Rumors are flying about Natalia, the new girl in school. She’s so quiet that everyone is sure she’s hiding something. Was her father a drug lord in Mexico, killed by rival gangs? Or were her parents Russian spies, caught doing what spies do? Maybe she’s the sole survivor of a plane crash?!?
Mickey Rangel, detective extraordinaire, knows all of the stories going around are bogus. But when his arch rival, Bucho, challenges him for the answer, Mickey vows to crack the case of the new girl. He’ll prove once and for all that he’s the real deal, a private detective!
Natalia is peculiar. She’s very skinny, and eats her lunch so quickly that Mickey wonders if she got something more appetizing than he did. She never talks, and her shoes and clothing are worn and shabby. But his efforts to discover the girl’s secret come up empty, until he overhears a conversation. Is Natalia really one of those undocumented children he has heard about on the news? Did she really travel all the way from Guatemala by herself? Why would she leave her family? And why would her parents let her go?
In this fourth installment of the bilingual Mickey Rangel Mystery series, acclaimed author and educator René Saldaña, Jr. writes a thought-provoking novel for intermediate readers that explores the contemporary issue of immigration from a young person’s perspective. And in this case, Mickey learns some hard truths about being a detective and a good person, ultimately realizing that some mysteries are best left unsolved.
Click here to listen to an interview with Réne Saldaña, Jr. about his fourth installment in the Mickey Rangel detective series, A Mystery Bigger than Big: A Mickey Rangel Mystery / Un misterio más grande que grandísimo: Colección Mickey Rangel, Detective Privado.
2017-2018 Tejas Star Reading List
“Accompanied by an excellent Spanish translation, this title is a good introduction to the hardships of immigration for young children, with the trappings of school mystery. Kids will enjoy this solid addition. Recommended, especially for public libraries with bilingual collections.” —School Library Journal
“A Mystery Bigger than Big / Un misterio mas grande que grandisimo is an excellent exploration of the difficulties of immigration and the dangerous lives of children—often without their parents—struggling to get to a safe place. Highly recommended.” —reThinking Schools
Praise for the Mickey Rangel Mystery Series:
“Mickey is a great kid private eye in the tradition of Encyclopedia Brown and the Three Investigators. Saldaña cleverly inserts some lessons about spelling and grammar into the fast-moving plot, which revolves around the fact that the graffiti-writer can’t spell. This is ideal for reluctant readers.”—School Library Journal on The Mystery of the Mischievous Marker / El misterio del malvado marcador
“The brief, fast-moving mystery appears first in English, then Spanish, in Villarroel’s translation. His prose is peppy, and his mystery, while quickly solved, hammers home a solid grammar lesson as a bonus. Though he’s no teacher’s pet, Mickey’s smarts make him a welcome protagonist.”—Kirkus Reviews on The Mystery of the Mischievous Marker / El misterio del malvado marcador
“Important lessons are learned in this timely tale that will engage curious readers and spark important conversations. Short chapters make this book ideal for reluctant readers and a strong addition to any intermediate collection.”—School Library Journal on The Curse of the Bully’s Wrath / La maldición de la ira del abusón
“A solid resource for younger kids to learn about how best to tackle a bully and how to find your voice and speak up for not only yourself, but those around you.”—Kirkus Reviews on The Curse of the Bully’s Wrath / La maldición de la ira del abusón
“This entertaining bilingual chapter book that will engage readers and draw them into the mystery.”—School Library Journal on The Lemon Tree Caper / La intriga del limonero
“This brisk novella in English and Spanish offers two nifty whodunits for young mystery lovers.”—Kirkus Reviews on The Lemon Tree Caper / La intriga del limonero
“Lively and entertaining narrative coupled with attractive illustrations will make this book a favorite among young mystery readers.”—Críticas on The Case of the Pen Gone Missing / El caso de la pluma perdida
“This bilingual chapter-book edition, the first in a series of Mickey Rangel Mysteries, will engage intermediate readers in both languages, English and Spanish, and offers multiple possibilities for school projects, group discussions and read-aloud sessions. Villarroel’s well-crafted translation into Spanish maintains the suspense and humor of the original English version, narrated by Mickey in fine, hard-boiled style. Mora’s illustrations add a refreshing touch, effectively breaking up the text in this appealing introduction.”—Kirkus Reviews on The Case of the Pen Gone Missing / El caso de la pluma perdida
RENÉ SALDAÑA, JR. is the author of the Mickey Rangel Mystery series, including The Mystery of the Mischievous Marker / El misterio del malvado marcador (Piñata Books, 2013), The Lemon Tree Caper / La intriga del limonero (Piñata Books, 2011) and The Case of the Pen Gone Missing / El caso de la pluma perdida (Piñata Books, 2009). His books for teens include A Good Long Way (Piñata Books, 2010), The Whole Sky Full of Stars (Random House, 2007) and The Jumping Tree (Delacorte, 2001). He lives in Lubbock, Texas, where he teaches in the College of Education at Texas Tech University.
ATOS Interest Level: Middle Grades
Category: Intermediate Reader
LEXILE: 830L
LEXILE SPANISH: 780L
