Flip Turns

July 1, 2022
Maddie and her best friend try to figure out who is vandalizing Maddie's family's pool while also dealing with typical tween dilemmas. After she discovers broken glass at the community swimming pool owned by her family, Maddie recognizes it right away as pieces from the snow globe she returned to Lucas, an unwanted admirer. When other acts of vandalism not only continue to shut down the pool, but lead to lost revenue, causing her parents to consider selling the business to a gym chain, the rising eighth grader follows clues to find the culprit. Helping her with this endeavor is best friend Esmeralda. Realistic dialogue and interspersed texts drive this light sports mystery as self-proclaimed Nancy Drews Maddie and Ez also grapple with early adolescent experiences. Ez, who has alopecia, stresses over winning an elite swimming scholarship she needs to join a private school's training program that her single mother couldn't otherwise afford, while Maddie tries to keep her anxiety under control and develops a crush on Nico, the new boy in town. Her interactions with Lucas spotlight sexual harassment warning signs and add to possible motives as the mystery unwinds. Although the revealed vandal may not be a surprise to some, enough red herrings and plenty of sports competition keep the story lively. Main characters read as White; there is some ethnic diversity in the supporting cast as well as two same-sex relationships. A solid whodunit for swimming and mystery fans alike. (Mystery. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2022

Gr 5 Up-Thirteen-year-old Maddie's life revolves around the family-owned swimming pool. When vandalism and other acts of sabotage plague the family business, Maddie and her best friend Ez are determined to sleuth out the truth and discover who is responsible for the incidents. Can they figure it out before Maddie's family is forced to sell to a large fitness chain? The suspects pile up. Friendships, identity, family pressure to succeed, competition, anxiety, sexual harassment, blossoming healthy romantic connections, and class issues are all explored in this fast-paced read. Debut author Arguelles writes sympathetic characters and dialogue that rings true and genuine to the tween experience. Maddie and her friends are just the right amount of awkward and uncertain while simultaneously operating under a heightened sense of urgency that is entirely age appropriate. Communications via social media sprinkled throughout the chapters add extra texture and authenticity. The author also handles the important topic of consent; this plot line offers a discussion opportunity regarding Maddie's situation, as well as her confusion, fear, and reluctance to tell her family. Healthy relationships are also depicted as a counterbalance. While readers will likely anticipate the ultimate perpetrator of the central crimes, they will enjoy the ride and find the outcome satisfying, organic, and plausible. Maddie is white, and the cast of secondary characters is diverse. VERDICT A recommended purchase for tween collections where swimming, mysteries, and summer romances are popular.-Eva Thaler-Sroussi

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.