The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
wiseowl33's review against another edition
4.0
Love this series. I am sure my kids at school will love it too!
silea's review against another edition
4.0
One could read this as a free-standing book, but i'd suggest starting with the first one (Museum Mile). It gives a better introduction to the characters, and a better explanation of Eddie's photographic memory. But if you want to start here, go ahead.
This series still exemplifies the values of thinking and teamwork over brute force and antisocial behavior. Even the unfortunate vomiting episode late in the story carries a lesson about thinking before you act. Yes, there are still plenty of poor decisions, plenty of incidents of Eddie lying to his parents and disobeying police and other authority figures, the sorts of behavior a parent would rather their child not idolize. However, for the most part the adults aren't evil or incompetent, but rather busy with Adult Things or bound by Adult Responsibilities and unable to humor a kid's insight. It's certainly vastly better than many other kids' books out there, which make adults seem at best dismissive, and usually far worse.
This series still exemplifies the values of thinking and teamwork over brute force and antisocial behavior. Even the unfortunate vomiting episode late in the story carries a lesson about thinking before you act. Yes, there are still plenty of poor decisions, plenty of incidents of Eddie lying to his parents and disobeying police and other authority figures, the sorts of behavior a parent would rather their child not idolize. However, for the most part the adults aren't evil or incompetent, but rather busy with Adult Things or bound by Adult Responsibilities and unable to humor a kid's insight. It's certainly vastly better than many other kids' books out there, which make adults seem at best dismissive, and usually far worse.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
I started this series and reviewed the first book as a Holiday Pick in December. I was absolutely delighted by the voice of the main character, Eddie Lonnrot, and tickled pink my library had the other two in the series. He's a Black amateur sleuth with an eidetic memory (what we now call a super-recognizer), but can also sketch with precision, making him kinda like a phone taking video wherever he goes. It's what helped him solve the first case, that and being able to sift through all the information his brain's gathering to find the patterns in the people he's seen and places he's in.
In this second book in the series, Eddie's in Mexico, and the book starts by hooking the reader with the fact that he and best friend Jonah are in prison. Eddie's wearing a Darth Vader costume and he's cut up and sore all over. He calls his mom, to tell her where he is, and while she's relieved he's alive, she's not happy about him being in prison. At all. It's not an en media res beginning, rather it starts at the conclusion, the denouement. And it's a great hooking technique, especially when Eddie ends up in a Darth Vader costume. How'd that happen, right?
Then the book switches to the start of the story, which is Eddie and Jonah leaving for vacation in San Pablo del Nino, Mexico. Eddie, Jonah and family goggle at a display of Mayan artifacts, including a solid gold mask. Within hours, Eddie and Jonah have made friends with a local girl their age, whose father is a retired investigator who worked a similar treasure theft years ago. This time, when the mask disappears, suspicion falls on Eddie's father. His fingerprints are found on the glass case, and there's video of them ogling the mask in the display.
To clear his dad's name, Eddie must figure out who really stole the mask -- but once he finds it, there's an even bigger treasure at stake, one that he, Jonah and their new friend will get in a heap of trouble to protect.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
In this second book in the series, Eddie's in Mexico, and the book starts by hooking the reader with the fact that he and best friend Jonah are in prison. Eddie's wearing a Darth Vader costume and he's cut up and sore all over. He calls his mom, to tell her where he is, and while she's relieved he's alive, she's not happy about him being in prison. At all. It's not an en media res beginning, rather it starts at the conclusion, the denouement. And it's a great hooking technique, especially when Eddie ends up in a Darth Vader costume. How'd that happen, right?
Then the book switches to the start of the story, which is Eddie and Jonah leaving for vacation in San Pablo del Nino, Mexico. Eddie, Jonah and family goggle at a display of Mayan artifacts, including a solid gold mask. Within hours, Eddie and Jonah have made friends with a local girl their age, whose father is a retired investigator who worked a similar treasure theft years ago. This time, when the mask disappears, suspicion falls on Eddie's father. His fingerprints are found on the glass case, and there's video of them ogling the mask in the display.
To clear his dad's name, Eddie must figure out who really stole the mask -- but once he finds it, there's an even bigger treasure at stake, one that he, Jonah and their new friend will get in a heap of trouble to protect.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
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