Aven Green Sleuthing Machine

Synopsis:

“Third-grader Aven Green has been solving mysteries for a whole month—cracking such cases as The Mystery of the Cranky Mom. But can this perceptive detective solve two cases at the same time? First her teacher’s lunch bag disappears. Then Aven’s great-grandma’s dog goes missing. Fortunately, since Aven was born without arms, all the “arm” cells went to her super-powered brain instead. (That’s her theory.) This hilarious chapter book showcases a new side to Dusti Bowling’s unforgettable protagonist.”

Review:

This is a fun mystery story about a character I was already familiar with! I read (and enjoyed) Dusti’s previous middle grade and young adult novels Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus. This book takes place years before the others. And it’s exciting to see a character I already know but as a young girl.

Dusti did an amazing job of keeping Aven similar throughout all of these stories. I could easily see how she went from being a third-grade private investigator to a middle school and high school student. What I enjoyed the most is that Dusti is able to create a character with a physical disability that has to be addressed in the story and makes it fit so seamlessly. You often see disabilities being portrayed as the main issue of a story or almost ignored completely. But Aven has to figure out how to do things differently. It’s shown throughout the story how she adapts the world to work for her.

I think kids will also get a kick out of this story. Aven is really funny and some of her conversations with her teacher, grandma, and friends made me laugh. I keep thinking about robot chickens, that’s for sure! This is a great suggestion for 2-4th grade kids who like the support of illustrations but are ready for a little longer text!

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Verdict:

A whodunit mystery perfect for chapter book readers with a spunky, diverse main character who is sure to make you giggle! Plus, there’s another title in the series on its way!

If you’re interested in purchasing Aven Green Sleuthing Machine by Dusti Bowling and Gina Perry, please use my affiliate links for Bookshop.org or Amazon.com. When you purchase from either of these links, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.

Need to Know:

Title: Aven Green Sleuthing Machine
Author: Dusti Bowling
Illustrator: Gina Perry
Publisher: Sterling Publishing
Publication Date: April 13, 2021
Page Number: 128 pgs.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.