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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
There's lots to love about this series debut featuring an intrepid budding detective. Drew has a bright, engaging voice to match her unique personality. Although her quirkiness gets her labeled as "weird" and attracts school bullies, it also makes her a sympathetic and relatable heroine. Her mother's abandonment and her severe (often embarrassing) asthma adds to that, making Drew someone the reader wants to root for, even as she blunders through friendship drama, investigative missteps, and so on. Plotwise, the novel is mostly about Drew's relationships, but there's enough mystery and tension to keep the story interesting. The kids at the center of DREW LECLAIR GETS A CLUE act a lot older and more emotionally mature than typical pre-teens, which felt a bit inauthentic to me. Drew is supposed to be an "old soul," but still, most 12-year-old kids don't automatically understand all the deeper reasons behind their actions. I would have liked to see a more realistic struggle for those answers, possibly with the help of a trusted therapist or her dad (a loving parent). As for the frank, confident discussions about kissing/sexuality that happen between Drew and Shrey, those also felt more mature than what would really happen between two 12 year olds, especially of opposite genders. Other than those complaints, though, I quite liked DREW LECLAIR GETS A CLUE. It's engaging, funny, and empowering. Like most MG novels, it also teaches valuable lessons. In this case, they're about standing up to bullies, learning how to be a true friend, forgiving each other after sincere apologies, and allowing ourselves to love someone but also set boundaries with people who hurt us repeatedly and without seeming to care.
A very “Nancy Drew” style middle school mystery. A relatable problem as cyber bullying is definitely an issue - and I love that Drew is trying to follow procedures of real criminologists. I wasn’t super emotionally attached to the main characters, but they were likable enough.
A 3.5 for me. This books gave me modern day Harriet the Spy vibes which felt very nostalgic. I liked a lot of it but also felt that there was a few extra side issues thrown in that were undeveloped or not needed in a way.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-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:
Yes
Library check out expired
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Fatphobia
It was okay. I wanted to like it more than I did. Covers some heavy issues over the course of the mystery