Green Streak: A Zeke Armstrong Mystery

Rating:
Summary: Zeke Armstrong will be the next Lemony Snickett
Review: I can't figure out why more kids (and adults) aren't reading the Zeke Armstrong Mystery Series. Red Card, the first in the Series, won the Agatha Award. The second, Green Streak, is an even better book. The plot, set in New York City, is fast, solid and tight. The main characters, Zeke and Pow Wow (who's Chinese-American, not American Indian) are smart, conscientious and highly likeable. The writing is clear and simple, but the authors (a nephew-uncle team who are, by the way, a couple of real cuties) never talk down to their audience. Pow Wow's parents (who always seem to end up looking after Zeke) are intelligent and involved, not reduced to the flat caricatures you find in many children's books. All readers - avid, reluctant, young, old - will have a ball with Zeke and Pow Wow. While Green Streak and Red Card are traditional mysteries, there's a certain Lemony Snickett quality to them. If I'm right, the Zeke Armstrong Series will prove to be just as popular as Mr. Handler's Unfortunate Events books.

Rating:
Summary: Apple Computer gave us an heir to the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew
Review: My wife and I always check out the books we give our boys (ages 8 and 10). We grew up on the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, and we loved the pleasure those books brought us. Until recently, we'd been unable to find anything new on the market in the way of great mystery/adventure fiction. You know what I mean - pure, unadulterated, fast-paced fun. There are a lot of books out there about kids with "issues", which is fine - they're certainly needed. But if alot of the kids today are anything like my wife and I were when we were young, then there's a need for a modern Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew.

We'd all but given up on finding anything like that, until I noticed a teaser on an uncle/nephew mystery writing team in last week's Apple eNews email from Apple Computer. I checked out the full story on Daniel J. Hale and Matthew LaBrot on Apple.com's Pro site. I was intrigued. I ordered both books in the Zeke Armstrong series. I read both Red Card and Green Streak in a single day (when I should have been making sales calls). They blew me away. They took me back to my youth. I gave the books to my wife. She stayed up until 3 AM reading them. They blew her away. They took her back to her youth. We gave them to our boys. They devoured them. For the past two days, all they've been able to talk about is Zeke and Pow Wow, Zeke and Pow Wow, Zeke and Pow Wow. My wife and I have never seen them so excited about books.

At last! In Zeke Armstrong, we have a worthy successor to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Thanks to Apple Computer for bringing him to our attention.

Rating:
Summary: A great read for young and old alike
Review: The setting is New York City. A big race (in-line skating) is about to be held. A big crime is about to be committed. Naturally, Zeke Armstrong is involved in both. Hale and LaBrot do a wonderful job with this book: the plot is solid and fast-paced, the characters engaging, the scenes convincingly drawn. Although written for a younger audience, Green Streak never talks down to the reader; adults as well as adolescents will enjoy the mix of mystery solving and athletic endeavor. Red Card, The first installment in the Zeke Armstrong series, won the Agatha Award (deservedly so), and this is a better book. Read it.

Rating:
Summary: A great read for young and old alike
Review: The setting is New York City. A big race (in-line skating) is about to be held. A big crime is about to be committed. Naturally, Zeke Armstrong is involved in both. Hale and LaBrot do a wonderful job with this book: the plot is solid and fast-paced, the characters engaging, the scenes convincingly drawn. Although written for a younger audience, Green Streak never talks down to the reader; adults as well as adolescents will enjoy the mix of mystery solving and athletic endeavor. Red Card, The first installment in the Zeke Armstrong series, won the Agatha Award (deservedly so), and this is a better book. Read it.

Rating:
Summary: Common ground for my son and me !
Review: Thirteen year old friends Zeke "Sherlock" Armstrong and Richard "Pow Wow" Gao are participating in the Big Apple Inline Skate-Off. Zeke's parents make their way home from overseas and his Uncle Dane is delayed; Pow Wow's parents supervise the two teens. While waiting on a line to buy refreshments, an elderly woman Ms. Natalie talks to the lads about sundry things including taking her medicine.

Not much later, Zeke notices that a guy dressed in all green on inline skates races towards Ms. Natalie. The "Jittery Man" as Zeke calls him knocks the senior citizen down and flees with her purse. While Pow Wow attends to the unconscious Ms. Natalie, Zeke chases after the Jittery Man because he knows that his comatose new acquaintance needs her medicine immediately. Zeke tricks the Jittery Man and his accomplice regaining the medicine bottle, but at the cost of his skates. The thugs come after a recovering Ms. Natalie so that they can steal her fortune, but the two teens stand in their way.

Think Hardy Boys and you have a reasonable indication of Zeke and Pow Wow though the stars of GREEN STREAK are unique in their own manner and Zeke is more a solo sleuth. The story line goes as fast as the guys go on their inline skate, which is at a terrific rate of speed. The sleuthing duo makes a fine refreshing pair as they try to keep Ms. Natalie safe whether it's skating around Manhattan or riding to Roosevelt Island. Young adults will appreciate this wonderful teen thriller and seek other colorful tales like the award winning RED CARD and the upcoming WHITE OUT.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: This book is a great read for both kids and adults.
As with "Zekes" first book Red Card, once I picked it up,
I had to finish it before I could do anything else. Green Streak
is better than the Hardy Boys. It is contemporary and full
of action. I wish there were as many Zeke Armstrong books
availiable as the Hardy Boys.

Rating:
Summary: Mystery for all ages
Review: This is the second Zeke Armstrong mystery, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are thoughtful and well-drawn; the mystery is well-conceived and there's lots of suspense. I'll be suggesting this book to a number of my middle grade readers. It's not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Can't wait for White Out
Review: Zeke Armstrong and his friend Pow Wow Gao are in New York City for the annual Big Apple Inline Skate-Off. After the qualifying race, they witness the random mugging of a woman they had just met. When Zeke follows the thief, he's convinced there's more to it then a normal crime. Is the victim still in danger? What about Zeke and the Gaos? And will this mystery interfere with the big race the next day?

This book is perfect for the sports buff or mystery fan. Between the race and the mystery, there are plenty of action sequences. I got sucked in and read more then I had intended one night. I had a few plot points figured out before Zeke, but I was caught off guard by many of the twists. And it had me ready to cheer at the end. Zeke is a fun character, and watching him get himself out of some pretty hairy situations is certainly entertaining.

Kids looking for some action in what they read will love both of the books in this fun series. I may be over the target age group, but I'm already looking forward to Zeke's next adventure. These books are certain to entertain anyone looking for a good story.