Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes

Abstract

Reviewed by: Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes Melanie Kirkwood Cervantes, Angela Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring. Scholastic, 2018 [240p] ISBN 978-1-338-15931-8 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-6 When twelve-year-old Paloma travels with her mom to Coyoacán, Mexico for a month, she’s pleased to find possibilities for companionship and adventure. Passionate trumpet player Lizzie and her smooth-talking brother Gael are on a top-secret mission, a mystery so convoluted and important that they decide to take a huge risk and invite Paloma to help out. Whisked away into a whirlwind of stealthy meetings, clue-finding, and criminal-catching, Paloma uses skills drawn from her favorite detective series to help Lizzie and Gael recover a lost Mexican national treasure: Frida Kahlo’s beloved peacock ring. Paloma’s character rings true of kids on the cusp of adolescence with her angst surrounding her identity, as does her adoration of her fictional detective hero. This title is a perfect introduction to the mystery genre, with Cervantes deftly fitting pieces of the puzzle together to move the story along without divulging too much. Experienced mystery readers will revel in their predictions, seeking out the not-so-obvious clues and turns of events, while newcomers will delight in the elegant blend of cultural immersion, identity development, and adventure. An author’s note differentiates fact from fiction. [End Page 283] Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois