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A review by kendranicole28
Sisterhood of Sleuths by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
5.0
Maizy is a fairly typical middle-schooler who loves creating movies with her best friend Izzy and helping her mom out at her thrift store. Change is on the horizon for Maizy, though, with her big brother heading off to college and Izzy (now wanting to be called “Isabella”) no longer interested in the things the two of them used to do. When a box of vintage Nancy Drew books is dropped off at her mom’s store, Maizy is ready and eager for the diversion. Not only are these books pretty great, but the box came with a mystery: inside was a picture of Maizy’s grandmother, Jacuzzi—but Jacuzzi denies knowledge of the pictured women and claims no responsibility for the box of books.
Maizy is joined by two unexpected sidekicks as they look into the mystery of where the books came from, and how they tie into Maizy’s family history. And when the trio begin researching the author of the Nancy Drew series for a school project, they discover there is much more to these books and this series than meets the eye.
As a longtime Nancy Drew fan, the premise of this charming middle grade novel immediately appealed to me, and I could not have been more delighted by the story itself. The primary mystery is a breezy but fun one, with all the “whodunit” elements of a Nancy Drew novel (but a tad more believable). I liked seeing the multigenerational stories come together, and I was intrigued by the Carolyn Keene history lessons that are threaded into the story. I learned a lot and came away with an even deeper appreciation for the series (despite a few disappointing revelations about the books’ origins).
Maizy is a wonderful protagonist: smart, intelligent, and unafraid of forging her own way in the world, while still remaining loyal to her friends and true to her convictions. She navigates typical pre-adolescent issues such as feeling pressure to grow up when she isn’t ready and growing into and out of friendships, and these themes fit nicely within the story, coming to some important lessons without feeling preachy or pedantic. I was impressed with the author’s t treatment of the various side characters, who are believable and add to the story rather than simply standing in as fillers.
Middle grade readers of all ages will enjoy this book, which will be nostalgic for existing Nancy Drew fans and will likely serve as a fun introduction to Nancy Drew mysteries for those yet to be initiated into the young sleuth’s fan club.
My Rating: 5 Stars // Book Format: Print
Maizy is joined by two unexpected sidekicks as they look into the mystery of where the books came from, and how they tie into Maizy’s family history. And when the trio begin researching the author of the Nancy Drew series for a school project, they discover there is much more to these books and this series than meets the eye.
As a longtime Nancy Drew fan, the premise of this charming middle grade novel immediately appealed to me, and I could not have been more delighted by the story itself. The primary mystery is a breezy but fun one, with all the “whodunit” elements of a Nancy Drew novel (but a tad more believable). I liked seeing the multigenerational stories come together, and I was intrigued by the Carolyn Keene history lessons that are threaded into the story. I learned a lot and came away with an even deeper appreciation for the series (despite a few disappointing revelations about the books’ origins).
Maizy is a wonderful protagonist: smart, intelligent, and unafraid of forging her own way in the world, while still remaining loyal to her friends and true to her convictions. She navigates typical pre-adolescent issues such as feeling pressure to grow up when she isn’t ready and growing into and out of friendships, and these themes fit nicely within the story, coming to some important lessons without feeling preachy or pedantic. I was impressed with the author’s t treatment of the various side characters, who are believable and add to the story rather than simply standing in as fillers.
Middle grade readers of all ages will enjoy this book, which will be nostalgic for existing Nancy Drew fans and will likely serve as a fun introduction to Nancy Drew mysteries for those yet to be initiated into the young sleuth’s fan club.
My Rating: 5 Stars // Book Format: Print