Andi Unexpected

“This is it!” He wrote on the first page, THE CASE OF THE FIRST ANDORA. And under that he added, BOGGS AND CARTER INVESTIGATIONS. He grinned. “We’ll list all our clues in here and solve the case.

Book: Andi Unexpected (An Andi Boggs Novel) by Amanda Flower, Zonderkidz, 2013

Genre: Mystery

Target Audience: Girls 10-14

Subjects: Prayer, Death of a loved one, sibling relationships, friendship

Summary: Andi’s parents are gone, died on one of their many scientific expeditions. Thankfully, their aunt is quite willing to take Andi and her sister in. And even more wonderful, there’s a new friend with just as much of a curiosity as Andi who lives next door and when she starts cleaning the attic of her new home, she discovers a mystery just waiting to be solved! Behind an old wallpapered over door is a trunk with a doll and some baby clothes in it. The trunk is labeled Andora Bogg – Andi’s name! No one seems to know much about this distant relative but Andi and neighbor are determined to find out. No mystery is going to hold down these two detectives!

Notes: The first in the Andi Boggs series, Andi Unexpected introduces the characters, sets up the conflict between Andi and her older sister and builds a friendship between Andi and her neighbor. It shows two young girls struggling, not only with the death of their parents, but with the inadequacies left by their parents’ focus on scientific discoveries rather than them. There is very little spiritual elements to be found in the story. They do attend church, but there is not discussion of why it’s good to do so, Andi’s just going to meet someone there that might help solve the mystery. There is also a mention of prayer, but Andi says she stopped praying the day her parents died. Then at the most suspenseful part of the story, Andi tosses up a prayer again and this time gets what she wants, but there’s no recognition of that.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 1/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Psalm 69:13 – But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

Thank you to Booksneeze for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.