The Artsy Mistake Mystery

June 15, 2017
How do you solve a mystery involving stolen artwork? Sometimes you need to make all the right mistakes. Stephen is a seventh-grader who follows his father's philosophy that making mistakes can be a good thing; a mistake implies you've tried something new and you're pushing yourself to accept new challenges in life. One of these challenges may be starting a friendship with a girl. Renee is very different from Steven--she loves bright colors and has a dramatic flair that makes people notice her. The two kids (both evidently white) are a mismatched pair, much like the dog duo of hyperactive Ping (a Jack Russell) and quiet Pong (a greyhound) that Stephen walks for his father's dog-walking business. While out walking the dogs, Stephen and Renee begin to notice odd occurrences: public artwork in their neighborhood is disappearing. When Renee's graffiti-artist brother falls under suspicion, it's up to Stephen and Renee to prove his innocence. Although the premise is interesting, drowsy pacing and unnatural dialogue slow the plot to a putter. Loud and vibrant Renee is written as a brash one-note character, while quiet Stephen is inconsistent, both dubious about having a girl as a friend and happy to knit the night away. The matter-of-fact introduction of Stephen's caregiving father and globe-trotting mother is pleasingly refreshing, but it doesn't save the story's humdrum narrative. Mystery lovers may find more excitement in Chasing Vermeer or When You Reach Me. An uphill trek. (Mystery. 10-12)

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July 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-The second book in McNicoll's series celebrates dogs, art, and mistakes. Seventh grade dog walker Stephen and his best friend Renee aim to discover who is stealing neighborhood art installations in their small Canadian town. First, a handmade mailbox disappears, only to be followed by a realistic Halloween display, a garden statue, the school Stream of Dreams fish project, and an antique gun. As they walk their mismatched hounds, Ping and Pong, the young sleuths encounter the varied personalities in their community. Anxiety-prone Stephen finds solace in counting the mistakes he and others make throughout the day. Bossy Renee escapes the tension in her own home by sleeping over at Stephen's and knitting with his dad. Readers will root for the pair to prove Renee's brother, Attila, innocent and to protect Ping from another teen's evil machinations. Their friendship endures moments of conflict and demonstrates that real friends help one another while also accepting one another's differences. The deliberately paced story will demand that readers pay close attention to keep the many characters straight. Told from Stephen's perspective and in a voice that oftentimes is more mature than that of a typical 12-year-old, the tale depicts warm and supportive family relations. VERDICT This heartwarming read for canine, art, and mystery lovers is a solid supplemental purchase for middle grade collections.-Kate Reid, The Allen-Stevenson School, New York

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