Ominous messages and vandalism threaten a school’s preparation for the Young Inventor’s Fair. However, this mystery is no match for detective Harper Sharp. This energetic investigator will stop at nothing to catch the culprit. But will he be able to manage the mystery of the fair and keep up with his studies? To stay sharp, he might have to call on the help of a few friends, if he can trust them. Time is running out, and Harper Sharp is on the case. 

Jarrett Williams makes his debut in middle-grade literature, having built a reputation as a successful illustrator for the adult comic series Rick and Morty. However, the promising start to the Harper Sharp Mystery series falls short for two main reasons.

First, the story is visually overwhelming. Each page is filled with vibrant illustrations to replicate the vivid imagination of the story’s protagonist, Harper Sharp. The gorgeous images themselves could have easily told the whole story; Williams overloads the pages with text bubbles. There is no natural progression from one speech bubble to the next, causing the reader’s focus to burst. This isn’t to say the story is undecipherable; it just requires more conscious effort on the part of the reader. Unfortunately, all the work to find the story only leads to another disappointing clue. 

The mystery within the book is unfair to readers. Good mysteries can share all the important information for the reader to solve the mystery themselves, but through clever misdirection can surprise the reader in the end. The school vandal leaves a mess of clues, but not the transparency of a good mystery. Nowhere in the story can the reader find clues pointing towards the culprit. Yes, there are clues in the story, such as missing keys and spilled milk (don’t worry, no tears were shed), but they’re vague. Vague clues, when added up in the end, solve the mystery only because the protagonist has vital knowledge the reader does not. This unfair advantage takes away the fun for the reader, disengaging them from the story.

Overall, the debut had great potential with colorful illustrations and interactive elements. Despite that, the overpowering presence of text bubbles disrupts the natural flow of reading. Nor does it leave enough direct clues in the story for the reader to solve the mystery themselves. The combination of the two makes it difficult to stay engaged until the end of the book. Harper Sharp: Kid Detective is the first in the series, leaving much room for improvement in the next installment.

Reviewed by Antyna Gilbert, Medomak Middle School, Waldoboro