Tightly plotted mysteries lightened with wacky, ludicrous humor.
In this sequel to The Flinkwater Factor (2015), Hautman returns to quirky Flinkwater for more technology-driven mysteries with spunky carrot-topped Ginger.
Kicking off an e-book–vs.–print storyline, the white girl’s homework assignment—finding how Flinkwater got its name—leads her to the computer-free library, where a controlling pair of white, evangelical caricatures (the preachy kind with a life-size, blue-eyed Jesus statue in their front yard) wishes to ban Charlotte’s Web for its ungodly talking animals. Sassy Ginger gets involved and decides to read the book—but to the librarian’s dismay, she opts for the electronic version. Later that night, Ginger discovers that every electronic version of the book has been hacked. To recover the book, she seeks help from her brainy best friend and boyfriend (and fiance, though he doesn’t know it yet), but he doesn’t remember her: it seems that a plague of memory lapses is following the use of a new memory and learning technology. But is it a side effect…or something sinister? Investigating the man behind the memory machine, Ginger gets into wacky animal adventures and peril. The storyline’s climactic moment comes a bit too easily, but the surrounding story is good fun. Most characters (barring animal rescuer Myke, adopted from Africa) seem to be white. A lengthy denouement answers all remaining plot questions, tying the subplots together. A final section indicates the present-vs.-future status of the featured technology.
Tightly plotted mysteries lightened with wacky, ludicrous humor. (Science fiction. 8-14)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6438-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
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
This delightful debut welcomes readers in like a house filled with love.
A 13-year-old biracial girl longs to build the house of her dreams.
For Lou Bulosan-Nelson, normal is her “gigantic extended family squished into Lola’s for every holiday imaginable.” She shares a bedroom with her Filipina mother, Minda—a former interior-design major and current nurse-to-be—in Lola Celina’s San Francisco home. From her deceased white father, Michael, Lou inherited “not-so-Filipino features,” his love for architecture, and some land. Lou’s quietude implies her keen eye for details, but her passion for creating with her hands resonates loudly. Pining for something to claim as her own, she plans to construct a house from the ground up. When her mom considers moving out of state for a potential job and Lou’s land is at risk of being auctioned off, Lou stays resilient, gathering support from both friends and family to make her dream a reality. Respicio authentically depicts the richness of Philippine culture, incorporating Filipino language, insights into Lou’s family history, and well-crafted descriptions of customs, such as the birdlike Tinikling dance and eating kamayan style (with one’s hands), throughout. Lou’s story gives voice to Filipino youth, addressing cultural differences, the importance of bayanihan (community), and the true meaning of home.
This delightful debut welcomes readers in like a house filled with love. (Fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: June 12, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-1794-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Wendy Lamb/Random
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
