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Both young readers and readers who used to be youngsters will find Douglas Quinn’s children’s mystery, The Adventures of Quinn Higgins, Boy Detective: The Case of the Missing Homework, hard to put down.
The Case of the Missing Homework is the first in a series of chapter books featuring Quinn Higgins, a third-grader turned boy detective, whose holiday homework assignment disappears from the blackboard before all but two students get to read it. His teacher extends her deadline for the homework, so no one really cares except for Quinn, who’s determined to solve the case.
If you grew up captivated by The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series, as I did, then you’ll be happy to find an exciting modern version of the genre in this child-friendly suspense yarn. Until I turned its final page, the brilliantly evolved plot would not let me go. The way in which Quinn discovers what caused the original assignment to go missing will amaze even the most avid sleuth follower.
All who read The Case of the Missing Homework will enter a world where adults are minor characters and children’s thinking rules. Children will love the story simply because it’s about them and their world. I certainly loved the story for that reason in particular.
The Case of the Missing Homework is a great pick for parents who want to encourage sons or daughters to remain confident when problems at school occur. As Quinn Higgins solves his case, children will learn coping strategies for dealing with schoolyard wise guys, and adult readers will learn that children, when properly guided, are quite capable of handling their growing-up process. Teachers will find its plot more than engaging for resurging classroom storybook hours. Indeed, this delightful mystery set around the end-of-the-year holiday season should not be missed by anyone who searches for a well-plotted suspense story.
