He heads reluctantly for the library to start his research, asking the librarian for a reference book on early American needlework. Soon he finds himself with a gun to his head, and he discovers that librarians are actually highly trained crime-fighting intelligence agents – and they think that he is working for the mysterious Mr. E., who sells America's secrets to the highest bidder. Soon Steve is on the lam with everyone chasing him – and all he has is his Brixton Brothers Detective Handbook, his wits, and, luckily, his best friend.
This one should appeal to kids who have read a few Hardy Boys books and are looking for something a little snappier, with some humor and over-the-top action. Much of the book is a silly parody of Hardy Boys and similar series, but there is enough going on that kids who haven't read many mysteries should still enjoy themselves. I found it a little too extreme for my personal reading taste - I'm willing to suspend my disbelief to a point, but after that it all becomes pretty ridiculous, with people behaving in unbelievable ways. But I doubt most kids will have my issues, and I frequently recommend the series to young readers at my library, who enjoy it.
The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity (#1 in the Brixton Brothers mystery series) by Mac Barnett (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009)
The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity (#1 in the Brixton Brothers mystery series) by Mac Barnett (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009)
I believe I remarked that Mac Barnett is occasionally "excessively witty" in this book. I enjoyed the over-the-top-ness (TOTALLY A WORD) but I think I was in the mood for entirely ridiculous and silly. Kind of thinking I might get my parent-child book club to give this one a read.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a word! This would be a fun choice for a parent/child book club. I'd love to hear how it goes! I agree that it helps to be in the mood for this kind of silly, over-the-top book - and if you are, it would totally hit the spot.
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