The Best Mistake Mystery: The Great Mistake Mysteries
by Sylvia McNicoll
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Description
Some people count their blessings, but dogwalker Stephen Nobel counts mistakes. Dogwalker extraordinaire Stephen Nobel can get a little anxious, but his habit of counting the mistakes he and everyone else makes calms him. His need to analyze gets kicked into hyperdrive after two crazy events happen in one day at school: the bomb squad blows up a backpack and someone smashes a car into the building. To make things worse, that someone thinks Stephen can identify them. Stephen receives a show more threatening text. If he goes to the police, his favourite dogs, Ping and Pong, will get hurt. The pressure mounts when his new best friend, Renée, begs for Stephen's help. Her brother has been charged with the crimes and she wants to clear his name. Is it a mistake to give in to dognappers? How can he possibly save everybody? To find out, Stephen will have to count on all of his new friends. CCBC's Best Books for Kids & Teens (Fall 2017) Selection show lessTags
Member Reviews
The Best Mistake Mystery
By: Sylvia McNicoll
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Plot:
This is a really fun mystery! The narrator (Stephen) counts his mistakes each day. The format of the book is enumerating each mistake per day (Day One, Mistake One). The clever part is that this mystery is solved because of his mistakes. Each little detail becomes clear as the mystery resolves itself. A schoolmate's brother (Renee - friend; Atilla - friend's brother) has been accused of a crime. Someone has crashed a car into the school causing damage and mayhem. Stephen and Renee set out to solve the mystery in order to clear Atilla's name.
Characters:
Stephen and Renee are both middle schoolers and are both outsiders. They show more have quirks that mean they don't fit into the norm. They are prime targets for middle school torture. At the beginning of the book the two don't even like each other much. They grate on each other and against the rest of the school population. What I loved so much about this book though was how the author turned what most people saw as a flaw (Stephen reading too much into situations) into a positive (using those analysis and observation skills to solve a mystery). That's a great lesson for kids to hear. Renee (the super smart kid at school) seems to be the only one who recognizes his skills and appreciates them. She helps Stephen develop. By the end they are true best friends - really a lovely transformation.
Conclusion:
If you like a mystery where all the confusing bits and pieces throughout the story resolve into a satisfying conclusion then this book is for you! show less
By: Sylvia McNicoll
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Plot:
This is a really fun mystery! The narrator (Stephen) counts his mistakes each day. The format of the book is enumerating each mistake per day (Day One, Mistake One). The clever part is that this mystery is solved because of his mistakes. Each little detail becomes clear as the mystery resolves itself. A schoolmate's brother (Renee - friend; Atilla - friend's brother) has been accused of a crime. Someone has crashed a car into the school causing damage and mayhem. Stephen and Renee set out to solve the mystery in order to clear Atilla's name.
Characters:
Stephen and Renee are both middle schoolers and are both outsiders. They show more have quirks that mean they don't fit into the norm. They are prime targets for middle school torture. At the beginning of the book the two don't even like each other much. They grate on each other and against the rest of the school population. What I loved so much about this book though was how the author turned what most people saw as a flaw (Stephen reading too much into situations) into a positive (using those analysis and observation skills to solve a mystery). That's a great lesson for kids to hear. Renee (the super smart kid at school) seems to be the only one who recognizes his skills and appreciates them. She helps Stephen develop. By the end they are true best friends - really a lovely transformation.
Conclusion:
If you like a mystery where all the confusing bits and pieces throughout the story resolve into a satisfying conclusion then this book is for you! show less
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