Available: January 9, 2018

My thanks to Netgalley and Abrams Kids, Amulet Books for this ARC to read and give my honest review.

Description

Jaundice and Kale are back from their adventure on the high seas, and they are settling back into a quiet life in Dullsville, just the way they like it. The tea is tepid, the oatmeal is tasteless, and the socks are ripe for darning . . . until Aunt Shallot shows up and reveals herself to be anything but the dull relation they were expecting. Instead, she tells her nieces she is Magique, Queen of Magic, and she’s on her way to a big show and in need of two willing assistants. As Magique and the Bland sisters board the Uncanny Express, they meet a cast of mystifying characters. And when Magique goes missing, it’s up to Jaundice and Kale to solve the mystery—with the help of famous detective Hugo Fromage.

An inventive story in the tradition of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, The
Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Uncanny Express has all the whimsy and humor that readers who are looking for an anything-but-bland adventure will love.

A Note From the Publisher

Kara LaReau was an editor for many years before becoming a full-time writer. She has published many acclaimed picture books for children, as well as the middle-grade series The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters and The Infamous Ratsos. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Available Editions
EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781419725685
PRICE $14.99 (USD)

Links
ABRAMS Kids Instagram
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Book Product Page
Kara LaReau’s Instagram
Kara LaReau’s Twitter

MY BOOK REVIEW:

So this is an interesting book. It’s a chapter book for early readers with some illustrations. It’s almost a spin-off of the adult murder/mystery Murder on the Orient Express, only written for children.

These sisters, the Bland sisters, are just that. They’re sent on adventures by their parents to “spice” up their lives, which they resist, until they’re so involved, they can’t help but get involved.

Things backfire, go amiss, fall apart, but eventually, they get it done. It’s an excellent book to introduce younger readers to the mystery genre. I thought it entertaining and enjoyable. The premise was perfect.

I give this book: