Tan Callahan, sneaky sleuth extraordinaire, is back on the
job when some suspiciously unusual occurrences around the town grab her
attention. What’s happening to the stone animals – ‘stonies’ – in Peppercorn
Valley? Why do they keep disappearing – or moving?
Who is the stonie thief and what is their motive? Just as well Tan has her two
best friends on the case to assist. Molly is visiting from the city for a whole
month, and after Tan assures Gloria there is no book written that says you
can’t have two best friends, the three immerse themselves in detective work and
World Headquarters becomes a hotbed of investigation.
The third in the Truly Tan series, this book is a delight
to read and girls in middle primary school will have trouble putting it down. Tan
is a charismatic character, immediately likeable, who has a joie-de-vie that is
refreshing and attractive. Her spark and vivacity are endearing. She’s
positive, pragmatic and blithely unaware of enough undercurrent goings-on to
make her character entirely believable. Jen Storer, on a number of occasions,
cleverly positions the reader to know more than Tan and sometimes her
counterparts, which works a treat in terms of engagement and empathy. Seasoned
with humour, the text is splendidly crafted, and the ‘Dear Diary’, list and
word-explanation segments add contrast and variety, working to invite the
reader for a closer look into Tan’s world. Claire Robertson’s illustrations add
warmth and appeal and are a great match for the text.
Truly Tan
Spooked! is a winner – heart-warming, jaunty and a joy to read.
Harper Collins, 2013
(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 29, Issue 1,
March 2014)
No comments:
Post a Comment