FIVE STAR REVIEW!
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite

The Central Park Irregulars by Paul Cicchini is a middle-grade chapter book that revolves around Harper Jensen and her brother Bodhi. The siblings have relocated to Manhattan. With their friends, who have formed a group called the Central Park Irregulars, they investigate the mysterious death of a saxophonist named Zoots Morgan. After finding Zoots's body in Central Park, they uncover a link between his death, a stolen artifact—King Meredates's death mask—and an international smuggling operation. As the Irregulars delve deeper, they realize that the mask is connected to Harper's mother, Emily, who works at a museum. They race to find the real mask before a sinister Mr. X completes a transaction, all while evading dangerous criminals and dealing with the complicated relationships and secrets of their families.

The Central Park Irregulars by Paul Cicchini is a wonderful story that mixes a bit of history with a lot of mystery. The pacing is excellent, particularly for youthful readers, maintaining tight engagement through a diverse group of kids. Harper, Bodhi, Addie, Eli, Gabriel, and Zara are thoughtfully developed, each contributing unique skills to their investigative efforts, from deductive reasoning to tech-savvy hacking. Cicchini’s writing is sharp, with organic dialogue and genuinely suspenseful scenes, making each chapter feel like a puzzle piece falling into place. What truly elevates this novel is the setting; New York City becomes more than just a backdrop—it’s a city full of secrets that the kids work through with courage and curiosity. With its intriguing plot and strong characters, The Central Park Irregulars is a fabulous read for mystery lovers, offering adventure and a real collaboration of friendship and teamwork.

ANOTHER FIVE STAR REVIEW!
Reviewed by Shrabastee Chakraborty for Readers’ Favorite

Helping with the daily chores at her dad’s farm and riding the neighbor’s horse, Harper believed she had a perfect life. However, her fun-filled days came to an abrupt halt when her mother took a job at the National Museum of World Archaeology. The move from the sprawling Pennsylvania hills to crowded New York City was as jarring to Harper as the separation from her father. Her only saving grace is Central Park, where she makes friends with an eclectic group of kids. However, when her precocious younger brother chances upon a corpse, Harper and her new friends must solve the mystery before it is too late. The Central Park Irregulars by Paul Cicchini recounts their adventures.

This middle-grade mystery novel whisks readers away for an exciting foray through the nooks and crannies of Central Park. I loved the kids who became fast friends despite the differences in ethnicity and upbringing. The way the author highlighted their intelligence, resourcefulness, and ability to adopt a logical approach to problem-solving made them instant role models for young readers. Their unique means of solving the mystery together showcased the importance of teamwork. As the group meandered through the various famous attractions, it seemed that Central Park itself came alive. Although the narrative was primarily plot-driven, I loved how tenderly Paul Cicchini painted Harper’s agony at her overnight transition from a country girl into a city girl, or her uncertainty over her parents’ rocky relationship. The Central Park Irregulars is an absolute treat for anyone who loves sleuthing stories.

FIVE STARS AGAIN!
Reviewed by Diana D for Book Sirens

I very much enjoyed Paul Cicchini's THE CENTRAL PARK IRREGULARS; its mix of history, mystery, crime solving, and friendship building will most definitely draw in the Middle Grade readers it is intended for.

Cicchini has populated his novel with a likeable set of middle grade characters that will appeal to a wide range of both male and female readers. They each have specific skill sets that show very well how capitalizing on each other's strengths make the whole team more efficient. They are able to solve both a murder and robbery mystery by pooling their talents together, and, along the way, the kids who are newer to the city (Harper, Bodhi, and Zara) learn about the history of Central Park and the larger New York City area. I really loved how organically facts about the history and archaeology, about technical/digital elements, about legal and mystery solving aspects, and about theater and acting information are woven in to both the plot through line and the dialogue. Because so much of that factual information is delivered by the six Middle Grade tween characters, readers of the same age will learn about these aspects without feeling "lectured to."

While the story is quite upbeat and positive, Cicchini does not shy away from including realistic troubles that many Middle Graders will be able to relate to, including parents separating, parents possibly getting in trouble with the law, and parents possibly losing their jobs. The six main tween characters learn to become each other's emotional support throughout all this as they also become fast friends brought together trying to solve a murder mystery - that they all learn they are all connected to in strange ways, which makes solving the mystery that much more important.

As a Sherlock Holmes fan myself (like one of the young characters), I especially liked that the group named themselves the Central Park Irregulars! I really hope Cicchini plans to continue this as a series. Middle Graders really need these kinds of stories, and I really love the truly diverse set of characters that come together in this story, showing that children are more alike than different, no matter what their background is. This novel truly represents both the mirrors and windows aspect of what good children's literature should provide young readers!

LOVED IT!
Emily Carey, Reedsy-Discovery

Full of action, this is the perfect summer adventure for young readers, especially mystery enthusiasts who love clever plots and relatable characters full of personality. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you guessing until the very end!