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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
The Seaside Sleuths and the Bridal Batter Blunder by Joy Michelle Austin follows young Lily, who wants her dad’s engagement cake to turn out right, but a jar of candied orange peel goes missing during a busy week at home and school. To figure out what happened, Lily and her friends form the Seaside Sleuths, a small group that takes notes, asks careful questions, and follows each clue. Their search takes them through school lunch lines, a local bakery, and the beach cottage kitchen as they learn who handled the groceries and why the ingredients matter for the party. Along the way, new friendships begin, old problems are talked through, and the group works side by side to keep the cake on track. As the big day nears, every step they take draws them closer to the truth behind the lost jar.
This cheerful mystery shines with its mix of seaside charm, friendship, and light suspense as the kids work together over a missing jar of candied orange peel in The Seaside Sleuths and the Bridal Batter Blunder by Joy Michelle Austin. My youngest little reader and I just loved the small but meaningful interactions, especially Lily’s spirited determination to mend fences, Jason’s sincere efforts to pitch in, and Kayla’s willingness to step forward when it matters. Everyday school moments blend with after-school fact-finding, giving young readers plenty to enjoy as the group pieces together motives and misunderstandings tied to the upcoming engagement cake. Lily is not a perfect character, which makes her really relatable, and the ending is satisfying and totally earned. Overall, this is a delightful pick for kids who enjoy mysteries that lean on the sweet side.
