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Review: The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum

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The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum
Written by Lisa Yee
Illustrated by Dan Santat
New York: Random House, 2024. Fiction. 276 pages.

Olive Coban Zhang has always been invisible to her classmates. She even feels invisible to her parents, who are often gone on extended business trips, leaving her with her grandmother, Mimi. But after Mimi is gone, her parents pull her out of school one day to send her to a reforming arts boarding school on an island castle turned prison. After initially worrying that she'll fail the entrance test, Olive instead gets paired with four other like-minded kids who dub themselves the Misfits. The Misfits become child spies for NOCK (No One Can Know), an organization so secret that no one who is not a part of the organization has ever heard of them. When a jewel thief dubbed the Bling King begins stealing expensive jewelry right off the wrists and necks of wealthy people all over San Francisco, the Misfits know that they have to stop him before he can strike at their school gala. 

If you're looking for a fun mystery with kooky characters in the vein of The Mysterious Benedict Society, this is a great choice. The spot illustrations by Dan Santat add even more fun to the adventure! Kids who are seeking a funny, fast-paced mystery or a story of belonging should look no further!

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