Friday Barnes: Girl Detective

Australian children's novel by R. A. Spratt
9781742759623OCLC969822948Followed byFriday Barnes, Under Suspicion 

Friday Barnes, Girl Detective is a 2014 Children's novel by R. A. Spratt. It is about an 11-year-old girl, Friday, who uses her detecting skills to solve mysteries at her boarding school.

Publication history

  • 2014, Australia, Random House Australia ISBN 9781742759623
  • 2016, Phil Grosier (illus.), 272p. USA, Roaring Brook Press ISBN 9781626722972

Reception

A review in Kirkus Reviews of Friday Barnes wrote "Spratt begins this new series with a nifty, engaging protagonist who can keep readers laughing and help young geeks feel good about themselves.", and complimented Gosier's illustrations,[1] while Reading Time was somewhat critical of the apparent contradiction between its young reader format and older reader language.[2]

Common Sense Media and Booklist (that gave a star review) were both complimentary.[3][4]

Friday Barnes has also been reviewed by Publishers Weekly (star review),[5] BookPage,[6] The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,[7] Australian Literacy Educators' Association,[8] School Library Journal,[9] Horn Book Guide Reviews,[10] and School Library Connection.[11]

Entertainment Weekly in its 2016 list of best middle-grade books gave Friday Barnes an honorable mention.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. ^ Elizabeth Douglas (7 October 2014). "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". Reading Time. Children's Book Council of Australia. Retrieved 2 August 2019. the book poses something of a conundrum as the cover illustration, the large typeface and generous line spacing all suggest a novel for younger readers while much of the language suggests a book for older, more experienced readers.
  3. ^ Mary Eisenhart. "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". www.commonsensemedia.org. Common Sense Media Inc. Retrieved 2 August 2019. a fun romp
  4. ^ Snow Wildsmith (15 December 2015). "Friday Barnes: Girl Detective". Booklist. American Library Association. Retrieved 2 August 2019. A sheer delight.
  5. ^ "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2019. Spratt's (the Nanny Piggins series) effortlessly funny narration will keep readers laughing from start to finish
  6. ^ Alice Cary (19 January 2016). "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". BookPage. BookPage. Retrieved 2 August 2019. Spratt's characters are entertaining, although she relies too heavily on boarding-school stereotypes of both students and teachers. .. Spratt's writing is nonetheless snappy and smart, and her clever plotting moves the action right along.
  7. ^ Kate Quealy-Gainer (January 2016). "Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R. A. Spratt (review)". The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 69 (5). Johns Hopkins University Press: 273. doi:10.1353/bcc.2016.0054. S2CID 201768540. Retrieved 2 August 2019. Spratt has her tongue firmly in her cheek with this middle-grade homage to genius detectives, .. Black and white illustrations have a cartoony vibe with the multicultural cast sporting wide eyes and sharp angles.
  8. ^ Robyn English. "Friday Barnes - Girl Detective". alea.edu.au. Australian Literacy Educators' Association. Retrieved 2 August 2019. This book is bound to appeal to many middle and upper primary readers .. It is a gentle story with likable characters and a well-paced plot.
  9. ^ Ashley Larsen (2016). "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". School Library Journal. Media Source Inc. Retrieved 2 August 2019. A good choice for voracious readers who enjoy a blend of humor and mystery.
  10. ^ "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". Horn Book Guides. Media Source Inc. 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2019. Friday's creative sleuthing and amusingly odd classmates are brought to life by angular black-and-white cartoon illustrations that nicely complement her humor and heart.
  11. ^ Dionne Fox. "Friday Barnes, Girl Detective". School Library Connection. Libraries Unlimited. Retrieved 2 August 2019. This novel is very clever, extremely funny, and thoroughly enjoyable. Students will be looking forward to Friday Barnes' next adventure!
  12. ^ Nivea Serrao (14 December 2016). "Best Middle Grade Books of 2016: Honorable Mentions". Entertainment Weekly. Meridith Corporation. Retrieved 2 August 2019. If any young detective were to follow in Sherlock Holmes' footsteps, it would be Splatt's titular character.
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