It's a Mystery, Pig Face!

December 1, 2016
Tracy--gratingly--delights in calling her younger brother "Pig Face"; although she has a reasonably amicable relationship with him, she appears oblivious to the hurtful nature of her chronic name-calling.But, surprisingly, since "Pig Face" comes up over and over, that is not the point of this overlong debut novel for early chapter-book readers. Tracy, 11, her best friend, Ralph, and her astute 9-year-old brother Lester, aka Pig Face, embark on the investigation of a mystery: why was a bag of money left in the detritus under the dugout bench of their small Canadian town's ballpark? Slightly complicating their investigation is the presence of handsome visitor Zach, whom Tracy is developing a crush on and Ralph (perhaps partly because of that) dislikes. Tracy, Ralph, and Lester, all white, pursue their investigation in a kid-appropriate way, hiding the money and asking around, using a way-too-obvious approach that's sure to spell trouble later--and it does. There are plenty of red herrings and an unexpected villain in this plot-driven adventure that eventually explores bullying but never, disappointingly, addresses the "pig face" problem. Tracy is a colorful character, dressing in vintage clothing and not ashamed of her intelligence, and Lester is amusingly wise for his years, their well-rounded characters adding authenticity. A summer adventure that determined young readers may enjoy. (Mystery. 9-11)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2017

Gr 3-6-Tracy Munroe is hoping for an exciting end-of-summer adventure with her best friend Ralph, an aspiring chef. She also plans to make sure her little brother Lester ("Pig Face") doesn't dampen their plans. Soon the kids find a paper bag stuffed with money and set out to figure out where it came from. Though the mystery is somewhat interesting, the novel as a whole is confounding. The title and cover art are off-putting and not indicative of the book's content; the title itself includes name-calling, and the cover drawing of the main characters makes them look menacing. The older kids reluctantly allow "Pig Face" to help them after he spies on them and blackmails them into including him as they try to discover the origins of the money bag. The book is set in a small Canadian town where the author lives, and Tracy is drawn from her own experiences growing up. Unfortunately, Tracy's voice comes across as an adult trying to sound like a tween. Though readers may enjoy Tracy's vivid imagination and flair for the dramatic, most of the plot is predictable.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.