LitPick Review
This hilarious story starts with Ronan Boyle, the protagonist. He is the most inexperienced member of the Garda Special Unit. This is an agency that solves crimes and mysteries. Ronan’s parents have been framed for stealing an artifact, so his solution is to join this agency in an attempt to find evidence. His hope is to find enough evidence to free his parents, but Ronan discovers that dealing with magical creatures isn’t as easy as it seems. He goes through rigorous training, and this training is useful when he and his captain attempt to capture some leprechauns that have stolen some wine. Will Ronan Boyle get through his hilarious adventure, or will the leprechauns get away with their thievery?
Opinion:
This story is perfect for 9-14 year old children who want a taste of adventure while having a couple of laughs. This author does a great job making the reader laugh, think, and enjoy the ride. The protagonist, Ronan Boyle, has a goal that is made clear: he wants to help his parents. He attempts to achieve his goal, but there are many magical beings that appear along the way (like leprechauns). Any fan of magic or fantasy will enjoy this plot. There are also a number of footnotes throughout this book. This would be a great book to use to teach footnotes. I am an adult, and even I used them to understand the meaning of some of the words throughout the book. For example, in chapter 6, a footnote explains that "porte cochere" is a fancy (French) word for a covered driveway.
There are also some illustrations sprinkled throughout this chapter book. I would describe the illustration style as "modern." These illustrations definitely catch the reader's eye. My favorite illustration is the two-page map in chapter seven. I love when a book includes a map. It allows me to understand where the characters are located geographically and what the land is like. This map in particular features a compass, forests, mountains, a volcano, and various bodies of water. These landforms and bodies of water are tinier drawings within the map, and I personally enjoy these smaller details.
