Framed!

Framed #1

by James Ponti

A budding genius gets recruited by the FBI to find stolen art in this first book in the hilarious middle grade mystery series that has “elements of Alex Rider, James Bond, and Sherlock Holmes” (School Library Journal) from New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award­–winning James Ponti.

Twelve-year-old Florian Bates has just moved to Washington, DC, the latest of places he’s lived for his dad’s job a security specialist and his mom’s an art conservator—now with the National Gallery of Art. Florian keeps busy developing his technique TOAST (Theory of All Small Things) that focuses on details to solve life’s little mysteries such as where to sit on the on the first day of school or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.

His observational skills haven’t earned him many friends in the past, but his neighbor Margaret turns out to be a kindred spirit and an excellent student of TOAST. While testing their talents in the National Gallery, they uncover a valuable lead about a piece of stolen art! After calling in their tip, Florian and Margaret catch the attention of the FBI…and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL.

Now, Florian is the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists, and he and Margaret might be in way over their heads. Can these amateur sleuths foil an art theft and forgery ring by looking at the small things, or will they find the devil is in the details?

305 pages, Paperback

Published August 23, 2016

About the author

James Ponti is the New York Times Bestselling author of three Middle Grade book series: the DEAD CITY trilogy about a secret society that polices the undead who live beneath New York City; the Edgar Award-winning FRAMED! series about a pair of Sherlockian tweens who solve mysteries in Washington, D.C.; and the all-new CITY SPIES about an unlikely squad of five kids from around the world who form an elite MI6 spy team.

James grew up in Atlantic Beach, Florida and lives in Orlando. He's a die hard fan of the Boston Red Sox, the USC Trojans, and the Italian National Soccer Team. He loves travel, writing, and spending time with his amazing family.

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a simply marvelous book. I could go on and on about the excellent plot or the wonderful characters or the incredible cleverness of Florin Bates, but here is the highest praise I can give: My children not only loved this book, but they started emulating the main characters. In the book, Ponti's heroes use a system called TOAST: Theory Of All Small Things. This is essentially paying very close attention to details and trying to observe the world as closely as possible, and then make deductions based upon those observations. Ever since we read this book, my kids have been using TOAST. So while it's one thing for a book to be a fun read, it's a whole other thing to get readers to alter their behavior in positive ways. What more could anyone ask for?

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those perfect books for preteens. It has great characters, excellent writing and a mystery to solve.
I love the friendship between Florian and Margaret. Books should show more boy/girl friendships.
Florian is such a great character! He's smart and happy. He's respectful to adults and actually thinks his parents are intelligent. I would definitely recommend this book to a preteen or older. They would enjoy the story and characters without even knowing they are learning a great character lesson at the same time. It's like oatmeal raisin cookies. Taste good, but also full of iron. 😉

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art heists, FBI agents, spying, kidnappings, and more are all in a day’s work for Florian Bates. And it all adds up to huge fun! Plus, a mystery that will keep you guessing til the end.

Florian Bates is a wonder! He’s polite, sweet, and a world class detective. The detective part is due to his Theory of All Small Things (TOAST), a system Florian invented and utilizes to solve mysteries and get into trouble. In a nutshell, TOAST is when you add up little details to reveal a larger picture or hidden truth. For instance, Florian can look at someone for a minute and figure out what they had for breakfast, their favorite color, or even what causes them pain. All in a minute! It’s fun to watch Florian click the little pieces together. He loves to shock people. But it’s not until he meets Margaret and teaches her TOAST that the trouble really begins. Florian and Margaret stumble into a world of stolen art and Mafia henchmen. And the FBI discovers a must have asset. Florian finds himself working for the FBI! The only problem is that Florian has to finish his homework before solving crimes. He promised his mother. :) He’s only 12 years old!

“My English teacher asked us to write about what happened over the summer and I couldn’t think of anything interesting that hadn’t been classified by the government.”

Florian is not like any 12-year-old you’ve ever met. He sees little details no one else does, but he’s not smug or sarcastic about his TOAST gifts. If anything, he comes off as earnest, big-hearted, and nervous at times. His jitters about starting a new school does a great job of grounding the character in reality. We can all identify with being worried about starting a new school. The mixture of smarts and vulnerability create the perfect energy on the page. Florian is such a cutie. I liked him at once! You have to meet him. Along with everyone else. I loved the full cast of characters—from Florian’s new BFF Margaret to Agent Marcus Rivers. And kickass Agent Kayla too. I loved them all! Florian’s father needs to be fleshed out a bit more, but I’m hoping we see more of Mom and Dad in future books.

One of my favorite parts of this book and Mr. Ponti’s writing is the sense of fun. The characters are having fun and you will too! It’s contagious. You’ll feel how much Florian and Margaret enjoy unraveling the different threads of the mystery and tracking down the bad guys. Even the FBI is in on the fun. I loved Agent Rivers. Every time he smiled, made me smile. His admiration and affection for Florian comes through each and every time he gives him his full attention or talks him up to other agents. I loved their scenes together. You’ll feel their respect and worry for each other. I’m already looking forward to future missions and “speed-limits-are-there-for-a-reason” car rides with those two. Oh, wait!

Before I go have to praise the mystery. It’s a good one! I mean I truly didn’t see one part of the plot coming at all. *tips hat* Well done, Ponti. I’m a Florian Bates fan for life now and I can’t wait for more.

Highly recommended. Come meet the FBI’s newest and youngest detective.

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars. Scribd.com English text, and translation for Portuguese + audio in English from Google Translate.

Synopsis: "Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series. So you’re only halfway through your homework and the Director of the FBI keeps texting you for help…What do you do? Save your grade? Or save the country? If you’re Florian Bates, you figure out a way to do both.

Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington. He’s learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It’s a technique he invented to solve life’s little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.

But when he teaches it to his new friend Margaret, they uncover a mystery that isn’t little. In fact, it’s HUGE, and it involves the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL. Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?"

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun middle grade mystery that reminded me of Encyclopedia Brown, but more sophisticated. There's an art heist, Romanian mafia, kidnappings, and delicious-sounding food . . . what more could you want in a mystery?

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love mysteries and this one is so much fun! Florian and Margaret are the Sherlock and Watson -- middle school version. TOAST (Theory of All Small Things) is Florian's go-to method. Once he shares it with Margaret, they soon come to the attention of the FBI. Even seasoned agents realize that Florian has some major detective skills. Loved the twisty plot and the art museum component. Impossible to put down. Can't wait to read the second book in the series.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that's a lot of fun. It's sort of like a richer Encyclopedia Brown, but I do have to knock it down to three stars because there aren't enough chances for the reader to solve the puzzles. Still, it's good both for kids who are more used to screens than books (Ponti wrote for Nickelodeon etc.) and for people like me who just want a sort of smart and engaging escape. And I love these characters, too, and will try to find the sequels.

[Austin Poulin · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first saw the book I didn't think that I would like it but after reading for a while I started to like it. In the book there is a big challenge that the character faces which gave the book depth. Throughout the book there was adventures and smaller challenges that the character had to face all leading to the mystery. It was also fun to try to think about the mystery and put the clues together as the book went along. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for mystery book with humor.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book because it made you feel like you were inside the book. I recommend this book for people who like mysteries and books about friendship. This is definitely one of my favorite books!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

12-year-old Florian Bates lives in Washington D.C., is in the seventh grade, and works for the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). Florian has moved frequently as both of his parents work for museums. His brain works differently as he is very observant of people and places. After rapidly piecing a myriad of insignificant details together to reveal an overall picture, he calls his theory, T.O.A.S.T. (Theory of All Small Things). As a “covert asset” or Young Sherlock, outside of the Bureau only his parents and best friend, Margaret, know about his affiliation with the FBI until he is kidnaped by the Romanian Mafia and meets Nic the Knife of EEL (Eastern European League). With Margaret, he creates Florian Bates Investigations, which “uncovers the mysteries of the world, one case at a time.” It all starts with an art heist and a search for a girl’s parents. Margaret and Florian are feisty, intelligent, and curious in this entertaining book. I cannot wait to read the continuation of the series.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Florian has moved again and, to cope, puts into play the technique he calls TOAST, Theory Of All Small Things, looking closely at all the tiny details of life to make inferences about bigger things. He meets the clever Margaret, and he and she quickly set up their own detective agency to solve problems. And, almost inadvertently, Florian and Margaret find themselves working with the FBI itself on a case that involves stolen paintings and crime lords. You can't help but admire the brilliant workings of this twelve-year-old mind as he solves little and big puzzles in the course of his regular day. It's a wild ride of a book.

[Stiina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened with my kids on a road trip. I didn't know it was going to be Sherlocky and if you've seen my reading list you know I love Sherlock. 😆 I usually struggle with YA books but this one was right up my alley so I "got it". The TOAST thing was cute and it was an interesting story that I wanted to keep listening to.

[Porter Broyles · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun little book. This book is written for middle school aged children and presents a plausible rationale for how a 12 year old kid gets involved with the FBI.

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so happy I got to buddy-read this with Mikayla! As a fan of this author's work and the brand new edition cover of this book, I was looking forward to this one a lot, so I'm happy it turned out so good.

Florian is a fantastic character. Just "kid" enough to still be believable, but entirely smart and clever in the tradition of old favorite kid detectives. I loved that there was the FBI angle here, too. Agent Rivers and Kayla were both amazing in their own right. (Speaking of Agent Rivers, secure and nurturing masculinity will never not be wonderful.)

And then there's Margaret. She's an absolute favorite of mine, and I love how quickly she caught on to TOAST, her backstory and goals, and how crazy-good she is at soccer. <3

But that twist at the end!! I knew there would be a twist from the opening scene, but I didn't expect THAT. Very cool. I can't wait to see how it plays out during the rest of the series (which I'm definitely reading).

CW: danger, kidnapping, bad decisions.

[Shlok · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really good.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun middle grade. An art heist and a 12-year-old genius working with the FBI - I would have eaten this up in upper elementary. I was the kid that read
Usborne detective handbook over and over.

[Amy's Book Cafe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

[Yezen A · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[ChristyC_E2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book for me because of all the surprising details. What was interesting was how smart the protagonist was despite the fact that he was also a twelve years old 7th grader. Every time the protagonist makes a new discovery, it just makes me want to continue reading. However, although the protagonist made many discoveries throughout the book, my favorite one was the one at the very end. It was a surprising ending, but it also teaches a theme.
It reminded me that sometimes, people aren't always what they seem to be like. For example, in the end, the protagonist figures out that one of the prime suspects don't actually have anything to do with the case. It's was just that he kept accidentally intersecting with the case. The protagonist realizes that the suspect was being framed and all he was doing was just trying to prove he didn't do anything. Instead he was actually trying to protect someone. In other words, although the suspects looked very suspicious, he wasn't trying to hurt anyone, he was just constantly being mistaken.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

292 pages. This book is well-written and keeps moving. Kids will enjoy reading it to find out what Florian will figure out next. He is working for the FBI as a seventh-grader on a special art heist case. There are lots of twists and turns on this journey. I loved the final surprise near the end…in fact, I reacted out loud and others in the room said, “What???” I said, “That was quite a shocking moment in my story…” You will figure out what I mean if you read it through. I think it has lots of interesting details, characters and plot developments throughout. I want to read the rest of the series now. If you have ever been to Washington DC, it will come alive for you. What a great series! I think kids need to be very careful to catch all the clues as they read each chapter, in order to truly appreciate its genius writing status. Bravo! Highly recommended for Grades 5 and up.

[Annabelle Batie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly good middle grade book! I haven't read middle grade in a while, so this was fun! Personally, I'm not a huge fan of mysteries, mostly because I have trouble following all the details and I don't want to think too hard while reading a book for fun. But if you like middle grade mysteries, then I 100% recommend this book to you!

Some of the characters felt a little dry to me, and there were a few parts when the plot was a little slow. There were also some things that seemed a little too unrealistic to me. (Like the copyist guy just HAPPENS to have a scar on his chin? If he was going to try to hide his identity, he would probably find a way to cover up that scar.)

But overall, it was an enjoyable read, and I'll definitely continue reading the series!

[Haifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret and Kayla are such Queens-

Also T.O.A.S.T. is so cool and the fact that a 12 year old can do stuff like that makes you realise that just 'cause you're old doesn't mean that you're better than everyone and just 'cause you're young doesn't mean you can't do great things! One more thing - Florian and Margaret's friendship is amazing! It's so cool that they bonded over something like the Theory Of All Small Things. I wish more people in the world could be like them. Don't you?

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Florian is a modern day Encyclopedia Brown. Using his trademark TOAST (Theory of All Small Things) technique, he and his best friend Margaret find themselves helping the FBI to find out who stole some valuable paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. Can you figure out this whodunnit before they do?

[Allie Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What?? How is it finished already??

This book was such a fun story! I loved the format of it and how it all came together in the end! Surprisingly, I wasn't able to predict who did it, and with each new twist and turn it kept me guessing.

If you're looking for a clean, fun mystery with a plucky protagonist, this book is just for you!

[Liesl Shurtliff]

Sherlock Holmes for middle-schoolers. Florian Bates is such a likable, interesting character and the plot is fast-paced and exciting. Kids will love this book!

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

The spirit of Encyclopedia Brown lives on in this new book series, bought for my 6th grader, and stolen by me to be detected for good writing and promoted back to him. Instead of Leroy Brown, teen wunderkind crime stopper, it’s Florian Bates who is the supersleuth of the new millennium. Florian is transient because of his parents’ professions, but when he moves to Washington DC he befriends Margaret, a soon-to-be-classmate, and together, they try to track down high end art swindlers using Florian’s TOAST (Theory of all Small Things) theory. Sweat the small stuff; it could crack the case.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Florian is a "young Sherlock Holmes" and teaches his ways to his BFF Margaret. They come to the notice of the FBI when they help solve an art heist. But the case isn't as open and shut as it first appeared and now it seems Florian is entangled with a Eastern European crime syndicate.

I really enjoyed the friendship between Florian and Margaret. It was a pretty cool mystery and I'm glad to have this in my back pocket the next time someone asks for one.

P.S. The Czech Republic is in CENTRAL Europe, not Eastern Europe. Fight me.

[Marisa Maloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud as a family in the car. Book recommendation from Molly . A fun mystery detective series about a boy and his friend helping the FBI solve an art thief. Kids were in it. Wish we could have finished it in a shorter amount of time to keep the story moving but that was more our problem. Whole family enjoyed.

Yes, a middle schooler is helping and figuring out an fbi case and that’s a little unbelievable but after that’s established the writing is great, funny and a good ending.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. Very fun and adorable. I really enjoyed reading this to my youngest at nighttime, and I believe he enjoyed it too. He did ask me to read the second one in the series to him for our next bedtime book, and for a boy that's not easily impressed, being the youngest of many, that's saying something.

[Mckinley Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently, I’ve been into spy novels. I’ve some interesting ones, super enthralling ones, but this one was probably the best (so far) out of them all. It was exciting, had really great themes of friendship, and had great historical background. I pretty much spent my whole day in this book. :) For any mystery or spy book lovers—like me—I would totally recommend this to you!!! Now, I need to go read the second book…