The Case of the Missing Action Figure (Marty Frye, Private Eye #1)

by Janet Tashjian (Author) Laurie Keller (Illustrator)

The Case of the Missing Action Figure (Marty Frye, Private Eye #1)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

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 Book

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School Library Journal

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.

Review quotes

"The cadence of Marty's rhyming dialogue is somewhat infectious, and hasthe added benefit of helping young readers tackle unfamiliar (but rhyming)words. . . . A fun and bouncy young kids' book, that's sure to appeal with its big kids' look."—Kirkus Reviews
Janet Tashjian

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.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781250116611
Lexile Measure
540
Guided Reading Level
M
Publisher
Henry Holt & Company
Publication date
June 20, 2017
Series
Marty Frye, Private Eye
BISAC categories
JUV057000 - Juvenile Fiction | Stories in Verse (see also Poetry)
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV045000 - Juvenile Fiction | Readers | Chapter Books
Library of Congress categories
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