West Meadows Detectives: The Case of the Berry Burglars

by Liam O'Donnell, Aurélie Grand (Illustrator)

Overview

Myron, the third-grade detective who loves logic, facts, and solving mysteries, gets the chance to crack a third case when he finds out the school garden has been trampled and the strawberry plants are missing. Are raccoons to blame? Or did the baseball team sabotage the garden to take back their outfield? When neighborhood gardens are also found short of strawberries, Myron and his friends are on the case.

Myron’s unique perspective from the autism spectrum and his eye for detail make him a top-notch sleuth. Similarly, the other neurodiverse kids in his resource room have unique talents that come in handy. Tech-lover Glitch’s satellite image–plotting skills, artsy Jordan’s mould-making abilities, and super-social Hajrah’s interview tactics come together to track down the culprits.

Black-and-white spot illustrations accompany the text in the final West Meadows Detectives mystery, a fun and accessible page-turner for independent readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771474009
Publisher:	OWLKIDS BOOKS
Publication date:	03/15/2020
Series:	West Meadows Detectives , #3
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	209,655
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

LIAM O’DONNELL is an award-winning author and educator who has created over 40 graphic novels and books for reluctant readers, including the West Meadows Detectives and the Max Finder Mystery series. Visit him online at liamodonnell.com.

AURÉLIE GRAND graduated from Capilano University in British Columbia in 2009, and since then has been living an illustrator's life like a Jacques Demy movie: musical, colorful and dramatic. She likes to draw goofy animals, a wide range of facial and body expressions (some that don't even exist), and illustrate wordplays. She lives in Montreal, Quebec.

Editorial Reviews

This series is the perfect start for beginning readers to delve into fun mysteries…the surprisingly emotional resolution to the mystery is not obvious, nor contrived, and is sure to please readers.

Resource Links

2018-07-16
Autistic detective Myron and his third-grade friends are back to solve their third mystery.Someone is stealing strawberry plants from the neighborhood that surrounds Warbler Woods. The first victim is Simone, an older student and also autistic, who was growing strawberries in the school garden. Many others also lose plants in the coming days. Once again, very active Hajrah, who is a classmate in Myron's special needs class, is his partner in the investigation. The pair considers a variety of suspects, but Myron's methodical thinking helps him eliminate most. The young detectives' good-natured persistence keeps them on the trail of the thieves. Grand's simple illustrations depict a multiracial group and also break up the pages of text. (Myron and Simone present white, while Hajrah has brown skin and long, black hair.) Myron and Simone are matter-of-fact about their autism. Although they interact well with their classmates, Myron readily acknowledges his differences, and Simone comments, "People will always stare, Myron. And they will always laugh. Even when you try to be what they want you to be." But she goes on to cheerfully comment on how much the other kids miss out on and cheerfully continues with her relaxing activity that's causing the stares—burying her hands in the soil. Even those behind the pilfered plants, eventually revealed, have a sympathetic, pathos-infused motive.An engaging mystery that cleverly celebrates the quirkiness of not being neurotypical. (Mystery. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews