Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

In their second case, elementary school detectives Myron (who's on the autism spectrum) and Hajrah (who has ADHD) investigate the theft of a robot made by a classmate for an upcoming tech competition. Engagingly narrated by Myron, the story bogs down a bit in the middle, but young readers will be captivated by the two main characters' spirited interactions and their winsome personalities.

ALA Booklist (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

The West Meadows detectives, Myron and Hajrah, have another case to solve. This time, classmate Jordan's robot has been stolen right before a "Maker Faire," where it was due to compete in a maze-running exercise. Myron, logical and literal (he's on the autism spectrum), narrates the investigation he and Hajrah conduct, focusing at first on the school bully, Smasher McGintley, who expressed interest in taking the robot for her own. Another classmate, Lionel, is also exhibiting odd behavior. Although Hajrah is as dramatic as Myron is stolid, the two work off each other's ideas to solve the mystery, which readers can probably also do if they read carefully. Grand's cartoonlike illustrations enhance the story nicely. The cast of characters is diverse and realistic, depicted with nuance and individuality. Myron's conversation with his sister about recognizing jokes is a sweet example of how the dialogue shapes the narrative. The plot and characters work well together, and the narrative will appeal to high/low readers and mystery lovers alike.

Kirkus Reviews

Elementary school detectives put their (neurodiverse) heads together to investigate the case of a stolen robot. When his doorbell rings on a Friday morning, Myron knows something is afoot; his autism makes him sensitive to changes in his routine. He's right; Jordan, a classmate from his special needs classroom, is calling on him and his friend Hajrah-aka the West Meadows Detectives-to find out who stole his robot for the upcoming Maker Faire. Logical, white Myron and hyperenergetic, Middle Eastern Hajrah brave the bullying Smasher McGinty and follow clues to find a plausible, lightly foreshadowed culprit. Myron and Hajrah's friendship is delightfully fleshed out through their bickering and understanding of each other's respective quirks-and quirks they are, free of medicalization. Myron's autism is quickly explained but is just as quickly understood as intrinsic to his personality, buzzing brain and all. While his literal thinking is sometimes unintentionally humorous, it doesn't preclude his own sense of humor-in fact, his awareness of it allows him to laugh at himself, and others laugh with him rather than at him. Nor does his logic preclude empathy; in fact, it aids in deducing others' emotions. Grand's friendly illustrations also offer glimpses of Myron's personality, from his detective posters to the pencil mug that reads, "The truth is out there." Jordan is depicted with East Asian features; Smasher is a white girl. Readers will enjoy following Myron's developing, appealing voice as much as they do following clues. (Mystery. 7-9)