I review books for Library Media Connection (LMC) and have done so for about two years. I plan to add my reviews to the blog too to try to put all of my professional activities and writing in one place. So I just finished reading an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) of the 2nd in the Dirk Darring Series. I have not read the first, but the second was decent. Not my favorite ever, but I could see how some students would like it. I doubt it will be a runaway-bestseller-everyone-must-read-this-book book though. See my review below.
Becker, Helaine. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. Playford, Jenn. 2016. 230pp. $9.96pbk. Orcas Book Publishers. 9781459810389.
Darren, AKA Dirk Daring- Secret Agent, is once again on another mission, this time to save his friends from the evil Wolf Lords, a gang of teenage bullies and save his school from being merged with their rival. Joined with his friends, with their own secret agent code names, Dirk uses planning and stealth to execute the steps of his plan and he learns more about friendship along the way. The book is filled with lots of spy lingo that Dirk narrates in total seriousness and it quirky and fun. The characters are all real and have good depth to make them relatable to readers. However the chapters vary between Dirk’s narration and the journal entries of his friends and other “case notes” and character profiles, which broke up the continuity of the story and occasionally made it hard to follow the action. Overall for middle grade readers who like mysteries and spy stories, this would be a great read for them, especially with the humor in the plot. Grades 4-8. RECOMMENDED. Michelle Bridges, Media Specialist. Sugar Creek Elementary School, Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Becker, Helaine. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. Playford, Jenn. 2016. 230pp. $9.96pbk. Orcas Book Publishers. 9781459810389.
Darren, AKA Dirk Daring- Secret Agent, is once again on another mission, this time to save his friends from the evil Wolf Lords, a gang of teenage bullies and save his school from being merged with their rival. Joined with his friends, with their own secret agent code names, Dirk uses planning and stealth to execute the steps of his plan and he learns more about friendship along the way. The book is filled with lots of spy lingo that Dirk narrates in total seriousness and it quirky and fun. The characters are all real and have good depth to make them relatable to readers. However the chapters vary between Dirk’s narration and the journal entries of his friends and other “case notes” and character profiles, which broke up the continuity of the story and occasionally made it hard to follow the action. Overall for middle grade readers who like mysteries and spy stories, this would be a great read for them, especially with the humor in the plot. Grades 4-8. RECOMMENDED. Michelle Bridges, Media Specialist. Sugar Creek Elementary School, Fort Mill, South Carolina.