Book Review: Didi Dodo, Future Spy: Recipe for Disaster words by Tom Angleberger, art by Jared Chapman
Disclaimer: I received an Uncorrected Proof through a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was requested or offered. As an uncorrected proof, there may be changes in the final product–in particular, some illustrations are not finalized.
Koko Dodo is preparing for the Royal Cookie Contest at the local mall. His Super-Secret Fudge Sauce has won the contest twenty years in a row, and he sees no reason this won’t be year twenty-one. That is, until he discovers someone has stolen the secret ingredient!
This would ordinarily be a job for Inspector Flytrap, who’s gotten Koko out of some tight spots before. But that veteran vegetable is out of town. Thus the task falls to a new heroine, Didi Dodo, Future Spy! (Which does not mean she’s a spy from the future. Just that she wants to make spying her career.)
Koko isn’t convinced Didi’s the right dodo for the job. For one thing, she doesn’t know how to stop on roller skates, but insists on rollerskating everywhere. And she’s full of daring plans–too daring! Even if they find the secret ingredient in time, Koko won’t be able to win the contest if he’s deceased!
This children’s chapter book is brought to you by the author of the Inspector Flytrap series and the artist of Vegetables in Underwear. The reading level is first through third grade, though some first graders might need help.
Parents will definitely want to help if their young ones decide they want to try the recipe that’s included with the book–it’s not dangerous, but could get a bit messy.
The plot zooms quickly from one nonsensical moment to the next, with a strong emphasis on the need for speed, which leaves a few plot holes open. (There is a nice bit of realism when we find out the results of one person winning the same contest every year.) The art is okay, and characters are easily identifiable.
Content note: There’s some potty humor parents may not appreciate.
I suspect this will be one of those books that has a brief popularity and then vanishes into the mist of childhood memories; if your kid liked Inspector Flytrap, give it a whirl.
