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LARK AND THE DESSERT DISASTER

From the Lark Ba Detective series

This is a solid and growing detective series for transitioning readers, with a dyslexic multicultural heroine—an inspiring...

Lark and Connor Ba, twin detectives, are back at work when the town’s annual baking contest starts off with a sabotaged sweet.

The fourth book in this chapter book’s series finds Lark Ba, the spunky and personable heroine, logically outlining the steps to find the culprit. Before the baking competition began, everyone thought Sophie, Lark’s classmate, would win first prize. When her babushka’s kutia pudding is found splattered on the ground, the whole event is in jeopardy. Who would do such a thing? With their distinctive banter, the mixed-race Ba twins (of Korean and Kenyan descent) carefully search for clues, their methodical process encouraging readers to solve the mystery along with them. Cutler’s illustrations set the emotional tone of the story, showing a wide range of reactions from the familiar, notably diverse cast of characters. As in the rest of this series, Deen serves up notable side dishes while the detectives search for the main course. Lark continues to struggle with vocabulary words and jargon, an issue all new readers will recognize. With her trademark humor, she reaches for (and misses) complex vocabulary words that are revealed in the backmatter. Even with these challenges, careful logic and thoroughness earn the Ba twins the respect of the town’s adults.

This is a solid and growing detective series for transitioning readers, with a dyslexic multicultural heroine—an inspiring role model for today’s world. (Mystery. 6-9)

Pub Date: April 2, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4598-2067-8

Page Count: 104

Publisher: Orca

Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019

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THE DIAMOND MYSTERY

From the Whodunit Detective Agency series , Vol. 1

Nicely paced, with just the right number of red herrings to keep readers thinking; they will hope the number 1 on the spine...

Jerry and Maya, classmates and friends, spend their spare time solving mysteries in their hometown of Pleasant Valley in this Swedish import.

Things are not so pleasant for Mohammed Carat, the richest man in Pleasant Valley. His world-famous jewelry store is losing money; apparently, one of his employees is stealing valuable diamonds and gems. The police are no help, so Mr. Carat turns to the youngsters for help. Each employee is a suspect: Vivian is in money trouble, former owner Danny wants his store back, and Luke’s flashy spending is suspicious. Jerry and Maya are hired to help out around the shop—washing windows, taking out the trash and so forth—but really they are there to watch the employees, both from inside the shop and from the church tower next door. Young mystery aficionados will enjoy solving the puzzle along with Maya and Jerry and will admire their observational powers. Full-color cartoon illustrations add much to the story, helping readers to see what the young gumshoes do. A map of Pleasant Valley and an illustrated cast of characters are provided in the early pages, allowing new readers an excellent reference tool to keep the many characters straight.

Nicely paced, with just the right number of red herrings to keep readers thinking; they will hope the number 1 on the spine indicates that this is the first of many Maya and Jerry mysteries. (Mystery. 7-9)

Pub Date: July 31, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-448-48067-1

Page Count: 80

Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap

Review Posted Online: May 27, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014

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AVEN GREEN SLEUTHING MACHINE

From the Aven Green series , Vol. 1

A fun series opener with a feisty protagonist who’ll keep readers on their toes.

Bowling introduces the outspoken, armless narrator of her Life as a Cactus series to younger readers.

Eight-year-old Aven Green doesn’t need arms to be a good private investigator; her feet work just fine. In fact, all those extra arm cells went to her brain instead—at least, that’s her hypothesis. So when somebody starts stealing food at school, she’s on the case. But then her great-grandma’s dog, Smitty, goes missing, and then new student Sujata arrives—looking mysteriously sad. Can Aven’s “super-powered brain” solve three cases at the same time? The simple plot, peppered with humorous malapropisms and leaps of kid logic, is primarily a showcase for Aven’s precocious personality. Witty, stubborn, and self-confident (“I was shy once. It was on a Wednesday afternoon in kindergarten”), Aven takes her disability in stride; her classmates are also accepting. She and her friends share rowdy and gleefully gross activities, complete with “ninja” chops, flatulence, and “rainbow barf.” Her (adoptive) parents are warmly supportive, but her long-suffering teacher is perhaps too much so; her remarkable tolerance for Aven’s occasionally disruptive antics may raise some eyebrows. Perry’s black-and-white cartoon illustrations energetically depict Aven’s agile feet and mischievous grin. The tidy ending sets up another adventure; a list of Aven’s “sleuthing words” is appended. Most characters, including Aven, appear to be White; Sujata is Indian American.

A fun series opener with a feisty protagonist who’ll keep readers on their toes. (Mystery. 6-9)

Pub Date: April 6, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-4549-4221-4

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Sterling Children's Books

Review Posted Online: March 1, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

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