Coop Knows the Scoop – Taryn Souders. Sourcebooks, 2020. 9781492640189
Format: uncorrected proof
You are viewing: Who Killed Tabby In Coop Knows The Scoop
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4
Genre: Mystery
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What did you like about the book? For 5 years since the death of his father, 13-year-old Coop Goodman and his mother have been living with Coop’s paternal grandfather in Windy Bottom, Georgia, a small, quiet town where everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everyone’s business. Mama owns a coffee shop and bookstore with the Gordons, who are the parents of Coop’s best friends, twins Liberty and Justice. Gramps, a retired physician, helps out in the shop, which is frequented by many local townspeople who gather for coffee and gossip each morning.
So when human remains are unearthed during excavation at the town playground, the whole town is abuzz. And when it turns out the deceased is Tabby Goodman, Coop’s grandmother who was believed to have left her husband and infant son 40 years ago, the rumors and accusations really start churning. Soon it is revealed that Tabby was poisoned with arsenic, and Gramps becomes a prime suspect, as does the local undertaker, who has apparently skipped town. Despite mounting evidence, Coop does not believe his grandfather is a murderer, so he and his friends set out to solve the case themselves. He learns a lot about his family history in the process, of course, and after a few twists and turns, the amateur detectives do uncover the surprising truth about who really killed Tabby.
This was a really fun mystery to read, with many layers of clues, a red herring or two, and a nice tidy ending. Coop’s first-person narration is humorous and heartwarming and offers a very enjoyable depiction of small-town life. Characters are well-developed, and the author does a serviceable job of weaving together the stories of the older townspeople who were around when Tabby Goodman disappeared and using clever devices by which Coop, Lib and Jus investigate these stories to solve a 40 year old mystery. Despite the fact that the book is centered on a murder, violence is minimal; the story is sophisticated, but appropriate for middle grade readers.
Anything you didn’t like about it? The cute rhyming title belies the gravity of the book. And, truly, Coop did not know the scoop for most of the story.
To whom would you recommend this book? Upper elementary mystery readers who enjoy more realistic, non-formulaic puzzles to solve – fans of mysteries like The Parker Inheritance, Absolutely Truly, or even Chasing Vermeer will enjoy. I would also suggest it to kids who gravitate toward family dramas like Each Little Bird That Sings or Kate DiCamillo’s recent trilogy.
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Who should buy this book? Public and elementary school libraries
Where would you shelve it? Fiction
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? no
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Leigh King, School Librarian, Lincoln Street Elementary School, Northborough, Massachusetts
Date of review: 7/6/2020
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHO
