The Case of the Disgusting School Dinners (Mina Mistry Investigates #1)
- John Bolton
- Jun 2, 2021
- 2 min read
Wr. Angie Lake Ill. Ellie O'Shea
Pub. Sweet Cherry
Age Range - 7-9 years
Being at school is boring when you know you’re going to be something cool like a Private Investigator. Until then, Mina’s going to practise for her future...
Aren’t school dinners a bit strange? Chicken nuggets? Again? On pizza? Covered in chocolate? Nobody wants to live on lettuce and broccoli, but children are losing teeth over this! This needs investigating.
This looks like a case for Mina Mistry….
"the perfect alternative to books by David Walliams"
Mina's adventure is a whimsical tale,told from the POV of a protagonist whose age is never revealed (one assumes she is around 8 or 9). With cute illustrations and lively use of fonts and texual emphasis, it's ideal for young readers who are ready to explore more ambitious chapter books. It has a relatable setting (much of the action takes place at Mina's primary school), cartoonish characters, and a fathomable yet still intriguing element of mystery.
For my money, Mina is the perfect alternative to books by David Walliams. Mina's story features humour and outlandish characters and just the right amount of whimsy. It's funny and charming, and the ongoing antagonism between Mina and her friend Holly offers a nice comedic through-line...
She looked at me as if I hadn't really been paying attention. She was right. I hadn't been paying attention at all.
There's a richness here. Angie Lake writes wittily, occasionally uses words most readers aged 7-9 will probably have to look up, and has Mina throw asides to the reader which do nothing to drive the story forward and which are all the more joyous as a result. This is a writer who is clearly having a blast, and the reader can't help but share in that enjoyment. It is writing at its purest, enriched by Ellie O'Shea's charming and funny illustrations.
If you enjoy reading Walliams, I heartily recommend you read Mina Mistry Investigates (instead).
If you like this, try
Chocolate Milk, X-Ray Specs & Me
(wr. Wr. Bethany Walker, ill. Jack Noel)
The book is constructed entirely out of letters, postcards and newspaper headlines, which is a clever way to unfold a story in which characters can't interact in person. It is also very funny.
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