Party

March 4, 2019
This send-up of the Nancy Drew mysteries by Kincaid (See Now Then, for adults) first appeared as a 1980 New Yorker story about a gala celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first book’s publication. Here, Kincaid’s piece is recast as a picture book with dramatic artwork by Cortés (Sea Creatures from the Sky). Three girls of color—Pam, Bess, and Sue—watch the party from the sidelines, and they mount a set of marble stairs to survey the action from above. Bess obsesses about refreshments when suddenly, Pam spies something shocking: “Look!... How vile!... How bilious!” Bess witnesses it, too, but smaller Sue can’t see what they’re talking about (“You never tell me anything”). Before the two older girls can act, though, whatever disturbed them disappears, and the story ends. Detailed, almost photographically realistic portraits of girls and partygoers by Cortés, shown against marble architectural backdrops that suggest the New York Public Library, engage throughout. As an adult parody of hackneyed Stratemeyer Syndicate prose, it’s a gem. But the enigmatic ending that worked as a spoof may baffle readers, rendering the picture book’s success a bit of a mystery. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Jeffrey Posternak, Wylie Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.

April 15, 2019
Pam, Bess, and Bess' younger sister, Sue, visit a museum after hours for a celebration of the "publication of the first of the Nancy Drew mystery books" in this picture book based on a story originally published in 1980 in the New Yorker. Although The Mystery of the Old Clock was originally published in 1930, Cortés does not set the story during the Depression: The girls--all three are black--wear modern casual clothing, and one appears to be holding a smartphone. When Pam climbs the stairs for a better vantage point from which to peer at the guests, she points out something shocking. Pam and Bess are aghast at whatever it is, but little sister Sue (and readers) remains clueless. Frustratingly, the pictures depict only their changing expressions over pages and pages and not what they actually see--though the last page might offer a visual hint. The stilted vocabulary seems to date back to Carolyn Keene's characters of that era: "querulous," "milling about," "bilious," and "hypers" (an exclamation), all incongruous with the characters' ages. Worse, one textual descriptor of Bess clashes with her depiction as a girl with dark brown skin: "her face turning first a ghostly white, then a vivid red." For white Bess Marvin, friend of Nancy Drew, this is possible, but blushing would not result in such a color change in a character with skin this dark. The color palette of the illustrations seems as dated as the museum--another reason this book will likely fail to appeal to young readers. Nostalgic Nancy Drew fans will likely deem this experimental picture book a failed homage, and it will certainly disappoint young sleuths in search of a real mystery. (Picture book. 5-8)

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June 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 3-Pam, Bess, and Sue are all attending a fancy celebration of Nancy Drew at the New York Public Library and, in true Nancy spirit, decide to explore their surroundings. After making their way up a grand marble staircase, Sue notices the refreshments, while Pam and Bess notice something else. As the older girls each become more frightfully amazed at what they have seen, Sue searches for what has caught their interest. Kincaid has created a mystery, not just within her plot, but for readers as well. The girls, seemingly the only children at the gala, drive the action with their delightful personalities, detailed dialogue, and reactions to the big mystery. Some readers might be a bit confused by some of the fancier vocabulary used, but they are clearly a part of Bess and Pam's overall character. "How vile to say the least!" exclaims Bess. "How bilious!" says Pam. Each girl is so unique and amiable that readers will be drawn into the mystery before they know it, desperately searching for clues. Cortés's expressive paintings help to show the characters' personalities and the setting, providing some hidden hints to readers. VERDICT A charming book about character and suspense that will be intriguing to many young mystery readers, but the lack of a satisfying resolution may be more likely to frustrate and confound than delight.-Margaret Kennelly, iSchool at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2019
Grades 1-3 Originally published in 1980, this story by acclaimed author Kincaid gets new life in this picture book with lush, glowingly realistic illustrations. Three brown-skinned girls, Pam, Bess, and Sue, are attending a party celebrating the publication of the first Nancy Drew book. Pam dashes up the stairs to get a bird's-eye view of the soiree, and from her perch, she sees something serious, vile, and bilious. Bess sees it, too, but Sue, whose perspective mirrors the reader's point of view, doesn't quite understand what's going on. Cort�s beautiful artwork is packed with stunning detail, from the grand architecture of the building to the colorful crowd, and none more so than the three girls, whose facial expressions, postures, and playful outfits are charmingly lifelike. Though some advanced vocabulary and a lack of a tidy resolution (what was that bilious thing?) might narrow the book's appeal, the artwork is gorgeous and the feeling of being a kid who's a little too short to see what's happening will likely resonate with the target audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)