CHESTER KEENE CRACKS THE CODE

A careful sixth grader who appreciates predictability connects with a new friend who takes the opposite approach to life as the two work together on a scavenger hunt that ends up being about more than just solving clues.

As 11-year-old Chester Keene waits on an email reply from his absent father, who he is sure is away on secret spy business, he keeps to himself and his meticulous routines. He hones his skills as a spy-in-training while trying to manage the provocations of a bully, prevent his mother from worrying about him, and prepare for what he longs for most: his father’s return and his need for Chester’s assistance with an important mission. When a mystery envelope containing pieces of an unsolved puzzle arrives at his doorstep, surely left by his father, Chester springs into action. He is soon offered help by Skye, a schoolmate who turns out to hold missing pieces of the puzzle. As they work together to solve it, they uncover more than they ever bargained for while discovering that they have more in common than they initially realized. Strong characterization—especially of the relationship between Chester and his mother—and a multilayered plot provide overall excitement and interest, although the pace drags in some places. Chester is biracial: His mother is White, and his father is Black; Skye is also biracial, with a Japanese American mother and White father.

Engrossing and heartwarming; explores belonging, love, and forgiveness in families and friendships.