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A review by a_reader_obsessed
Framed! by James Ponti
4.0
4 Stars
I happily blame Laura for pointing me to this book because her review reeled me in! Though I typically don’t read a lot of middle grade stories, I really can’t resist a Sherlockian character, and this didn’t disappoint.
Florian Bates is a whip smart, somewhat awkward 12 year old, who has a special gift for noticing the minutiae of his surroundings, resulting in accurate impressive assessments of any and all situations. This not only garners the attention of the FBI but the bad guys too!
To say the least, I enjoyed my little break from adulthood, and I was thoroughly charmed by Florian. He’s not afraid of using his brain, though there’s hints that his different way of thinking and doing have not gone over well with his peers, especially since he’s moved a lot due to the nature of his parents’ jobs (security and art). However, all that changes when they move to DC, and he meets neighbor Margaret who quickly becomes his bestie and his partner in solving crime.
What I appreciate the most about this is that no one was over the top or stereotypical caricatures that were too stupid to live. Florian is good to the core, humble, and gracious. Margaret is strong, equally smart, and supportive. The parents are reasonable and the other adults aren’t dismissive jerks. Add in an artsy heist, cool FBI training, a kidnapping, and what I suspect an ongoing mystery revolving around Margaret’s adoptive past, and you have the makings of a fun story!
Soooo, it’s clearly obvious I was entertained and impressed as this is not only for kids but adults as well who like a plausible intelligent protagonist who saves the day and who’s wholly likable!
I happily blame Laura for pointing me to this book because her review reeled me in! Though I typically don’t read a lot of middle grade stories, I really can’t resist a Sherlockian character, and this didn’t disappoint.
Florian Bates is a whip smart, somewhat awkward 12 year old, who has a special gift for noticing the minutiae of his surroundings, resulting in accurate impressive assessments of any and all situations. This not only garners the attention of the FBI but the bad guys too!
To say the least, I enjoyed my little break from adulthood, and I was thoroughly charmed by Florian. He’s not afraid of using his brain, though there’s hints that his different way of thinking and doing have not gone over well with his peers, especially since he’s moved a lot due to the nature of his parents’ jobs (security and art). However, all that changes when they move to DC, and he meets neighbor Margaret who quickly becomes his bestie and his partner in solving crime.
What I appreciate the most about this is that no one was over the top or stereotypical caricatures that were too stupid to live. Florian is good to the core, humble, and gracious. Margaret is strong, equally smart, and supportive. The parents are reasonable and the other adults aren’t dismissive jerks. Add in an artsy heist, cool FBI training, a kidnapping, and what I suspect an ongoing mystery revolving around Margaret’s adoptive past, and you have the makings of a fun story!
Soooo, it’s clearly obvious I was entertained and impressed as this is not only for kids but adults as well who like a plausible intelligent protagonist who saves the day and who’s wholly likable!