By Kim Slater (author)
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Shortlisted for Children’s Book Award 2016, Books for Older Readers category - Shortlisted for the Waterstone's Best Fiction for Teens Award 2015
Kieran watches the world carefully. He’s good at noticing things that others don’t which makes him an excellent detective. Born with learning difficulties and living with a violent stepfather, Kieran has a lot to contend with but his inner resilience gives him great strength as he sets out to solve some of the many mysterious that are intertwined around his life.
An evocative and compelling debut for fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.
'I found Jean's friend dead in the river. His name was Colin Kirk. He was a homeless man, but he still wanted to live.'
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There's been a murder, but the police don't care. It was only a homeless old man after all. Kieran cares. He's made a promise, and when you say something out loud, that means you're going to do it, for real. He's going to find out what really happened. To Colin. And to his grandma, who just stopped coming round one day.
It's a good job Kieran's a master of observation, and knows all the detective tricks of the trade. But being a detective is difficult when you're Kieran Woods. When you're amazing at drawing but terrible at fitting in. And when there are dangerous secrets everywhere, not just outside, but under your own roof.
A truly astonishing debut novel affecting, uplifting and beautifully written, Kim Slate has created an unforgettable hero in Kieran Woods, whose internal deliberation and astute observations will make any reader desperate to see him succeed in his mission for justice. Smart tackles difficult subjects with sensitivity, warmth and humour, demonstrating that hope can be found in the most unlikely of places – and with the most unlikely of heroes.
It's painful to see how Kieran is treated, but heart-warming when people realise what he is capable of and how he doesn't hold the prejudices against other people as most of us might do. Smart leaves you with the hope that this realisation will extend beyond Kieran and will soon become a part of everyday life transatlanticbibliophilia.blogspot.co.uk Sometimes you don't know what you want to read until it's in your hands. Smart should be in your hands. Lorna Duncanson, Seven Stories Centre for Children’s Books
Kieran is brave, charming, smart and a delight to get to know. Such a stand out must read. Carly, Book Blogger, Fiction Fascination
Kim Slater honed her storytelling skills as a child, writing macabre tales specially designed to scare her younger brother! Taking her literary inspiration from everyday life, Kim's debut novel, Smart , has won ten regional prizes and been shortlisted for over twenty regional and national awards, including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Federation of Children's Book Groups Prize. Smart was also longlisted for the 2015 Carnegie Medal. Kim lives in Nottingham with her husband and has one grown-up daughter.
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'I found Jean's friend dead in the river. His name was Colin Kirk.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Smart A Mysterious Crime, a Different Detective and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Smart A Mysterious Crime, a Different Detective features in the following genres: Crime & Mystery, Adventure Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Stories about Family and Friends, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Recommended Children's eBooks, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Featured Books for 9+ readers
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Smart A Mysterious Crime, a Different Detective was written by Kim Slater and published by Macmillan Children's Books an imprint of Pan Macmillan
Smart A Mysterious Crime, a Different Detective has 228 pages
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