#429 - Mira the Detective

by Pavithra Sankaran and illustrated by Vandana Singh

“Mira The Detective” by Pavithra Sankaran and illustrated by Vandana Singh. Published by Duckbill. A delightful collection of three cases that get solved by little Mira who turns into a detective.

Mira is an eight year old who loves to solve mysteries. She finds herself right in the middle of action when an antique watch is stolen from her mother’s shop. The odd thing about the theft is that it is no ordinary robbery. Everything else other than the watch has remained untouched. Can she find who has stolen it? Will they get the watch back? Mira hates drinking milk and finds ways of disposing of what her mother keeps for her. When she gets to taste milk with Mayamix in the absence of her mother, she begins to enjoy drinking it. A weird incident threatens to disrupt her newfound joy when packets of Mayamix are destroyed in the factory. Who is behind this incident? Why was it done?

Now comes the third and final case of the book. Mrs Anita Varma, a neighbour, seems to be missing. She is known for her special payasam which is loved by everyone in the building. She always makes it with a special ingredient which is a secret. She shares the payasam with everyone. This time, however, she is nowhere to be found though the smell of the payasam is felt lingering around her house. Mira teams up with her friend Sunil to solve this strange puzzle. Where is Anita aunty? Will they find her? Read the book to unravel the mysteries as Mira gets to the bottom of them.

The book was a bedtime read for my nine year old and we read one case each night. I found him grinning ear to ear when he got to know that Mira didn’t like to drink milk just like him. The foodie in him could very well understand how it felt to be able to smell one’s favourite payasam but not be able to find it. It was fun to guess the outcome of each case and see what would happen next. The plot has a good mix of adventure, mystery and fun packed in it. The book is part of the “Hole Books” series which is meant for children who have begun reading chapter books independently. This was our fourth hole book after “Nisha Small : The Knot of Gold”, “Chitti’s Travelling Book Box” and “Petu Pumpkin Tiffin Thief”.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 7 and above.

Reasons to Read

The book has a good mix of adventure, fun and mystery which is appealing for children who like detective stories.