Changes

Ms Caldecott has a sure touch when it comes to describing the world of today's young people: just look at how much you learn about the three friends, the setting and the tone of the book before you even turn the first page. Matters like ethnic diversity and family structures are woven into the story in such a subtle way you probably won't even realise what you've been told, which is how it should be, and Minnie, Andrew and Piotr aren't mega-brilliant computer hackers or Mensa-level brainiacs: they could easily be found in your local playground or your classroom. It's no surprise that a book which so convincingly portrays everyday life has been chosen as one of the recommended titles for this year's Summer Reading Challenge. The adventures, while exciting, never really go beyond the kind of thing that could happen to any ordinary – albeit adventurous – person, although there is one scene with a baddie which will have those of a nervous disposition briefly chewing their fingernails. True, there are hints of evil in the book, but it's handled in a straightforward, down-to-earth way that it won't have you refusing to leave your bedroom without an armed escort. The police are neither complete nitwits nor vicious thugs as some authors portray them, and while they do appear to jump to conclusions a bit quickly, they can , on the whole , be trusted to pay attention to evidence - even if it has been collected by children. The book is light-hearted, entertaining and engrossing, and the good news is that it's the first in a series, so Minnie, Piotr and Andrew will soon be back solving mysteries.  Before this, we had [[Crowns and Codebreakers by Elen Caldecott]]