The Drained Brains Caper (Chicagoland Detective Agency)
Gr 4-7–Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura has recently moved to Chicago. A vegetarian haiku poet and manga fan, she stands out at her new school, Stepford Academy, where the students appear to be brainwashed into complete conformity. With her new friend Raf Hernandez, Megan uncovers the exploits of campy villain Dr. Vorschak and rescues a talking dog who is a fan of old detective films. Though it is full of sophisticated references, this inventive, playful story should appeal to tween readers. Diverse characters and assured, accessible cartoon-style illustrations make it a promising start to a new series.–Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NYα(c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.