The Case of the Prank that Stank #1 (Wright & Wong) [Paperback]

Laura J. Burns (Author), Melinda Metz (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Wright & Wong

B. Orville Wright has Asperger’s Syndrome—and a genius-level IQ. He isn’t popular, but he and his best friend, Agatha Wong, are great detectives. Together, they make one unstoppable crime- solving team!

At Placid Middle School’s annual football game, a prank gone wrong burns down the field house—where the school stores fertilizer. Now the field is ruined, and school really stinks . . . but Agatha and Orville smell foul play. Can they sniff out the prankster, or will the entire school be punished?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Although they couldn't be more different, Agatha Wong and Orville Wright have been friends since second grade, when Agatha defended Orville from bullies. Enthusiastic Agatha loves people, and being on the bottom rung of the school popularity ladder drives her crazy. Orville, who has Asperger's syndrome, prefers calm and quiet. He is brilliant when it comes to math and science, but emotions make no sense to him. The kids' complementary skills, and their friendship, are tested after a school prank goes awry. Occasional spikes of situational humor and a recognizable junior-high milieu add some flash to the formulaic plot, but the likable, blundering sleuths are the real success here. Perceptive characterizations allow readers to peek at the kids from the inside out, and the authors' careful, but never intrusive, exploration of Asperger's presents a multidimensional view of a condition that's receiving increased attention in both life and literature. A solid beginning for a new series, called--you guessed it--Wright & Wong. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz are co-creators of the Roswell High book series which is the basis for the television series, Roswell.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Razorbill (April 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159514014X
• ISBN-13: 978-1595140142
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,278,170 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great set of junior detectives, October 28, 2006

By 

Sharlene Franks "mynuet" (GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Case of the Prank that Stank #1 (Wright & Wong) (Paperback)

The first installment of a children's detective series, a la "Encyclopedia Brown" or "Nancy Drew", the twist with "Wright and Wong" is that B. Orville Wright has Asperger's Syndrome. The book is fairly standard junior detective fare, but the way that it slips back and forth between the perspective of Orville and his normal best friend, Agatha Wong, makes it special. Each of the kids has a distinct personality, and they both have strengths and weaknesses. Orville's disability is not treated as part of who he is, not as a crippling cause for devastation and unhappiness. For example:
...Orville had this annoying habit of not saying anything if he didn't think he had anything to say.
Nana Wong was always telling Agatha it was an annoying habit she should develop.

Written for the same age as the "Goosebumps" series, "Wright and Wong" lacks grossness but has plenty of middle school drama, from a handsome jock to class warfare with the rival school, and a football field that goes up in flames and takes Agatha's dreams of popularity with it. Definitely a great book to recommend for middle schoolers.