Reader reviews
“Great bedtime reading, my kids and I loved this gorgeous book. It captured us from the first page (raining frogs in Higgity Harbour!) and kept us riveted, trying to figure out, along with detective editor Scoop and her best friend/reporter Evie, exactly who the evil editor of Dark Times newspaper Sonny Fink is.
The book had some good lessons, mainly how important it is to seek to truth and to never give up, no matter how hard things seem. And good wins out over evil. My kids really loved it and were delighted to read at the end that another Scoop adventure is on the way. We can't wait.”
Review by: mumandmegandliam, Brisbane (www.booktopia.com.au)
“A great first book for a new series!”
“ . . . perfect for 7 to 12 years olds. I would very happily recommend this to fans of Jennifer Killick, Robin Stevens & Sharna Jackson. Very keen to see how this series develops”
Review by: Fiona Sharp, UK (www.waterstones.com)
Links to additional reviews
“This is a light-hearted and fast-paced adventure mystery with a plot that follows all the steps of a classic detective story …”
“As a class reader, it’s the perfect length to enjoy and share over a series of reading sessions . . . a good book to engage your class”
“A fun, captivating story for middle-grade readers . . . a great mystery novel and a wonderful book to introduce children to this genre.”
“Full of twists and turns and laughs, this book kept me guessing until the very end. A great read for anyone aged 8+.”
“I could see this being really good in schools as a way to introduce pupils to writing their own articles - as well as showing them some brilliant examples of how to write”
“One of the aspects of the Scoop McLaren books that I have enjoyed most as an adult is the very positive portrayal of father-daughter relationships by author Helen Castles”
“Another part of Castles’ writing that I enjoyed are the little breadcrumbs she throws into her narrative that come together so wonderfully at different points in the book . . . make for a more complex story in the end and lay the groundwork for the next book in the series.”
“An ideal read for mid to late primary aged kids looking for a fun mystery and adventure series . . a good cast of characters for the young reader to ponder over and solve the mystery . . . I can’t wait for more. “