Skip to main content

The Spaghetti Detectives

By


The Spaghetti Detectives
by Andreas Steinhofel, translated by Chantal Wright
Scholastic (Chicken House), 2011. 167 pgs. Fiction.

The cover art for The Spaghetti Detectives suggests a funny, lighthearted romp, but the text is somewhat more ominous. Rico--"a child proddity"--lives with his Mom in an apartment house filled with interesting and unusual people whose lives and apartments Rico would like to nose around in. Rico manifests autistic tendencies, and doesn't go anywhere much and doesn't have many friends because if he can't go in a straight line away from and back to his home, he gets lost. But one day he meets a boy in the park--Oscar of the giant front teeth and the blue motorcycle helmet. Oscar is a bit quirky, too--he wears the helmet because the world is so filled with dangers--but in a more genius sort of way. The two boys hit it off and arrange for a play date, but Oscar never shows up. Scary thing is, a kidnapper known as Mr. 2000 is in the area. He takes children and demands 2,000 euros for their return--if the money doesn't come, he threatens dire consequences. And Mr. 2000 has Oscar. Can Rico find him in time? The Spaghetti Detectives is reminiscent of a classic German children's book, Emil and the Detectives. The kids are allowed to say what they think--their lives have rough edges and complications which are freely spoken about. The Spaghetti Detectives will not be for everyone but I thought it was a terrific story about a couple of brave, resilient little boys who are both smart in all the most important ways. And, a happy ending.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

By
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Fowl Play

By
  Fowl Play By Kristin O'Donnell Tubb New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2024. Fiction 277 pages. Still reeling from her beloved uncle's death, Chloe Alvarez is comforted and confused when at his last will and testament reading, Uncle Will gifts her his African Grey parrot, Charlie. Charlie has a robust vocabulary and loves to make Alexa requests for her favorite songs, but when she starts saying things like, "homicide," and "cyanide," Chloe becomes convinced that Uncle Will may have met his demise by murder instead of a genetic disease, as was previously thought. Ultimately, bringing in her brother, Grammy, and Uncle Frank (and of course Charlie,) Chloe's ragtag and adoring family support her search for answers ---going on stakeouts, engaging in fast pursuits, and searching for clues. But as the suspects stack up and the mystery grows, Chole will learn that the process of death and grieving is complicated, and in the end her Uncle Will's words that, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Faves: Picture Books with Festive Treats

By
In my family, December marks the beginning of the holiday season, where we get to spend time together and do all of our favorite traditions. And, of course, eat lots of yummy food. I love that holidays look different for different families, but so many families have special foods they eat during the holidays. These are some of my favorite picture books about families making (and eating!) special holiday treats. These books might even give you new ideas of festive treats to try! The Last Tamale Written by Mendiola Orlando Illustrated by Teresa Martinez New York: Harper, 2024. Picture Book. Once a year, Luis' whole family gets together for their annual tamalada -- a party where they make tamales using a super-secret recipe. It's all love, family, and tradition until there is only one tamale left. Who will get it? It's an all-out family battle to decide who gets the last tamale. Colorful and humorous, this story is perfect for the holidays or whenever your family likes to enjo...
Post a Comment
Read more