Mickey Rangel, kid detective extraordinaire, has just exited the school bus one sweltering afternoon when he hears a blood-curdling shriek. It’s coming from the creepy neighbor lady’s house. Señorita Andrade, known as La Bruja Andrade to all the neighborhood kids, is as old as the moon, wrinkled like a prune, and smells like moth balls. But she’s in trouble, so Mickey forgoes the cool, refreshing glass of lemonade he planned to buy from Tina’s stand and instead goes to help the supposed witch.
“My lemons, Mickey, my prize-winning lemons. They’re gone. They’re all gone,” Señorita Andrade cries. The tree was covered with fruit just that morning, but Mickey can see that it’s true: there’s not one lemon on the tree. She is famous for her lemons. One of the reasons everyone thinks the woman is a witch is because she somehow manages to keep lemons on the tree year round. And for years she has won first prize in the annual Lemon Festival and Lowrider Bicycle Show. In the lemon category that is, not the bikes.
Who could have stolen several sacks full of lemons? Was it only a coincidence that Tina had set up a lemonade stand just down the street? With a bowl full of lemons sitting right out front?!? Or could it have been someone trying to sabotage Señorita Andrade’s entry in the upcoming festival dedicated to the savory fruit? “I’ll get to the bottom of this, ma’am. Mickey Rangel is on the case.”
In this second bilingual book in The Mickey Rangel Mystery series for intermediate readers, author and educator René Saldaña, Jr. has crafted another engaging book for kids, and his wise-cracking, smart protagonist will appeal to even the most reluctant readers.
Named to the 2012-2013 Tejas Star Reading List
“This entertaining bilingual chapter book that will engage readers and draw them into the mystery.”—School Library Journal
“This brisk novella in English and Spanish offers two nifty whodunits for young mystery lovers.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A Spanish translation of the story is bound in with the English, making this a good choice for bilingual school and public library collections.”—Mystery Scene Magazine
“Lively and entertaining narrative coupled with attractive illustrations will make this book a favorite among young mystery readers.”—Críticas
“This fast-paced, fun mystery has just enough punch, spice, kick, and unpredictability to keep interest high and pages turning.”—Midwest Book Review
Praise for the Mickey Rangel Mystery Series:
“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 on A Mystery Bigger than Big / Un misterio más grande que grandísimo
“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
“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: Lower/Middle Grades
Category: Intermediate Reader
ATOS English: 5.5
ATOS Spanish: 5.8
LEXILE: 950L
LEXILE SPANISH: 910L
Accelerated Reader Quiz #: 150745
