by Natasha Deen (Author) Marcus Cutler (Illustrator)
The summer is for sleuthing, and Lark and Connor have been served a double helping!
It's time for the annual pet fair and the twins have been hard at work teaching their dog, Max, some new tricks. But on their way to the fairgrounds, they're offered not one, but two intriguing cases.
Pets from the pet show have gone missing and their guardians are blaming each other for the disappearances. Meanwhile, Lark and Connor's frenemy, Sophie, thinks her house might be haunted and refuses to go inside. The twins split up to solve the mysteries, but can they find the vanished pets and the source of the spooky noises before the show has to start?
Lark Has the Shivers is the fifth title in the Lark Ba Detective series, following Lark and the Desert Disaster, Lark Takes a Bow, Lark and the Diamond Caper and Lark Holds the Key.
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Gr 2-4--Junior detectives Lark Ba and her twin brother Connor have an ambitious goal: solve two cases in one day. The pair must find animals missing from a pet show and determine if friend Sophie's house is truly haunted. The strong points: Deen continues to frankly depict Lark's struggles with dyslexia, and the twins' Korean-Kenyan heritage shines throughout the story. Cutler's grayscale illustrations reflect diversity in the supporting characters. The mix of long and short sentences, brief chapters, and plentiful white space balance the introduction of challenging vocabulary (appreciation, discouraged). The book's fatal flaw is the depiction of mocking other people's names, which goes unchallenged in this title because the three main characters think it's funny, despite Connor's initial objections. Sophie, illustrated as white and blond haired, calls the twins "Lark Sheep" and "Connor Wool"; Connor calls her "Sophie Sofa." VERDICT A solid premise undone by allowing verbal bullying to go unaddressed and uncorrected throughout the book. Not recommended.
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Award-winning author Natasha Deen graduated from the University of Alberta with a BA in psychology. In addition to her work as a presenter and workshop facilitator with schools, she writes for kids, young adults and adults. Natasha was the 2013 Regional Writer in Residence for the Metro Edmonton Library Federation. Natasha lives in Edmonton.