Watch out Cam Jansen, there's a new sleuth in town.
Secret Agent Amelia Kidd has saved the world loads of times.
Or, at least a couple. Amelia, a young detective, is always on the lookout for evil geniuses and criminal masterminds. (The telltale I’m-going-to-rule-the-world smile gives them away every time.) Of course, while searching out trouble, she often finds herself right in the middle of it. Narrating in first person, Amelia shares three case files in one collection. In the first mystery, she catches a jewel thief while on a class trip. In the second, she foils a cat burglary (quite literally; cats are the prime suspects), and in the third, she battles plants that have come alive. Each case contains more than one element of disbelief, but Amelia is so earnest, readers will gladly go along for the ride. Secret asides spoken directly to the audience and classic school tropes such as bullying and popularity make Amelia instantly recognizable. The plots—while offbeat in content—are amusing and easy to follow. More-seasoned suspense readers might wish for more complication, but emerging chapter-book readers will appreciate the linear approach. Black-and-white illustrations on every page also help the stories flow. The start of a new series, Agent Amelia continues her quest in Zombie Cows! (simultaneous publication, 2011).
Watch out Cam Jansen, there's a new sleuth in town. (Mystery. 7-10)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7613-8060-3
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Darby Creek
Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
An effort as insubstantial as any spirit.
Eleven-year-old Maria Russo helps her charlatan mother hoodwink customers, but Maria has a spirited secret.
Maria’s mother, the psychic Madame Destine, cons widows out of their valuables with the assistance of their apartment building’s super, Mr. Fox. Madame Destine home-schools Maria, and because Destine is afraid of unwanted attention, she forbids Maria from talking to others. Maria is allowed to go to the library, where new librarian Ms. Madigan takes an interest in Maria that may cause her trouble. Meanwhile, Sebastian, Maria’s new upstairs neighbor, would like to be friends. All this interaction makes it hard for Maria to keep her secret: that she is visited by Edward, a spirit who tells her the actual secrets of Madame Destine’s clients via spirit writing. When Edward urges Maria to help Mrs. Fisher, Madame Destine’s most recent mark, Maria must overcome her shyness and her fear of her mother—helping Mrs. Fisher may be the key to the mysterious past Maria uncovers and a brighter future. Alas, picture-book–creator Ford’s middle-grade debut is a muddled, melodramatic mystery with something of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink feel: In addition to the premise, there’s a tragically dead father, a mysterious family tree, and the Beat poets. Sluggish pacing; stilted, unrealistic dialogue; cartoonishly stock characters; and unattractive, flat illustrations make this one to miss. Maria and Sebastian are both depicted with brown skin, hers lighter than his; the other principals appear to be white.
An effort as insubstantial as any spirit. (author’s note) (Paranormal mystery. 7-10)Pub Date: July 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-20567-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
A mystery, a school story, sibling rivalry and the loss of a pet blend surprisingly well in this engaging chapter book. Charmingly awkward fifth grader Edgar Allan decides to solve a series of minor thefts that are plaguing his teacher, Ms. Herschel. Clues are plentiful—and rhymed—but the competition to solve them is fierce. Edgar’s nemesis, Patrick Chen, seems to have the inside track since his dad works in forensics. Edgar, however, finds that the friends he makes along the way provide the winning edge. Including transcripts of Edgar’s ingenuous interviews as well as poems written by a number of class members in her narrative, Amato provides a clear picture of both social and family dynamics while keeping the story moving smoothly along. The author’s characteristic humor is somewhat muted, but examples of amusing wordplay abound. Some readers may guess the identity of the culprit more quickly than Edgar and his friends do, but whodunit is not really the point. Solving puzzles, making friends and learning to see the world more clearly are the true aims of this adventure. (Mystery. 7-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2271-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
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