Fans will be satisfied and look expectantly for Book 7.
Timmy Failure, world-class detective, is on the case even when on vacation.
Timmy’s mother and Doorman Dave may or may not have gotten married (Timmy fainted at the wedding and is still not convinced it actually occurred). The three are on a honeymoon trip to Key West, and Doorman Dave has brought along his nephew, Emilio Empanada, to keep Timmy company. As usual, mysteries flock to Timmy like murderous chickens to chicken feed. Someone is sending Timmy threatening notes, and his former partner, the imaginary polar bear Total, has scarpered for Cuba. Timmy enlists Emilio as an unpaid intern to assist with lighthouse infiltration, pirating, and book sales. Can Timmy and Emilio raise enough money to continue their investigations while avoiding the terror that lurks in the butterfly conservancy? Pastis’ sixth wry and dry comic caper (again with chapter titles that will flit over the heads of the target audience, as they riff on Hemingway titles and old songs, as well as the egregiously named Emilio Empanada) features a couple of real mysteries for the obstinately clueless Timmy Failure as well as a familial first: meeting his dad. Pastis’ black-and-white cartoon illustrations on nearly every page are a goofy boon.
Fans will be satisfied and look expectantly for Book 7. (Graphic/mystery hybrid. 7-11)Pub Date: April 25, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9733-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2017
A lively, inviting introduction sure to win fans.
Sherlock Holmes and friends are recast as modern kids at the Baker Street Academy.
New student John Watson quickly befriends fellow students assertive Martha Hudson and enigmatic Sherlock Holmes. While the main characters are white, there are secondary characters of color. Once John settles in, he starts a blog in which he writes and illustrates his stories about life at the school. The plot starts in earnest when a museum field trip is interrupted by a flash mob and an unsuccessful robbery—but when the diamond recovered from the would-be thief is revealed to be a fake, it has both authorities and kids wondering where the real Alpine Star is. Thoughtful formatting balances prose with illustrations, comic-book panels, and snippets of newspapers or online news websites, enhancing the energy and pace. It also plants the occasional red herring and helps to obscure the villain for readers who aren’t familiar with the name Moriarty and are just learning the conventions of comic-book villains. The cartoon illustrations evoke personality effectively, most noticeably in interludes with adorable Baskerville the hound and presenting Sherlock and James Moriarty with contrasting visual codes: Sherlock is rounded, whereas Moriarty and his dark trench (to counter the light one Sherlock wears) are spiky to denote foul intent. With such engaging art, it’s a shame that the visual clues that lead Sherlock to his deductions are not present for keen-eyed readers to make their own inferences; they must wait for Sherlock’s explanations along with the rest of the cast.
A lively, inviting introduction sure to win fans. (Graphic/mystery hybrid. 7-11)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-19315-2
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
Ultimately, Squishy’s numerous shenanigans make the book an enjoyable, if simple, outing for chapter-book readers. (Fiction....
Originally published in Australia in 2016, Wild’s first story in the Squishy Taylor series makes its way to the United States.
Sita “Squishy” Taylor lives in a small apartment with a large family: her dad, stepmom, twin stepsisters Vee and Jessie, and the baby. This is a new arrangement, since her mom has moved overseas. One day, Squishy comes across a little kid hiding in the garage who goes by the name John Smith. Gullible Squishy believes John Smith’s tale: that he stole a motorbike and that the police are after him. Squishy is excited about having a secret, but John is soon discovered by Vee. In working together, Vee and Squishy quickly become friends, and Squishy comes to think of her stepfamily as a “bonus family” in truth. While the story itself is well-written and the fast-paced narrative keeps readers engrossed, the main issue in the story—Squishy’s loneliness and eventual acceptance with regard to her stepfamily—is sidelined. Also, although Squishy is the only brown character in the book (her mother is Indian), her biracial identity has little to do with the story. In fact, all the characters in the book read white regardless of how they have been depicted in Wood’s black-and-white illustrations, which appear every 10 pages or so. The paperback edition of the book includes several questions intended for classroom discussions.
Ultimately, Squishy’s numerous shenanigans make the book an enjoyable, if simple, outing for chapter-book readers. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5158-1972-1
Page Count: 129
Publisher: Picture Window Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
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