of Harlem. His new life in 221A Baker St. begins inauspiciously, as before he's even finished moving in, his frizzy-haired neighbor blows something up: "BOOM!" But John's great at making friends, and Shelby certainly seems like an interesting kid to know. Oddly loquacious, brusque, and extremely observant, Shelby's locally famous for solving mysteries. John’s swept up in her detecting when a wealthy, brown-skinned classmate enlists their help in the mysterious disappearance of her beloved show dog, Daisy. Whatever could have happened to the prizewinning Cavalier King Charles spaniel? Has she been swiped by a jealous competitor? Has Daisy’s trainer—mysteriously come into enough money to take a secret weekend in Cozumel—been placing bets against his own dog? Brisk pacing, likable characters, a few silly Holmes jokes ("I'm Petunia Cumberbatch," says Shelby while undercover), and a diverse neighborhood, carefully and realistically described by John, are ingredients for success.
A smart, fresh take on an old favorite makes for a terrific series kickoff . (Mystery. 9-11)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-68119-051-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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