The Case of the Contraband Closet (Bubblegum Shoes #1)

Moldavsky (Of Earthly Delights) makes her middle grade debut in this sharp series starter about an amateur detective who reveres adult investigators from classic noir movies. New Jersey seventh grader Maya’s snooping lives in infamy, especially since an incident severed her friendship with BFF Jordan. In detention yet again, Maya uncovers a link between her “fellow inmates” Jordan, Clementine, and Ava: all three tweens have had something confiscated and tossed in the Contraband Closet, where students claim decades’ worth of forbidden items languish. Lucky for them, Maya knows how to break into it. But when the girls find the closet empty—and school principal Mr. Spade witnesses their B&E—the administrator presents an ultimatum: Maya and company must find the true perpetrator behind the missing objects within a month, or Maya faces suspension. Maya’s maturation, rediscovery of the joys of friendship, and developing crush on spray painter Frito are heartfelt and grounding. Witty noir references add theatrical gravitas to the tenuous allies’ ensuing investigation, which includes a hilarious retooling of traditional detective film settings, as when the group plies their school’s “underground Legends gambling ring” for information. The cast is racially diverse. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency. (July)