Danica dela Torre, Certified Sleuth

September 1, 2024

Gr 3-7-Middle schoolers Danica and her best friend Jack are the founders of the Unofficial Official Renley Crow Detective Club. When Kennedy Fang and his older brother Charlie move in next door, Danica learns there is a new detective in town. Danica is not sure she trusts Kennedy, but when he comes to them with a mystery that involves a ghost sending messages to the three of them, she can't turn down what could be the biggest case the club's ever had. Danica is forbidden from meddling with the spirit realm, and as they get closer to finding answers and helping their ghost, she starts to learn why. Set to be the first in a new supernatural paranormal mystery series, this title covers topics that will appeal to young readers: LGBTQIA+ identity; immigration; and Danica's complex relationships with her older sister and aunt, her parents who live in another country, and a best friend she feels is slipping away. Danica and her family are Filipino, and Lucido weaves Tagalog phrases into this fast-paced novel. VERDICT Fans of mystery and the paranormal will enjoy Danica's adventures; a debut that leaves readers wanting more.-Rebekah J. Buchanan

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October 1, 2024
A headstrong gumshoe takes on her spookiest case yet. Danica dela Torre, the "youngest sleuth" in the small Canadian town of Renley Crow, worries that her new neighbor and all-around smart kid Kennedy Fang might take all the good cases away from the Unofficial Official Renley Crow Detective Club, the business she began with her best friend, Jack Harrow. Instead, Kennedy enlists their services to determine whether his house is haunted after a crow delivers strange, floating letters, each with cryptic messages addressed to all three kids. Forbidden from meddling with "the Other Side" by her Tita Mary, Dani nevertheless follows the clues to identify the spirit behind the letters, working alongside trusty Jack and secretive Kennedy even as the ghostly phenomena increase in intensity. As the sleuths navigate working together, the letters prod them into confronting uncomfortable truths. Centered on a Filipino protagonist, Lucido's series opener is at its best when exploring Dani's familial complications, including her relationship with her increasingly absent parents. Though the supernatural mystery is initially intriguingly spooky and quite compelling, things peter out somewhat. Still, Dani and her friends possess a delightful, often humorous dynamic, bolstered by Cacao's fine illustrations; the book lays a strong foundation for future installments. Kennedy is cued Asian, while Jack presents white in the artwork. Introduces a charming cast of characters whom readers will be eager to see more of.(Paranormal mystery. 8-12)

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November 1, 2024
Grades 3-6 Eleven-year-old Danica, or Dani, and best-friend Jack run the Unofficial Official Renley Crow Detective Club, and they're not thrilled when their competition comes knocking at their door. New neighbor (and kid sleuth) Kennedy Fang needs help solving a paranormal mystery. Dani's aunt, Tita Mary, with whom Dani and her older sister live, has forbidden the girls from meddling in the spirit realm. However, Dani can't help being intrigued when Kennedy reveals that a crow delivered three letters to his house (which he believes to be haunted) with Dani's, Jack's, and Kennedy's names on them--letters that won't open. As the competition between the young sleuths intensifies, so do the supernatural occurrences. Lucido's debut novel is a page-turner and the first in a ghostly mystery series with strong themes of friendship and family, including absent parents. Dani's family is Filipino Canadian, as are Lucido and illustrator Cacao, but her parents live in another country due to immigration issues. The mix of real and otherworldly elements will ensure that readers are invested in Dani's current and future exploits.

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