Lou Lou Bombay and Peacock "Pea" Pearl rely on the power of their friendship to solve the mysterious events that threaten the happiness of some of their neighbors in El Corazón. A streak of bad luck has hit the neighborhood, wreaking havoc on Pea's cousin's quinceañera dress (ink-stained!), murals (defaced!), and Lou Lou's precious camellia flower (cut down!). Coincidentally, there's a new boy in town, and Lou Lou suspects him of being the troublemaker. Spanish words and Mexican traditions appear throughout the narrative, from the mention of quinceañeras to Día de los muertos, but they are superficially presented and do not truly encapsulate the culture. For instance, there is a lack of understanding surrounding the serious role curanderas, or healers, have in various Latin American cultures. These qualms aside, young readers will want to follow Lou Lou and Pea as they piece together clues and try to get to the bottom of the mystery. Grayscale illustrations, Pea's recipe for pinky pan de muerto, and a Spanish glossary round out the text.

Gr 4-6 Lou Lou Bombay and Peacock Pearl (Pea for short) are best friends living in a town called El Corazón. Lou Lou likes getting her hands dirty in her beloved garden, and Pea is clean and proper but loves to create art. The friends meet every Friday afternoon after school for tea parties where they discuss their week and upcoming weekend plans. But things start to go a bit sideways for some of the townsfolk right before the upcoming Day of the Dead procession. First, Pea's cousin's Quinceañera dress is deliberately ruined with purple dye, and then Lou Lou's potentially prize-winning camellia bush, Pinky, falls victim to a "planticide." What's more, someone is painting clues into the murals around town, and only Lou Lou and Pea seem to notice. The story is sprinkled with whimsical illustrations and Spanish phrases. A glossary of words to know in Spanish as well as instructions for making pan de muerto and a garden flower crown craft are also included. Although many of the adult characters come across as two-dimensional, Lou Lou and Pea are likable heroines and the cast of multicultural characters and Latino-themed festivities broaden the accessibility. VERDICT This is a pleasant, breezy friendship tale for middle grade readers who also enjoy a light mystery. Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR