Phineas L. MacGuire--known as Mac--is a fourth-grader who loves science, but his hopes of winning first place in the science fair are compromised when he has to team up with the obnoxious new kid. Predictable fare as the boys figure out each other's talents and become friends, but Mac and Ben are appealing young men, the supporting characters are likeable, and the message that one should do one's best to get along and to use one's talents is delivered with a light touch.
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall By Jasmine Warga New York: Harper, 2024. Fiction. 211 pages. A painting has been stolen from the Penelope L. Brooks Museum and sixth-grader Rami Ahmed is worried he's the main suspect. His mother works at the museum as the lead custodian and Rami spends a lot of time hanging out at the museum while she works. On the day the painting went missing, the only people there were the security guard Ed, the cleaning crew, and Rami. Then, a mysterious girl appears in the museum. She floats around from room to room and only Rami can see her -- and she looks exactly like the girl from the missing painting. To prove his innocence and help figure out who the floating girl is, Rami partners up with an aspiring sleuth at school named Veda and the two dive into unexpected situations as they try to solve the mystery. This is a cozy mystery that is focused mostly on characters and ambiance and only a little on the mystery itself. Don't read this book if yo...
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