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tylerkatherine's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
annegirl's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.25
katrenia's review
4.0
Loved this story! The author is very good at writing for mid to upper elementary students. What kid doesn’t want to solve crimes and work for the FBI??
anniejaneb's review against another edition
5.0
How refreshing to read a middle grade book that isn’t filled with junk and inappropriate content! I loved the story and I know my kids will too!
cherylpeng's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kelleemoye's review against another edition
5.0
*Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=13136
I love mysteries; specifically mysteries with kids who solve things that adults couldn’t figure out. They are so much fun to follow along and try to figure out with the characters. Florian is one of the best kid detectives that I’ve read. His use of TOAST, the Theory of All Small Things, is so admirable and is something that kids could definitely learn from since they so often ignore the small things and focus on the obvious. I could definitely see games and activities being created for classrooms that use the TOAST theory. Or kids will play the type of games that Florian and Margaret played as Florian was training Margaret in TOAST: making inferences about the people around them, in stories, or with mysteries. I could see pairing TOAST with books like You Be The Jury.
I also really enjoyed the mystery that James Ponti set up for us. I could predict part of it but other parts came as a total surprise to me. I am always in total awe of an author’s ability to craft such a complicated mystery and how it all comes together. I also loved that the story was mutli-faceted and will teach the readers as well as entertain them.
And I am so happy to say that Framed is on our 2017-2018 Sunshine State Young Reader Award list for both 3rd-5th grade AND 6th-8th grade! Congratulations, James!
I love mysteries; specifically mysteries with kids who solve things that adults couldn’t figure out. They are so much fun to follow along and try to figure out with the characters. Florian is one of the best kid detectives that I’ve read. His use of TOAST, the Theory of All Small Things, is so admirable and is something that kids could definitely learn from since they so often ignore the small things and focus on the obvious. I could definitely see games and activities being created for classrooms that use the TOAST theory. Or kids will play the type of games that Florian and Margaret played as Florian was training Margaret in TOAST: making inferences about the people around them, in stories, or with mysteries. I could see pairing TOAST with books like You Be The Jury.
I also really enjoyed the mystery that James Ponti set up for us. I could predict part of it but other parts came as a total surprise to me. I am always in total awe of an author’s ability to craft such a complicated mystery and how it all comes together. I also loved that the story was mutli-faceted and will teach the readers as well as entertain them.
And I am so happy to say that Framed is on our 2017-2018 Sunshine State Young Reader Award list for both 3rd-5th grade AND 6th-8th grade! Congratulations, James!
missbibliography's review against another edition
4.0
A fun middle grade mystery - Florian (I think) Bates (I also think?) is just a kid. A kid who's created something he calls TOAST. TOAST stands for the Theory of All Small Things and is the reason he's a covert asset for the FBI. Along with his best friend, Florian is dragged into the mystery of some stolen paintings and of course, is asked to solve it.
While fun, and a great option for kids who love mysteries, this also was not at the top of my middle grade mystery books. I honestly can't quite put my finger on why this book didn't speak to me as much as the other middle grade mysteries I've read, but its probably because some of the ways the clues and Florian's subsequent deductions were described felt a little contrived and just inauthentic. Should you read this book? Yea, you'll probably enjoy it. Will I be planning to buy this for my students once I'm in my own classroom? Probably not.
While fun, and a great option for kids who love mysteries, this also was not at the top of my middle grade mystery books. I honestly can't quite put my finger on why this book didn't speak to me as much as the other middle grade mysteries I've read, but its probably because some of the ways the clues and Florian's subsequent deductions were described felt a little contrived and just inauthentic. Should you read this book? Yea, you'll probably enjoy it. Will I be planning to buy this for my students once I'm in my own classroom? Probably not.
maryhannawilson's review against another edition
5.0
Florian Bates may only be 12 years old, but his impressive skills of observation have already earned him a spot working with the FBI. He has been practicing his TOAST technique, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things, for years and now he is using it to help the FBI solve the most recent art heist.
Thanks to help from his friend, Margaret, they begin to uncover the mystery and solve the crime. Time is ticking so Florian, Margaret, and the FBI will need to work quickly before they find themselves in danger.
This was such a fun read in my online book club for kids. Florian and Margaret make a great team and show the qualities of good friends. The idea of TOAST was a fun one for the readers and inspired many of the kids to try to practice it themselves.
One aspect of the book I really enjoyed was that while the characters were trying to solve the mystery of the art heist, the story also focused on their friendship and lives. We learn more about each of them and about their lives as middle school students. I appreciated there being more depth to the characters than just what each one brought to the crime-solving situation. It made them more relatable to middle school readers as well.
If your child enjoys this story, there are two more stories in the series so they can continue reading about Florian and Margaret and their adventures with the FBI.
Thanks to help from his friend, Margaret, they begin to uncover the mystery and solve the crime. Time is ticking so Florian, Margaret, and the FBI will need to work quickly before they find themselves in danger.
This was such a fun read in my online book club for kids. Florian and Margaret make a great team and show the qualities of good friends. The idea of TOAST was a fun one for the readers and inspired many of the kids to try to practice it themselves.
One aspect of the book I really enjoyed was that while the characters were trying to solve the mystery of the art heist, the story also focused on their friendship and lives. We learn more about each of them and about their lives as middle school students. I appreciated there being more depth to the characters than just what each one brought to the crime-solving situation. It made them more relatable to middle school readers as well.
If your child enjoys this story, there are two more stories in the series so they can continue reading about Florian and Margaret and their adventures with the FBI.