The Sandwich Thief

February 1, 2016
A young sleuth determinedly sets out to nab the thief who is spiriting sandwiches from his school lunchbox in this French Canadian import. They are not just ordinary sandwiches. For one thing, Marin explains, his foodie mom makes the bread using flour "bought from a secret bakery run by kung fu monks." For another, they're delicious: ham, cheddar, and kale on Mondays; tuna, sundried tomatoes, and homemade mayo on Tuesdays, and so forth. Since the lunchbox has to stay out in the hall with everyone else's, he can't watch it directly--but he can complain (fruitlessly) to the principal, set traps, look for clues, and consider possible suspects. Doyon illustrates Marin's campaign in jaggedly angular scenes highlighted with areas of gray and an orangey red that reflects the bereft lad's sustained outrage. Blocks of first-person narration and dialogue in a "handwritten" typeface floating in the spacious margins add to the episode's overall informal look. The limited palette makes it hard to discern skin color: when the characters are not stark white, they may be yellow. In the end, the culprit is revealed and justice served at once thanks to a sandwich laced with "flavor balls" tasting of "dirt-tar-soap-cough-syrup-cat-pee-chalk-vomit." Ew. A tempest in a lunchbox, but just deserts are dished up in a lip-smacking denouement. (Graphic fiction. 9-11)

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Starred review from May 1, 2016
Grades 2-5 *Starred Review* A graphic mystery for the elementary-school set, Marois' enchanting story pairs wonderfully with first-time-illustrator Doyon's frenetic, hip art, which owes more to Maira Kalman (What Pete Ate from A to Z, 2001) than to Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid. Doyen captures protagonist Marin's anxiety in ketchup, mustard, and black tones while giving sharp-edged detail and distinctive looks to Marin's classmates in engaging and delightfully over-the-top ways. Marin, it seems, is facing a dilemma: someone is stealing his lunch. His lunch is specifically targeted because his parents are foodies ( They have more cookbooks than clothes ), and his mother crafts his sandwiches with bread made with special flour that she bought from a secret bakery run by kung fu monks. Is the thief Marie, a classmate who seems perpetually hungry? Is it the principal, who is often seen with egg on his shirt? Or is it the teacher whose position across the hall from Marin's classroom gives her advantageous access to the hall cloakroom? Young readers will enjoy the twists that make Marin's pursuit of the thief difficult. Why, for instance, was his midweek shrimp sandwich untouched? Finally, Marin asks his mom for help, and she uses her chemistry talent to devise a way to catch the thief. For readers looking for something spirited, smart, and spicy, this definitely fits the bill.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)