A Mystery Bigger Than Big /Un misterio más grande que grandísimo

Gr 3–6—Young detective Mickey Rangel prides himself on his ability to find clues and solve mysteries, but in this title, he comes face-to-face with a case much larger than any he has ever solved. When Natalia first arrives at school, rumors swirl: she is the daughter of a drug lord or a Russian spy. Mickey himself begins to think that she must have had contact with aliens. While the humor of the series is present, there is also a serious tone as the narrative tackles topics such as immigration and undocumented minors. As Mickey gathers clues about quiet Natalia, it is his arch rival Bucho who surprisingly comes to her defense, asking the gumshoe to leave Natalia in peace. In the end, Mickey finds that revealing Natalia's difficult life to the class would only bring her more suffering. Just as mysteriously as she arrived, the girl departs, leaving Mickey to think about her and the sadness she must have experienced. Accompanied by an excellent Spanish translation, this title is a good introduction to the hardships of immigration for young children, with the trappings of school mystery.