by Janet Tashjian (Author) Laurie Keller (Illustrator)
Broken into three short stories of poetry and petty crime, this charming chapter book will have young readers in search of a rhyme in no time. Book 1 in the Marty Frye series!
Marty Frye is not your ordinary sleuth. Marty Frye is a poet detective--he makes up rhymes as he solves small crimes. When his friend Emma's diary is missing, Marty is on the case. When Katie's flour is nowhere to be found, Marty tracks it down. And when the brand-new Action Chuck figures mysteriously vanish from the toy store, Marty unravels the mystery. Will there ever be a case too hard for Marty to solve? Or a word too impossible to rhyme? Broken into three short stories of poetry and petty crime, this charming chapter book will have young readers in search of a rhyme in no time. A Christy Ottaviano BookWorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
Gr 2-4--This is a reboot of a 1998 book by Tashjian. Marty Frye is an amateur detective who just so happens to be obsessed with poetry. Using tactics such as observation and interviews, he sets out to solve three mysteries: "The Case of the Missing Diary," "The Case of Action Chuck," and "The Case of the Mixed-Up Flour." Marty's passion for poetry is so extensive that he speaks only in rhyme. For that reason, this book would be appropriate for students learning about rhyming. However, the rhyming speech oftentimes feels forced and a little out of place, interrupting the flow of this mostly plot-driven book. VERDICT This transitional chapter book is an additional purchase for students learning about poetic devices; young mystery fans will also enjoy it.--Tiffany Davis, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Janet Tashjian is a middle-grade and young adult novelist who's been writing books for children for over two decades. Her first novel Tru Confessions was made into a critically acclaimed Disney TV movie starring Clara Bryant and Shia LaBeouf. The Gospel According to Larry series is a cult favorite and Fault Line is taught in many middle and high schools. Her bestselling My Life As a Book series is illustrated by her son, Jake. They also collaborated on the Einstein the Class Hamster series.
Janet collaborated with fellow Macmillan author Laurie Keller on the chapter book series Marty Frye, Private Eye. Janet currently lives in Los Angeles and made her new home city the setting of the Sticker Girl series, which details the adventures of Martina who overcomes being shy with the help of her magical stickers that come to life.