Synopsis: Join SPUD, the Super Perceptive Undercover Detectives, on their first fast-paced detective adventure. Getting your first hearing aids can be nerve-wracking; especially when you have to wear them to school. When Callie realises her new hearing aids – ‘the Slugs’ – give her the unique ability to communicate with Bo the Mynah bird, some of her worries are lifted. In fact, having a pair of eyes in the sky might come in handy… The duo team up with Callie’s best friend, Grace, as they set out to catch a local thief who has been causing trouble all over town. Includes high-speed chases, a very peckish bird and purple POO! A new mystery series, illustrated by Louise Forshaw and perfect for reluctant readers.
Release Date: 5th May 2022
Genres: Middle Grade, Friendship, Mystery, Animals, Crime, Disability,
Pages: 160
Thank you so much to Firefly Press for the earc to read and review.
Review: This was so sweet and such a great easy read. Callie didn’t want to have hearing aids and calls them Slugs, they love solving mysteries with their best friend Grace and befriends a lonely bird.
It was wonderfully written as it deals with hearing loss and how hard it can be to adjust to being able to hear everything so loudly and clearly but also the insecurity it can bring with having to wear them.
I loved the story with the local thief and the kids and Bo the Mynah bird solving it together but also whilst solving the crimes in the neighbourhood Callie becomes adjusted to the Slugs without realising it.
I really enjoyed the relationships in the story, I love how connected they all were, I loved the cute illustrations and I loved the story it was a really simple, easy to read and so much fun.
About Author: Karen Owen has been partially deaf since childhood, and wrote the character Callie in Major and Mynah to reflect who she wanted to be when she was younger – funny, clever and with a special gift to hear something that other people cannot. She was brought up in Kent and currently lives in London.
About Illustrator: Louise Forshaw lives in a small town just outside Newcastle upon Tyne with her fiancé and 3 noisy Jack Russell Terriers. She graduated in Illustration and Animation from Newcastle College in 2008. Louise has illustrated over 50 children’s books. When she’s not drawing, Louise loves watching animated films, adding to her overflowing ‘to be read’ pile and reading lots of books.
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