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allicatca's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely an original premise... a young girl born with no arms who is adopted and thinks she’s a genius and thinks every question asked is a mystery she can solve.
I liked this book and laughed a lot but... maybe it was a bit too much to cram so much in. Aven, the main character, has a silly, goofy, impertinent sense of humor and really likes to run the show.
Maybe I’m analyzing too much.
I’d recommend this book for 4th grade and up due to vocabulary and references that would be difficult for younger kids to understand.
I liked this book and laughed a lot but... maybe it was a bit too much to cram so much in. Aven, the main character, has a silly, goofy, impertinent sense of humor and really likes to run the show.
Maybe I’m analyzing too much.
I’d recommend this book for 4th grade and up due to vocabulary and references that would be difficult for younger kids to understand.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
As cute as this was it was a little young for my tastes - or rather young-er for my tastes considering how much kidlit I read normally - and I know I wouldn't have read it if I didn't have to for work.
This kind of book is usually concerned primarily with showing kids reading is fun more than anything else. That's not to say it's a bad book just that I enjoy more depth and emotional resonance than this level of chapter book typically provides since it's got a functional purpose to keep in mind. Kids need to read - now more than ever - and if this book does it more power to the author. I just am so completely outside of the demographic intended for this book unless it screwed up royally, whether that be factually or prejudicially, there's not a lot for me to say.
It'd be like reviewing a board book or a early learning level book. Like the point of it exists outside of its quality, if that makes sense. They can fail to be good, absolutely, as I have seen little reader books that are awful, but it's not often it's even worth making a fuss about.
I was delighted by how strong the voice was. Aven Green was a pitch perfect interpretation of an 8 year old. If you're ever writing a kids book and are struggling with delineating age groups, I recommend giving it a go. A lot of kids books end up infantilizing or overestimating the competency of their main characters, but I felt Dusti Bowling captured the weird middle ground between a small child and a burgeoning teen quite well.
The mystery aspect is quite simplistic. Aven is a sleuth in the sense that she finds mysteries everywhere she goes rather than mysteries legitimately happening. Still, it encourages kids to do forge their own path for their dreams: Aven is a smart, helpful girl and she wants to solve mysteries so she does even if the mysteries are only as big as figuring out who left cheerios on the floor of the kitchen (she did, but hey a win is a win). I'll never knock a book for trying to inspire a kid to cultivate their interests regardless of other peoples' opinions on its significance.
Especially in cases where there are big, potential obstacles to slow them down - like Aven not having arms for instance. While there are times for realism as I'm sure not having arms can be more difficult than Aven makes it out to be, kids with similar circumstances deserve fun books where it's not a big deal same as anyone else.
In summation, Aven Green, Sleuthing Machine is exactly what you'd expect: take from that what you will.
This kind of book is usually concerned primarily with showing kids reading is fun more than anything else. That's not to say it's a bad book just that I enjoy more depth and emotional resonance than this level of chapter book typically provides since it's got a functional purpose to keep in mind. Kids need to read - now more than ever - and if this book does it more power to the author. I just am so completely outside of the demographic intended for this book unless it screwed up royally, whether that be factually or prejudicially, there's not a lot for me to say.
It'd be like reviewing a board book or a early learning level book. Like the point of it exists outside of its quality, if that makes sense. They can fail to be good, absolutely, as I have seen little reader books that are awful, but it's not often it's even worth making a fuss about.
I was delighted by how strong the voice was. Aven Green was a pitch perfect interpretation of an 8 year old. If you're ever writing a kids book and are struggling with delineating age groups, I recommend giving it a go. A lot of kids books end up infantilizing or overestimating the competency of their main characters, but I felt Dusti Bowling captured the weird middle ground between a small child and a burgeoning teen quite well.
The mystery aspect is quite simplistic. Aven is a sleuth in the sense that she finds mysteries everywhere she goes rather than mysteries legitimately happening. Still, it encourages kids to do forge their own path for their dreams: Aven is a smart, helpful girl and she wants to solve mysteries so she does even if the mysteries are only as big as figuring out who left cheerios on the floor of the kitchen (she did, but hey a win is a win). I'll never knock a book for trying to inspire a kid to cultivate their interests regardless of other peoples' opinions on its significance.
Especially in cases where there are big, potential obstacles to slow them down - like Aven not having arms for instance. While there are times for realism as I'm sure not having arms can be more difficult than Aven makes it out to be, kids with similar circumstances deserve fun books where it's not a big deal same as anyone else.
In summation, Aven Green, Sleuthing Machine is exactly what you'd expect: take from that what you will.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
I am so happy that Aven is now starring in chapter books. Her voice is one of my favorites in middle grade literature because it is full of truth and humor. Her voice is just as strong in this chapter book as it was in Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus, just a bit younger.
In addition to Aven’s voice, the story is a compelling one! I’m a fan of mysteries, and this is a fun kid lit mystery. Also, the cast of characters are wonderful! I am a huge fan of Aven’s friends.
And I cannot wait until August when Aven Green, Baking Machine comes out!
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=22645
In addition to Aven’s voice, the story is a compelling one! I’m a fan of mysteries, and this is a fun kid lit mystery. Also, the cast of characters are wonderful! I am a huge fan of Aven’s friends.
And I cannot wait until August when Aven Green, Baking Machine comes out!
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=22645
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Aven’s back and this time it’s a throwback to when she’s eight solving mysteries!
kc_kyla_b's review against another edition
4.0
I read this to my third graders! In library they read Events in the Life of a Cactus so they had a background about Aven. But going forward I’m going to read this one first. Aven is in third grade in the novel. In Life of a Cactus she is around 11. So I think this is more appropriate for third grade. I think my students will be so in love with the character of Aven they will read Life of a Cactus on their own in fourth or fifth grade.
The chapters are short and sweet. You could finish in a week if you read 4 chapters a day.
The chapters are short and sweet. You could finish in a week if you read 4 chapters a day.
thenextgenlib's review against another edition
4.0
Aven’s back and this time it’s a throwback to when she’s eight solving mysteries!
lololauren23's review against another edition
4.0
My goodness! What an adorable new book series. I totally love everything about Aven and her super-sleuthy ways. This is such a great introduction to diversity and detection. 4.5 stars!