Sandwich Shenanigans

August 1, 2019
It is the day the fifth graders submit their STEAM projects to be judged at the school fair. The fair's theme is "What My Country Means to Me." After Sam Witt's 50-state mega-sandwich disappears, the day continues to produce many other unexpected mysteries. Ravi sees the shadows of evil alien invaders in Mr. Hargrove's classroom. Animal-loving Shaniqua is convinced that the news reporters on TV announced that a tiger escaped from the zoo and is running loose in the neighborhood. When Deanna sees the police standing in front of the school, she knows for sure her arrest is imminent for illicitly taking home the school library's reference copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Aspiring foodie author Mateo mistakes the substitute teacher's pre-labor pains--and baby bump--as evidence she's the culprit who has eaten Sam's large sandwich. Moore has cast a diverse group of students in this mystery, mostly relying on naming convention and Huddleston's illustrations rather than textual details to indicate identity. Troublingly, Deanna claims Pawnee heritage to back up her Kansas bona fides as she auditions for the role of Dorothy. Overall, the characters come across as rather dim--not the sorts of kids actual upper-elementary students are likely to identify with. Companion titles Lab Mice Heist, Math Test Mischief, and Stage Two Hullabaloo publish simultaneously. Slight at best. (Fiction. 7-10)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 6, 2019

Gr 2-4-It's the day of the STEAM fair, and the students of Mr. Hargrove's class are excited to show off their projects. Among them are bridges, an alligator head, an animal collage, and the biggest sandwich anybody has ever seen. It's a beauty, and the kids are in awe-until it goes missing! Who took it? A tiger? Aliens? A jealous person? The dialogue in this story feels forced; it frequently tries to evoke excitement. There are many unnecessary sound effects, and each exclamation is exaggerated. The diverse group of characters includes students from Native American, Latinx, African American, and Indian backgrounds. However, all of the characters narrate in the same highly energized yet monotonous tone. Unfortunately, the illustrations do not support or boost the story, nor are there enough of them. Equally bewildering are all of the references to plots of fictional sci-fi movies and names of action figures. So much detail is put into these descriptions that they detract from the primary plot. The time line and point of view are inconsistent as well. VERDICT Readers looking for a good mystery will likely be disappointed. Even though the ending provides some closure, it is poorly written and confusing. Not a recommended purchase.-Rebecca Fitzgerald, Harrison Public Library, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.