Liam O'Donnell

Mysteries are always popular with beginning readers and this is an excellent mystery - with a twist.

Myron does not like new things and a whole lot of new things are happening to him. New baby, new school, new bullies and, perhaps, new friends. Myron just wants to settle in and figure out his new routine in school and in Room 15, but his self-appointed friend, Hajrah, have other ideas. Soon they're investigating mysterious messes and disappearing snacks in the kitchen, following clues, and show more making sure the wrong person doesn't get in trouble!

Myron is autistic and Hajrah is in room 15 because she "[bounces] around too much." The other children's reasons for being in room 15 aren't explicitly stated, but their differences are casually woven into the text. I appreciated that they didn't discover amazing talents or inspire anyone, but they were shown with some advantages - Myron's literalism makes him good at dealing with facts - and some disadvantages - he doesn't understand how people react or behave.

The illustrations show a diverse classroom and school and are funny without being too cartoonish. The author's acknowledgement lists people who consulted on making the references to autism accurate.

Verdict: This is not only a good beginning chapter mystery with a story and characters kids will enjoy, it ably represents kids with different abilities as more than their differences. An excellent addition to beginning chapter mysteries.

ISBN: 9781771470698; Published 2015 by OwlKids; Review copy provided by publisher for Cybils; Donated to the library show less

I read book 2 because I couldn't get book 1 -- stands alone well, and the story doesn't talk about Myron being in 3rd grade, which is great for hi-lo/reluctant reader appeal. He's in a small resource room of 4 - with fellow detective Hajrah, and friends Glitch and Jordan (they are makers/coders). Kids will notice that the classroom is different than their own, but there's no othering of the kids in that classroom. They are accepted as they are. I love how Myron talks about his autism -- he's show more matter-of-fact about the things that bother/upset him, but allows Hajrah to lead him outside of his comfort zone. Hajrah, in turn, seems impulsive, and Myron's caution helps slow her down occasionally. In general, good friendship story, and thoughtful collection of clues. Even when there's a bully character, Myron doesn't leap to conclusions without evidence. show less

The summer is only just beginning, but Benny "Bounce" Sharp already knows there's going to be some trouble ahead. All he wants to do is use the skate park to learn some new tricks with his best friend, but the park is dominated by Crunch and his gang, and the police chief won’t allow skating anywhere else in town. Everyone tells Benny to stand up to Crunch, but that's easier said than done--especially when Benny makes an ill-advised bet about who will win the upcoming skate competition, show more with the stakes being use of the park. Luckily, Benny's stepbrother Marcus is in town to teach Benny the finer points of skateboarding--and to give him the courage to stand up to Crunch.

This is a well-done book—the sections explaining how to do each trick are well-integrated into the story, and subplots involving local vandals and protection rackets manage to fit with the rest of the narrative instead of being extraneous. The directions on how to perform the different tricks seem clear to this non-skater. There is not a lot of specialized vocabulary (and what little there is, is defined early on) and while the illustrations are a little difficult to understand, when coupled with the text kids familiar with skateboarding should be able to figure out these moves.

The artwork has a cheery, inviting Saturday-morning quality to it, and the cast is ethnically diverse without skin colors being an element in the story. The only quibble I had with the artwork is Benny’s slightly-feminine-yet-androgynous appearance; early references to “him,” “brother,” or other male signifiers are a little confusing until the reader realizes that Benny is, in fact, a boy. (His best friend is a girl, which is also not an issue to the story, but does reinforce the assumptions.)

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this title—it’s rare to see narrative and how-to blended so seamlessly, without either half lecturing at the reader. show less

I'm totally in love with this series from Orca. Educational without being didactic--the explanations are organic to the plot and flow seamlessly in the narrative.

This time, Devin's mom's research into irrigation methods is being trashed--and Devin's mom is being framed for it! Someone is using he security codes to gain access to the lab and the farm to destroy research, experiments, and the plants themselves. Why? Could it have something to do with the special fertilizer they've been show more given--fertilizer that's doing something to the soil that skews their irrigation results? Devin aims to find out, and clear his mom's name.

Lots of good information about food supply, the environmental value of local and organic produce, and even a bit on genetically-modified crops. This will be a good option for kids in March, when we have our Community Reads Michael Pollan festivities. show less