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Revenues à leur confortable routine après une aventure effrénée en haute mer, les jumelles Aubépine et Clémentine apprécient le calme de Morneville. Mais lorsqu’elles sont missionnées d’aller chercher une mystérieuse tante à la gare, les voilà embarquées à bord du Terminus Express en compagnie de voyageurs insolites : magicienne, détective, voleur de bijoux… ÇA DÉRAILLE !
242 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2018
16 people are currently reading
616 people want to read
About the author
Kara LaReau
46 books102 followersKara LaReau was born and raised in Connecticut. She received her Masters in Fine Arts in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and later worked as an editor at Candlewick Press and at Scholastic Press. Among other celebrated titles, she edited Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and the Mercy Watson series. She is the author of picture books such as UGLY FISH, illustrated by Scott Magoon, Baby Clown, illustrated by Matthew Cordell, and Goodnight Little Monsters, illustrated by Brian Won; chapter book series Witchycakes, illustrated by Ariane Moreira and The Infamous Ratsos, illustrated by Matt Myers; and middle-grade trilogies The ZomBert Chronicles, illustrated by Ryan Andrews, and The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters, illustrated by Jen Hill. Kara lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband and daughter and their cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 11, 2017
Having missed out on the Bland Sisters' first adventure, when they were kidnapped by pirates (though I will be seeking it out and reading it, now), I nevertheless was familiar with author Kara LaReau's work, having read and enjoyed The Infamous Ratsos (as well as have an ARC of the Ratsos sequel I need to finish). Here, LaReau channels a really cool combination of Lemony Snicket-meets-Agatha Christie, as Jaundice and Kale Bland are sent a mysterious letter by their world-traveling parents, asking them to meet their "Aunt Shallot" (whom they didn't even know existed, prior to the letter) at the train station, as she will be staying with them for awhile. Now, the Bland sisters totally live up to their name, spending their days drinking tepid tea and eating tasteless cheese sandwiches while indulging their obsessions (for Kale it's cleaning, while Jaundice loves tying knots). In other words, the last thing the sisters want is another adventure, which is why their lives are thrown out of whack when they meet up with their flamboyant aunt at the train station ... only to be led, instead, onto a departing train instead, with a woman who is actually the famous female magician, Magique! Now stuck on the moving Uncanny Express, things get even more complicated when Magique, disappears, and a flamboyant detective on-board (a terrific homage to Hercule Poirot worth reading the book for alone) offers to lead the girls in finding her. I loved this "kids" book, it's charming and amusing, with a bit of snark for the adults, and a fun story that - even if you see the end coming - is nevertheless a great ride getting there. Jen Hill's illustrations, just like with the Ratsos books, only add to the upbeat, lighthearted tone of the novel - which, naturally, hints of a book three to come by its end, that also seems to promise more development of the sisters as well as secrets (at last) to be revealed! 5/5 stars
Note: I received a free ARC of this title via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received a free ARC of this title via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2018
Once again the Bland sisters are sent on an adventure by their well-meaning adventurous parents. This time they arrive at the train station to pick up their Aunt Shallot, only to be swept into an adventure involving magic, unusual passengers who all seem to be hiding something, a famous detective, a missing aunt, and marshmallows on the tracks. As Kale and Jaundice try to cope with being away from their nice, boring life at home, they learn about magic and detective work. Kale's love of cleaning and Jaundice's full pockets come in handy as the girls endure their second adventure. The dry wit and unusual nature of the main characters makes these books rather entertaining and a quick read. For those familiar with Murder on the Orient Express, similarities exist but have been turned on their head.
December 17, 2022
Fun middle grade adventure. I loved the setting of the train and how the girls were able to step outside their boring lives and have some fun. Their parents are pretty awful for abandoning them though. Who abandons their kids to go off and travel? Plus their daughters are on their own to make money to pay for bills and food. Someone adopt these little cuties please!
February 10, 2018
I had received this one from NetGalley a while back and hadn’t gotten around to reading it because it started off slow. I started it again last night and finished it this morning and it wasw more entertaining than I expected. I only wish the sisters had been more of a help in solving the mystery.
June 25, 2024
In spite of their best efforts, the Bland sisters are blossoming into resourceful young ladies.
Dragooned into an unwanted adventure by their absent parents, Jaundice and Kale find themselves in a rather good parody of Murder on the Orient Express. This suits them much better than being captured by pirates, and they are soon on the case.
Dragooned into an unwanted adventure by their absent parents, Jaundice and Kale find themselves in a rather good parody of Murder on the Orient Express. This suits them much better than being captured by pirates, and they are soon on the case.
September 27, 2017
This was delightful. It's full of clever wordplay and quirky characters and a nice, twisty mystery. There are jokes that only adults will get, making this an excellent choice for family read-alouds.
January 14, 2018
Originally posted on You Have Your Hands Full
The Uncanny Express is a middle grade novel written by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Jen Hill. This is the second book in the Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters series. I was very excited about the opportunity to read this book with my girls because we enjoyed reading The Jolly Regina, which is the first book in the series.
After their pirate adventure in the first book, Jaundice and Kale are looking forward to returning to their bland lives sitting at home, darning socks, and eating cheese sandwiches. Their plans are thrown off-kilter when they are directed to go to the train station to meet their aunt, and inadvertently end up on a train speeding off to the Uncanny Valley.
Jaundice and Kale agree to help a glamorous magician and serve as her assistants, but then she disappears- even though the train never made any stops. Luckily, one of the other passengers on the train is the famous detective Hugo Fromage. Can he help solve the mystery of the missing magician?
My girls are in fifth grade and third grade, and they love reading books. They loved the pirate book, and they were looking forward to finding out what was going to happen to Jaundice and Kale. One of their favorite things about the first book was that each chapter began with a dictionary entry. They liked that this tradition continued, albeit in a new way. Each chapter began with an excerpt from the girls’ book of household tips or their magician’s manual.
This story is quirky and fun, and it is clearly a spoof of Murder on the Orient Express. That said, it did not hold my girls’ attention as much as the first book. I think, however, this is more a matter of personal preference. As an adult reader, I think the mystery was very well constructed, and there were some surprises that none of us saw coming.
I would recommend The Uncanny Valley. I do think that readers need to read The Jolly Regina before tackling this one. It provides valuable background information, as well as a sense of the girls’ general recalcitrance. The ending sets up a third book, and we’re certainly looking forward to what happens to the Bland sister next!
I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Uncanny Express is a middle grade novel written by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Jen Hill. This is the second book in the Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters series. I was very excited about the opportunity to read this book with my girls because we enjoyed reading The Jolly Regina, which is the first book in the series.
After their pirate adventure in the first book, Jaundice and Kale are looking forward to returning to their bland lives sitting at home, darning socks, and eating cheese sandwiches. Their plans are thrown off-kilter when they are directed to go to the train station to meet their aunt, and inadvertently end up on a train speeding off to the Uncanny Valley.
Jaundice and Kale agree to help a glamorous magician and serve as her assistants, but then she disappears- even though the train never made any stops. Luckily, one of the other passengers on the train is the famous detective Hugo Fromage. Can he help solve the mystery of the missing magician?
My girls are in fifth grade and third grade, and they love reading books. They loved the pirate book, and they were looking forward to finding out what was going to happen to Jaundice and Kale. One of their favorite things about the first book was that each chapter began with a dictionary entry. They liked that this tradition continued, albeit in a new way. Each chapter began with an excerpt from the girls’ book of household tips or their magician’s manual.
This story is quirky and fun, and it is clearly a spoof of Murder on the Orient Express. That said, it did not hold my girls’ attention as much as the first book. I think, however, this is more a matter of personal preference. As an adult reader, I think the mystery was very well constructed, and there were some surprises that none of us saw coming.
I would recommend The Uncanny Valley. I do think that readers need to read The Jolly Regina before tackling this one. It provides valuable background information, as well as a sense of the girls’ general recalcitrance. The ending sets up a third book, and we’re certainly looking forward to what happens to the Bland sister next!
I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2017
Available: January 9, 2018
My thanks to Netgalley and Abrams Kids, Amulet Books for this ARC to read and give my honest review.
Description
Jaundice and Kale are back from their adventure on the high seas, and they are settling back into a quiet life in Dullsville, just the way they like it. The tea is tepid, the oatmeal is tasteless, and the socks are ripe for darning . . . until Aunt Shallot shows up and reveals herself to be anything but the dull relation they were expecting. Instead, she tells her nieces she is Magique, Queen of Magic, and she’s on her way to a big show and in need of two willing assistants. As Magique and the Bland sisters board the Uncanny Express, they meet a cast of mystifying characters. And when Magique goes missing, it’s up to Jaundice and Kale to solve the mystery—with the help of famous detective Hugo Fromage.
An inventive story in the tradition of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, The
Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Uncanny Express has all the whimsy and humor that readers who are looking for an anything-but-bland adventure will love.
A Note From the Publisher
Kara LaReau was an editor for many years before becoming a full-time writer. She has published many acclaimed picture books for children, as well as the middle-grade series The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters and The Infamous Ratsos. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
Available Editions
EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781419725685
PRICE $14.99 (USD)
MY BOOK REVIEW:
So this is an interesting book. It’s a chapter book for early readers with some illustrations. It’s almost a spin-off of the adult murder/mystery Murder on the Orient Express, only written for children.
These sisters, the Bland sisters, are just that. They’re sent on adventures by their parents to “spice” up their lives, which they resist, until they’re so involved, they can’t help but get involved.
Things backfire, go amiss, fall apart, but eventually, they get it done. It’s an excellent book to introduce younger readers to the mystery genre. I thought it entertaining and enjoyable. The premise was perfect.
My thanks to Netgalley and Abrams Kids, Amulet Books for this ARC to read and give my honest review.
Description
Jaundice and Kale are back from their adventure on the high seas, and they are settling back into a quiet life in Dullsville, just the way they like it. The tea is tepid, the oatmeal is tasteless, and the socks are ripe for darning . . . until Aunt Shallot shows up and reveals herself to be anything but the dull relation they were expecting. Instead, she tells her nieces she is Magique, Queen of Magic, and she’s on her way to a big show and in need of two willing assistants. As Magique and the Bland sisters board the Uncanny Express, they meet a cast of mystifying characters. And when Magique goes missing, it’s up to Jaundice and Kale to solve the mystery—with the help of famous detective Hugo Fromage.
An inventive story in the tradition of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, The
Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Uncanny Express has all the whimsy and humor that readers who are looking for an anything-but-bland adventure will love.
A Note From the Publisher
Kara LaReau was an editor for many years before becoming a full-time writer. She has published many acclaimed picture books for children, as well as the middle-grade series The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters and The Infamous Ratsos. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
Available Editions
EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781419725685
PRICE $14.99 (USD)
MY BOOK REVIEW:
So this is an interesting book. It’s a chapter book for early readers with some illustrations. It’s almost a spin-off of the adult murder/mystery Murder on the Orient Express, only written for children.
These sisters, the Bland sisters, are just that. They’re sent on adventures by their parents to “spice” up their lives, which they resist, until they’re so involved, they can’t help but get involved.
Things backfire, go amiss, fall apart, but eventually, they get it done. It’s an excellent book to introduce younger readers to the mystery genre. I thought it entertaining and enjoyable. The premise was perfect.
November 4, 2017
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
This is the second book for the Bland Sisters by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Jen Hill. Aimed at middle readers, this clever book is full of wordplay and puns which will also appeal to adults and would make a fine family read-together.
The writing is simple and often silly and uses the blandness of the unadventursome sisters (they love to eat cheese sandwiches on dry day old bread with flat soda whilst they darn other people's socks) to explore concepts of family, loyalty and going outside of our comfort zones.
The overarching story has Jaundice and Kale's (*snicker*) absentee parents sending them first on an adventure (The Jolly Regina - book 1 of the series) where they're captured by pirates and more, and then, just when they escape and think their world is safe for darning socks and deep cleaning the bathroom, they receive a mysterious note to go and meet their Aunt Shallot at the Dullsville train station.
I try to avoid comparing books or authors to other books (or authors) but the story itself reminds me in a lot of very good ways as a sort of Lemony Snickett and Roald Dahl mashup. There are so many fun mystery and adventure tropes that it's fun to try and identify them but that doesn't detract from the plotline or enjoyment of the mystery (on a train! with a collection of suspects!).
The art is nostalgic, rendered in pen and ink and adds a lot of depth and character to the book. Each of the chapter headings has a little drawing and quote from whichever book the sisters are reading at the time. The drawn panels and margin drawings comprise roughly 15-20% of the book and are all amusing and illustrate the story well.
Quite a lot of fun, with a decent amount of appeal to grown-ups as well (and the opposite of saccharine/sweet).
Four stars
Anticipated release date: 09 Jan 2018 from AbramsKIDS
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
This is the second book for the Bland Sisters by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Jen Hill. Aimed at middle readers, this clever book is full of wordplay and puns which will also appeal to adults and would make a fine family read-together.
The writing is simple and often silly and uses the blandness of the unadventursome sisters (they love to eat cheese sandwiches on dry day old bread with flat soda whilst they darn other people's socks) to explore concepts of family, loyalty and going outside of our comfort zones.
The overarching story has Jaundice and Kale's (*snicker*) absentee parents sending them first on an adventure (The Jolly Regina - book 1 of the series) where they're captured by pirates and more, and then, just when they escape and think their world is safe for darning socks and deep cleaning the bathroom, they receive a mysterious note to go and meet their Aunt Shallot at the Dullsville train station.
I try to avoid comparing books or authors to other books (or authors) but the story itself reminds me in a lot of very good ways as a sort of Lemony Snickett and Roald Dahl mashup. There are so many fun mystery and adventure tropes that it's fun to try and identify them but that doesn't detract from the plotline or enjoyment of the mystery (on a train! with a collection of suspects!).
The art is nostalgic, rendered in pen and ink and adds a lot of depth and character to the book. Each of the chapter headings has a little drawing and quote from whichever book the sisters are reading at the time. The drawn panels and margin drawings comprise roughly 15-20% of the book and are all amusing and illustrate the story well.
Quite a lot of fun, with a decent amount of appeal to grown-ups as well (and the opposite of saccharine/sweet).
Four stars
Anticipated release date: 09 Jan 2018 from AbramsKIDS
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
February 25, 2018
The Bland Sisters are very...well...bland. They enjoy tepid tea, plain oatmeal, and watching grass grow. They live in the town of Dullsville. They darn socks to earn money. These are not daredevils by any means. And yet they have survived being kidnapped by pirates. So there may be more to them than meets the eye. When they receive a letter from their parents asking them to meet their aunt at the train station, they dutifully get to work straightening the house and even round up a wagon to help fetch the luggage. But they are swept aboard the train by a mysterious woman named Magique, who says they are her new magic act assistants. While they try to straighten out the case of mistaken identity, the train gets underway and then Magique vanishes! What are they supposed to do? With the help of Inspector Fromage, the girls begin questioning the other passengers and searching for clues. What they find is very surprising, almost as amazing as the train being trapped on the rails by a truck of marshmallow fluff. (Never heard of that happening before, have you?)
Surrounded by strangers who all seem to be keeping secrets, far from home and their darning, will these two young ladies ever find out what happened to Magique - where there Aunt Shallot is - and manage to make their way back home again?
For middle grade readers who enjoy mystery and adventure, the Bland Sisters offer a pair of protagonists that are comfortable and easy to identify with. I read an ARC provided by the publisher for review purposes.
Surrounded by strangers who all seem to be keeping secrets, far from home and their darning, will these two young ladies ever find out what happened to Magique - where there Aunt Shallot is - and manage to make their way back home again?
For middle grade readers who enjoy mystery and adventure, the Bland Sisters offer a pair of protagonists that are comfortable and easy to identify with. I read an ARC provided by the publisher for review purposes.
April 3, 2018
This book is full of mystery and adventure! Kale and Jaundice, also known as the Bland Sisters, continuously work at the problem throughout this tremendous book. It is bursting with mysteries and secrets.
My favorite characters are the Bland Sisters because they are smart. Kale is obsessed with cleaning. Since these exotic sisters are sent to spend time with their Aunt Shallot they have to try new things. A good example of that is " The Bland Sisters have never run anywhere together, on any occasion. But now seemed as good a time as any to try." These sister's dullness is definitely the most interesting thing about them.
The Bland Sisters help locate the missing passenger, Magique. The disappearance of Magique involves fortune telling gone wrong making enemies. When Magique disappears, a detective, Hugo Fromage, appears and helps crack the case. Will the passenger be able to find Magique or is her kidnapper on among the innocent faces?
I recommend this book for ages 8+ because it is a pretty simple book and the vocabulary is simple and the writer’s style is not hard to understand. All together I truly loved this book.
Giovanna P. 11, Connecticut/Western Massachusetts
My favorite characters are the Bland Sisters because they are smart. Kale is obsessed with cleaning. Since these exotic sisters are sent to spend time with their Aunt Shallot they have to try new things. A good example of that is " The Bland Sisters have never run anywhere together, on any occasion. But now seemed as good a time as any to try." These sister's dullness is definitely the most interesting thing about them.
The Bland Sisters help locate the missing passenger, Magique. The disappearance of Magique involves fortune telling gone wrong making enemies. When Magique disappears, a detective, Hugo Fromage, appears and helps crack the case. Will the passenger be able to find Magique or is her kidnapper on among the innocent faces?
I recommend this book for ages 8+ because it is a pretty simple book and the vocabulary is simple and the writer’s style is not hard to understand. All together I truly loved this book.
Giovanna P. 11, Connecticut/Western Massachusetts
July 12, 2017
The second Bland Sisters tale, The Unintentional Adventures of the Uncanny Express sizzles with clever word play and intrigue. The two placid sisters, Jaundice and Kale prefer nothing better than their predictable existence darning socks and watching the grass grow, or maybe even scrubbing out an especially tough stain for entertainment. Their complacency comes to an end when they receive a message that their Aunt Shallot will be arriving soon. As they go to the train station to meet her, she invites them onto the Uncanny Express, a train with only 10 passengers. When their aunt disappeared the adventure begins. What happened to their mysterious aunt? This is a sophisticated Who Done It mystery that adults will love as much as sophisticated young readers. Characters names such as Colonel McRobb, and Vera Dreary, are delightful. Although it is a short book, Uncanny Express packs lots of adventure and fun for the young detective set.
December 29, 2017
Jaundice and Kale are (reluctantly) off on another adventure. This time, their (still absent) parents have arranged for the girls to meet their Aunt Shallot at the railroad station. Still recovering from their adventures of the first book, Kale and Jaundice are not ecstatic when the woman who shows up is a magician who immediately whisks them off onto the Uncanny Express. Magique (as she prefers to be called) is trying to break into the mainly male milieu of magicians. Her first show went horribly and she is heading to the Uncanny Valley to show what she can do. Unfortunately, after practicing her show on the train, Magique disappears. It is up to the two girls to help world famous detective, Hugo Fromage, solve the case of the missing magician.
A light play on the Orient Express that I quite enjoyed and I think kids will too. Definitely better than the first book.
A light play on the Orient Express that I quite enjoyed and I think kids will too. Definitely better than the first book.
August 26, 2021
This is the first book I have read by this author. There is so much to love. First we have the Bland sisters named Jaundice and Kale. From the minute I saw their names I knew this would be a very unusual book. This is a humorous mystery book with allusions to Murder on the Orient Express. The girls go to meet their aunt at the train station. They are snatched as assistants to the magician Magique, Queen of Magic. While on the train Magique disappears and they are assisted by the famous detective Hugo Fromage, in finding her. I loved that the characters are very bland yet their adventures are completely the opposite. I felt like I was reading a book very similar to the Lemony Snickett series, which I loved. I have read so many serious books lately that this was a refreshing break. This is a fun and quirky book that I highly recommend.
December 16, 2017
Awesome reading!
I won this on first reads and am so very thankful I did.
We are into very many different types of books, due to having different readings preferences, ages, etc. I love books from my age, my children's and the grandchildren. This one falls in between my kids and grandkids. It is one my daughter wanted to read and I had to make her wait for me to finish it. It is one that we can read to the grandchildren now and they will be able to read themselves when they are older. This is one that will go in the family library and stay there for a very, very long time.
Thank you Kara LaReau for giving the world such a great series for their families.
I won this on first reads and am so very thankful I did.
We are into very many different types of books, due to having different readings preferences, ages, etc. I love books from my age, my children's and the grandchildren. This one falls in between my kids and grandkids. It is one my daughter wanted to read and I had to make her wait for me to finish it. It is one that we can read to the grandchildren now and they will be able to read themselves when they are older. This is one that will go in the family library and stay there for a very, very long time.
Thank you Kara LaReau for giving the world such a great series for their families.
February 14, 2018
I think that kids will enjoy this second outing of the Bland sisters just fine, but every once and a while I have to forget these imagined kids and just say--I really enjoyed this book as an adult fan of Agatha Christie and as a fan of books in which characters whose hidebound routines are ridiculous start breaking out, even as the old dreary habits seem actually less dreary in their own right and more physiologically complex. Not sure if this is clear unless you've read at least the first book (which you don't have to in order to enjoy this book!) but the short answer-I found it very amusing and surprisingly poignant.
December 9, 2017
Jaundice and Kale are happiest when they are at home darning socks, tying knots, and cleaning. Their parents, who are off having an adventure, send them to meet their aunt at the train station. When Jaundice and Kale show up, they are whisked of on the Uncanny Express as assistants to a magician, an adventure their parents planned for them. Their adventure soon turns into a mystery. There's a lot of wordplay and Jaundice and Kale's over-the-top dullness is amusing. Jaundice and Kale may be bland, but their adventures are not.
January 2, 2018
Book 2 of The Unintentional Adventures of The Bland Sisters is as fabulously fun as the first. This time Kale and Jaundice end up aboard The Uncanny Express - and become assistants to the magician Mystique who disappears! Then they become assistants to a great detective as they interrogate the passengers on the train who all seem a bit suspicious. With flavors of Murder on the Orient Express and full of clever word play, this book is sure to entertain readers young and not so young. Laugh out loud funny!
June 1, 2018
Detectives AND magicians AND trains ... Jaundice and Kale end up aboard a train assisting a magician instead of helping their aunt with her bags, as they thought they were. Then, through some mysterious circumstances, they end up assisting a detective in solving not one, but two crimes!
Life is never as dull as the Bland sisters wish it was, but their new friends and experiences help them grow a little closer to their absent parents. I can't wait for the next one!
Life is never as dull as the Bland sisters wish it was, but their new friends and experiences help them grow a little closer to their absent parents. I can't wait for the next one!
February 4, 2019
I absolutely loved the second unintentional adventure of the Bland sisters! Fantastic characters, witty puns/chapter intros, and all the quirky charm of Lemony Snicket, but with a much better story (I loved the mystery of the missing magician!). And bunches of bonus points for the feminist bent and wide array of wonderful female characters across the two books. I will definitely be looking for the next one in the series and will be revisiting these with Violet in a few months.
October 19, 2017
Love this fun series! A very funny and charming read that can bring smiles to children and adults. Also, it's very well written. The suspense and mystery elements were well incorporated for how short the book was and for the younger age groups that it is written for. I can't wait to see where the author takes this series!
November 1, 2017
LaReau does it again with another series for children to fall in love with. The dichotomy of the Bland sisters and the adventures they have is absolutely wonderful. I couldn't put this mystery down and loved every minute. This is a series that I hope to see many more of and can't wait to share them with students. Kale and Jaundice and certain to become classroom favorites!
January 13, 2018
The Bland Sisters are off on another adventure, this time involving a train, a magician, a detective, and a mystery to solve. This is another wonderful book by Kara LaReau that’s fast-paced, funny and sure to appeal to a wide variety of readers. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the third book in the series.
January 6, 2018
Oh, I loved Jaundice and Kale's adventures even more in this book! Silly, but dry humor. Mysterious, yet full of fun. This book of opposites will have you laughing and wanting more! Would make a fun read aloud so you can talk about some of the humor.
November 23, 2017
Like Jaundice I love to wear gray. Like Kale I am a cleaning fanatic. I also love train rides before other forms of transportation. Such a fun read! So glad I won this particular book and will be looking forward to the adventures of Jaundice and Kale. Thank you
February 4, 2018
The Bland Sisters - Kale and Jaundice, make me smile. From their oatmeal to their sock darning business to their tepid tea they are quiet and unassuming and tidy.
I think they'll become adventures yet...I wonder who's in the airplane!
I think they'll become adventures yet...I wonder who's in the airplane!
June 13, 2018
Just as good as the first! So many clever asides... and a bit of a cliffhanger ending! Great vocabulary in here, delightful mystery. I believe the plot is loosely based on ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.
June 26, 2018
So silly. Loved the fake book titles: "The Mysterious Affair at Kyle's," "Thirteen at Brunch," "The Murder of Roger Adenoid," "The Mystery of the Secret of the Clock Under the Stairs in the House on Cabin Island."
August 1, 2018
Enjoyed this one much more than the first one. The way the characters are crafted and the humour derived from the way they are crafted, are clever. Yes, it's a very clever book and not just because it has a detective story at its heart.
September 1, 2020
More fun with the fantastic Bland sisters! I love seeing what is going to happen next. This one was about magic, which is not my favorite, but still a great little read. Excited to have the third book here to read next and I am really hoping we finally get to meet the parents this time!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews