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
Perhaps the captain’s next outing will find all its elements in better sync.
Part clever Sherlock Holmes, part bumbling Maxwell Smart, the turbaned Capt. Coconut is a new detective on the scene.
He sets out to solve a case involving the three members of an Indian household: Mrs. Y, her sister, and her nephew, Gilli. Mrs. Y bought 14 bananas, but some are missing. She can account for four—they were eaten—but only six can still be found. After using his calculator to perform the simple mathematical task involved, the detective quickly realizes how many are gone, but the determined sleuth must still find the perpetrator. References, visual and verbal, to Bollywood musical interludes and vaudeville slapstick (remember banana peels) spice up the action, but the math is not complex enough for readers who have the sophistication to enjoy the dry wit and the unusual collage panels of this short graphic novel. The foolish detective, with his round belly sticking out of his safari suit and his red knee socks matching his red paisley nose, can’t open his office door or start his scooter, but of course he does finally solve the mystery. Suffice it to say, an unpleasant stomach ailment provides a clue. Creative readers can provide their own tunes for the three original songs, and the digital collages are filled with zany retro details.
Perhaps the captain’s next outing will find all its elements in better sync. (Graphic mystery. 7-9)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-93-83145-22-5
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Tara Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2015
An optimistic series beginning for young mystery fans.
His atypical brain helps an aspiring, autistic sleuth crack a case.
Asked to write an acrostic of his name, Myron can't think of anything beyond the first word, "Mysteries." Myron is autistic, he tells a girl in his new class for kids with special needs; it means his brain works differently. It makes his head buzz when he's upset; it makes perfume and new situations overwhelming. It also makes him a persistent detective. Luckily, he encounters a mystery on his first day: someone has stolen the snacks from the school kitchen. With his reasoning skills and the help of his energetic new friend, Hajrah, Myron is determined to catch the snack snatchers. The simple mystery introduces deductive reasoning, and Myron's voice clues readers in to both his autism and sympathetic, occasionally humorous, earnestness. ("I don't see the point in kicking a ball across a field. It would be much easier to pick it up and carry it.") Like his acrostic, Myron's logical, literal narration reveals more plot than personality yet promises further development. He genuinely enjoys sleuthing (his affectionate dog is even named Columbo), deals with bullies, and makes friends; through Grand's animated illustrations, his facial expressions range from scowls and knitted brows to a wide grin. Autistic detective characters may have become slightly stereotypical, but O'Donnell gives Myron something they rarely get: opportunities to smile.
An optimistic series beginning for young mystery fans. (Mystery. 7-9)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-77147-069-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 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.
bookshelf
