Owl's Outstanding Donuts

June 1, 2019
Trouble abounds when shadowy figures dump mysterious gloop near Owl's Outstanding Donuts. While the neighborhood sleeps, an owl named Alfred notices the white truck as it stops and two scoundrels discard the gloop into the creek before leaving again. Worried about the pollution, Alfred alerts a local girl named Mattie Waters. At first, Mattie's slow to act. The recent death of her mother plagues the young girl, who's moved to Big Sur to live with Aunt Molly, owner of Owl's. Summer's ending, fifth grade approaches, and Mattie is finding it hard to move on. She knows, though, that the gloop-pollutant spells trouble for her aunt's renowned doughnut shop. Together with the Little sisters (7-year-old ball of fun Beanie and the older, skeptical Sasha), Mattie must unmask the culprits behind the gloop. Again blending realism with talking animals, Yardi (The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez, 2016) devotes a significant number of pages toward unpacking Mattie's grief in her latest novel, a narrative that shuns action in favor of introspection. This tendency mostly works thanks to a robust cast of winning characters and a satisfying emotional arc. The third-person narration sticks to Mattie for the most part, with some excursions into Alfred's amusing point of view. Except for a few peripheral characters, a white default is assumed. Doughn't miss this earnest tale. (Fantasy. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 11, 2019

Gr 4-6-Since Mattie's mother died, Mattie has been living in a trailer next to her Aunt Molly's donut shop in Big Sur. One night, Mattie is awakened by an owl tapping on her window, and looks out just in time to see a white truck dumping toxic chemicals in the ditch across from the donut shop. With help from her friends, energetic Beanie and skeptical Sasha, Mattie is determined to get to the bottom of who dumped the gloop; especially since official suspicion soon falls on Aunt Molly. To solve the mystery, Mattie will have to face the fear of riding in cars that she's had ever since her mother's death. This eco-mystery may appeal to fans of Carl Hiaasen. Narrated mostly from Mattie's perspective, with occasional chapters from the point of view of Alfred the irritable owl, this book has gentle humor, some action at the climax, and a touching examination of Mattie's grief. With strong pacing, a fully-realized setting, and well-developed characters, there's something for everyone. VERDICT A general purchase for most collections.-Misti Tidman, Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, OH

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019
Grades 4-6 Fifth grade is just around the corner when Mattie is woken up in the middle of the night by an owl tapping on her window. The owl is Alfred, a dignified donut-lover, and he alerts Mattie to the mysterious duo dumping gloop outside her aunt's Big Sur donut shop. Unfortunately, no one believes Mattie?�about the owl or the gloopers?and if she can't figure out who the perpetrators are, the donut shop will be closed for good. To make matters worse, Mattie is still recovering from her mother's tragic death earlier that year. With the help of her friends, including Alfred (whose perspective is revealed in sections from his own delightful point of view), Mattie must overcome the trauma of losing her mother and uncover the identity of the gloopers. An exciting conclusion will satisfy young mystery fans, though the book excels when focusing on Mattie's internal journey. Author Yardi's love for nature shines through in this quiet but quirky story about friendship, family, and, of course, donuts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)