It's obvious why Chester Keene has been nominated for the 2023 MD Black-Eyed Susan Award. This is a distinguished student choice award, with students alone deciding the winner. It has all the elements of a first-rate story.
Chester has a difficult time fitting in in middle school, and believes his father is a spy. When he becomes connected to Skye, an improbable ally, to help solve his mystery, the entertainment begins.
There's humor, alongside the excitement and tension of participating in hair raising scavenger hunts and adventures. Cracking codes and spy escapades permeate the pages. Besides the visible capers, friendship and all its extensions, are explored and sensitively examined. Family relationships are delved into and thoughtfully scrutinized. This book would certainly get my vote, if I could vote.

My eight-year-old and I loved reading this middle grade novel together. It has lots of adventure and mystery to it, and I loved Chester! Readers will find something relatable to connect them to the characters, leaving you cheering them on even more.

I appreciate having had an opportunity to read and review this book. The appeal of this particular book was not evident to me, and if I cannot file a generally positive review I prefer simply to advise the publisher to that effect and file no review at all.

Chester, who thrives on routine, is having a hard time navigating middle school. He is hoping his absent dad can help him so he emails him about his problems. But his dad doesn't answer...or does he? When Chester is paired up with an unlikely girl to solve a mission involving puzzles, he thinks that his dad has orchestrated it all. "Chester Cracks the Code" will appeal to 4th and 5th graders who like realistic fiction. I didn't think the puzzle aspect of the book was that intriguing so readers looking for a good mystery might be a bit disappointed.

Chester Keene Cracks the Code has a lot of layers. Chester is navigating some challenges in his home life: his mom has a boyfriend (Christopher), the relationship is getting serious, and he hasn't seen his dad for over eight years. Middle School is a challenge for someone who likes things a certain way and the other kids are not kind, to say the least. When Chester finds some clues tied to his door and a girl at school has the other half of the set, they start forming a friendship while solving the puzzle. Along the way, they stumble upon a real crime.

I enjoyed the story and think it will appeal to some of my students. It is not a traditional mystery, despite the clues and crime solving that are in the story. It is more of a story about navigating relationships and complicated family dynamics. The students I feel would enjoy this story are not ones that would pick it up with the current cover. I like the cover, but the book is way more complex than the cover lets on. I think this one will need to be highlighted with a book talk or a read-aloud to get it into the hands of those that would enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It hits on a lot of important topics: living with 1 parent and the parent dating, bullying and mental health. And I thought it was fast paced, clever and realistic. But, I don't have a good sense of what the characters looked like or where they lived. Looking forward to seeing what others thought.