Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Middle Grade Review: Frankie Dupont and the Lemon Festival Fiasco



School's out for my boys and I've already lost track of the days of the week...so here's my Wednesday review, a day late and a dollar short.

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Title: Frankie Dupont and the Lemon Festival Fiasco
Author: Julie Anne Grasso 
Publisher: Julie Anne Grasso, 2015, 135 pages (ebook 51 pages).
Source: I was given an electronic review copy in exchange for my honest review and participation in the blog tour.

Publisher's Summary:
Hot off cracking his first official case, Frankie Dupont is on the scene when his new teacher takes ill. The pint-sized detective suspects a classic case of sour grapes, but the evidence leads him to the one place he wouldn’t mind avoiding for the rest of his natural life.

Enderby Manor has a few more secrets up her sleeve, and as Frankie begins to unravel them, he uncovers a plot stinkier than a sardine sandwich. 


Review:
The second volume in the Frankie Dupont mysteries is as engaging as the first, and a bit more grounded in reality. Although I felt a bit of confusion at the beginning over some issues at Frankie's school (which maybe weren't so grounded in reality), once the story shifted over to Enderby Manor we sail quickly through the development of the mystery with a bit of fun and a few mild thrills. I found the malefactor easily, and was a little surprised that Frankie didn't, but his missteps lend interest. Frankie learns a thing or two about leaping to conclusions, and saves the day, as usual!

The illustrations, by Alexander Avellino, add a nice touch to an engaging story for younger readers.

Recommendation: 
Frankie Dupont is for a little younger reader than my reviews usually target. I'd say this would be for the 7-9 set, those transitioning from chapter books to novels. For boys or girls who like a little adventure and a little mystery, without anything scary.   

 

About the Author: Julie Anne Grasso

Julie Anne GrassoWith a background in paediatric nursing, Julie Anne Grasso spent many years literally wrapping children in cotton wool. Every day she witnessed courage and resilience from the tiny people she cared for, which inspired her to write stories to entertain them. A science fiction nerd (she even owns a TARDIS), cupcake enthusiast and lover of all things mystery, she lives in Melbourne with her husband Danny and their little girl Giselle. Most days she can be found sipping chai tea and dreaming up wonderful worlds that often involve consumption of cupcakes.

Website | Blog | Facebook

Twitter | Goodreads


Full Disclosure: I was given a copy of  Frankie Dupont and the Lemon Festival Fiasco as a blog tour participant, and received nothing further from the writer or publisher in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

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10 comments:

  1. Nice review. Mine will be up on June 13, but I make very similar comments. Julie Grasso is a genius :)

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    1. :) I really need to read the Caramel Cardamom series!

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  2. Thanks so much for taking the time to read Frankie, hurrah. I know you are a mystery buff, so I am not at all surprised you guessed it lol. I am sure you will guess Frankie 3 if so, my sister did. Thanks again.

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    1. But one of the great joys of kids' lit is being able to unabashedly hate the nasty characters :D

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  3. We have not read any of the Frankie series. Nice review.

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    1. Give them a look! The ebook of the first in the series (which is perfectly formatted so that the pictures show up just right and all) is only $0.99 :)

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  4. Glad you enjoyed Frankie #2 Rebecca. I'm hoping my son (who is in your recommended age range) will pick it up soon (it's in the rotation!) Thanks for joining us in the Kid Lit Blog Hop and the Book Review Blitz as well!

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    1. I'm sure he'll enjoy it! Did he read #1? I think they def. need to be read in order.

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  5. Still have Julie's Frankie books on my TBR list. Hoping to get to them this summer. Thanks for sharing and joining us on the Kit Lit Blog Hop!

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