Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Fifth grader Casey solves many mini mysteries. Given a magnifying glass and binoculars for her birthday, Casey feels armed and ready to be a superdetective. The pigtailed, pale-skinned sleuth sees mysteries everywhere she goes. Some are small and quickly solved, like the case of the wrapped presents and the case of the missing hair band, but others are trickier, such as the case of the mysterious new girl. Casey learns that her tie-wearing, brown-skinned classmate is named Jan and that she wants to be a scientist. The two become friends and support each other as Jan tries out for the kickball team and Casey deals with a crush and a bully and finds a seemingly overfed stray cat. Divided into chapters, this lighthearted, charming comic demonstrates perfect comedic timing through dialogue, situations, and facial expressions. Black-lined art in a limited, muted palette is inviting in its simplicity. Distinct character design featuring triangle-shaped heads and oversize round eyes adds to the quirkiness. Casey is an endearing, relatable lead, but it’s when she’s with the intelligent, helpful Jan that the story becomes comedy gold and incredibly heartwarming at the same time. The mysteries are fun, but the highlight is the friends we’ll make along the way.(Graphic mystery. 7-11) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.