Review: Jesper Jinx and the Mouse Mayhem by Marko Kitti

JESPER JINX AND THE MOUSE MAYHEM

Jesper Jinx, Book 7

by Marko Kitti

Middle Grade Humor

152 pages

Jesper Jinx is eleven, and probably the unluckiest person in all of Puffington Hill. Everything he touches seems to end up in sweet disaster. Hence his nickname 'Jinx'.

But this time around, it is Puffington Hill itself that appears to be jinxed. The school canteen gets shut down and children are forced to eat wild clover flowers for lunch. Horrible hairy acorns fall from the sky, targeting black cats and squirrels. An eyewitness even claims to have seen a flying antique piano.

Something utterly peculiar is going on.

And it is up to you, Dear Reader, to help Jesper figure out who’s responsible for these seemingly unrelated incidents. Could it be Jesper himself? Or Lenny and Benny, the WARRIOR MOUSE brothers? Or even you yourself, the unsuspecting Book Gobbler?

 MY TIDBITS

Lots of mischief, ridiculousness, mouth dropping situations, and simply a ton of bad luck make this into a hilarious, fast-paced read.

Trouble follows Jesper everywhere but is his strain of nonsense due to bad luck or just plain mischief? It's time for the readers to decide. After learning about another one of the more unfortunate events, which happened in his life. . .and the lives of two mice. . .Jesper's real problem might be revealed. Or maybe not.

This is the seventh book in the Jesper Jinx series, but it can be read as a solid stand-alone.

Jesper is a nice guy with a big heart. In many ways, he's just like the kid next door. But the rest of his life doesn't reflect this, and that's what makes him so wonderful. Kids will have no problem relating to him as he goes through every day situations, which somehow run amok and then some. The ridiculousness knows no bounds, bringing laughter the whole way through. But there's a lovely sense of real life to all of it, which keeps the story planted somewhat on the ground.

Although this can be read by girls too, it's definitely a favorite for boys. And even reluctant readers will enjoying diving into these pages. The story plot is pretty basic but entertaining. It isn't told in traditional story format, but rather has a lively narrator who presents Jesper's turmoil. The reader is asked to sign a form, swearing he won't tell anyone else about these mishaps. At the end, the reader is again asked to answer a few questions to decide Jesper's guilt. All along, there are fitting illustrations. Even the story itself is broken down into different points of view, interviews and a diary form. In other words, nothing about his tale is boring.

Summed up, this is another great addition to the series and one readers are sure to enjoy. I can highly recommend this especially for boys ages 8 and up.