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Odyssey Books: https://www.odysseybooks.com.au/titles/9781925652918/

 

 

   

Bernice Peppercorn’s imagination fills her mind and her notebooks with adventure and intrigue. She sees crimes where there are none and races to the local police station daily to fulfill her civic duty. When a real robbery is committed in town, Bernice dives into detective mode and stumbles across vital clues that could help find the thieves. No one believes her except Ike, a one-legged fisherman who lives down at the wharf. Bernice Takes a Plunge is an exciting and humorous adventure for middle grade readers.

 

This book suitable for key stage 2& 3 (8 until 12 years old). I know I'm not as "young" as recommended age but as a librarian, I would read any books that I would think my students will love it. This is a cute story about the main character, Bernice Peppercorn who loves to investigate. She has powerful imagination as a young kid who curious about everything. Bernice has a pure heart, she wants to help people who in needs even though there are a few occasions that sweet Bernice misinterpret. A brave little girl will make sure that she will carry her notebook everywhere she goes because for her everything could lead to crimes so she better prepare first.

The story began with a scene Bernice and her annoying brother having some fight. The author really knows how to relate the story with real life. One after one little accidents happens in Bernice's life. A disappearing sock, a celebrity in town, an intriguing theft, a strange fisherman with a wooden leg, and a mysterious island. A fisherman with a wooden leg definitely caught my attention. I mean hello! it's like some sort of pirates story who have peg leg and somehow it reminds me of captain hook the antagonist  from Peter Pan movie.
 

One thing that I can relate to my students that, every day they tend to lose something same as Bernice, who always tend to lose her hat. I like the part when Bernice said that her mom gonna glue the hat to her head because she always losing the hat. LOL. The story grows when a celebrity Crystal Bell being robbed and Bernice want to solve the mystery. She team up with Ike, a fisherman with a  wooden leg. At first I suspect Ike as a the masterpiece behind the robbery, turns out I'm wrong. *Never judge people based on their appearance. Strong friendship that been shown through this story make it as perfect story to be tell to kids. Full of good  lessons that can be take from this story.

overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐ over ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ because of Bernice lack of judgement when she suspect a man that bringing a some sort of bomb in brief case. She could be more sensitive about judgement of scene. What if whatever that she thinks actually happening? Would she be in trouble.