Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring

Oooh, nice art mystery adventure. Set in Mexico, with a collection of 7th graders/ 12 years olds trying to find Frida Kahlo's stolen peacock ring. Moves right along, has a good smattering of Spanish and Kahlo history throughout, and several twisty turns before the truth comes out. Own voices, fiesty young heroine.

Fun mystery!

After her mother is awarded a fellowship for the summer, Paloma Marquez finds herself on an airplane, flying to Mexico City, wishing she could stay home and spend the summer reading her favorite mystery books instead. But soon after arriving, she meets a brother and sister who beg her to use her powers of perception to solve a mystery of her own—help them find a valuable peacock ring that belonged to Mexico’s most famous artist, Frida Kahlo. Paloma soon discovers they are not alone in the search for the ring, and not everyone is who they seem to be, including her new friends. But Paloma cannot resist the temptation of solving a mystery, even if it means potentially putting herself in danger.

What I liked: GREAT show more characters. The main character is fun and very likable, quirks and all. Her friends and the adults in the book are unique and believable. There’s lots of information about Frida Kahlo, some of which I did not know. It’s also a great introduction to Mexican culture.

What I did not like: the beginning is a bit slow, it took me a while to get into it. But, once I did, it was a fun read.

4.5 out of 5 stars show less

Paloma is not pleased when her mother brings her to Mexico for four weeks of her summer vacation. While her mom works, she enrolls Paloma in art and language classes. They happen to live not far from Frida Kahlo's home that has become a museum. On her first night there two siblings ask her to help them solve a mystery. Twists, turns, and Mexican culture abound in this quick read about a girl from Kansas connecting with the memory of her father while making her own memories.