2021
WISE Score
Amazon
Two autistic sisters, one detective agency, and a missing brisket. It’s like Sherlock Holmes, but with more sibling bickering and AAC tablets.
4.5
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This is a gem of a middle-grade novel. It treats autism as a way of being rather than a problem to be solved, wrapping that heavy lifting inside a fun, low-stakes detective story.
It’s modern, it’s funny, and it actually feels like it was written for kids today rather than a sanitized version of childhood from thirty years ago. If your kid likes mysteries or is navigating their own neurodivergent journey, this is a must-read.
Perfect for the 8-12 crowd. Younger kids will enjoy the mystery and the sisters' antics, while older middle-schoolers will appreciate the nuanced take on identity and family expectations.
It handles sibling rivalry and family tension with a light touch. The sisters, Lara and Caroline, genuinely care for each other even when they're driving each other crazy. It models how families can navigate neurodiversity without being preachy or overly sentimental.
The detective agency framework (FIASCCO) is a classic trope, but the book breathes new life into it through the alternating perspectives and the creative ways the girls use their unique strengths to 'investigate' their own family.
This is about as safe as it gets. The 'crimes' are things like missing food or family secrets. There’s no violence, no mature content, and no scary elements that would catch a parent off guard.
Exceptional representation of autism written by an autistic author. It provides a window into using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices and helps kids understand that there are many ways to communicate and process the world.
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