3.5 = Good +

A fun kid-spy story that reminded me a lot of the NERDS series by Michael Buckley. Kids who love this genre will find a lot of familiar beats here. Other themes are found family and friendship. There's a great cat component, too. I wasn't able to see the full illustrations in my review copy, but Dan Santat rarely disappoints. I expect the illustrations to add a lot to this story.

Olive has boring parents who can't be bothered to show an interest in her, and are constantly away on business trips. This time around, her grandmother isn't available to take care of her, so Olive is shipped off to boarding school, where she gets pulled into a secret spy team, and is trained to be a spy.

This is a juvenile fiction book, geared toward my son's age. In all honesty, I don't think he would ever manage to get to the interesting parts of the book. It took me over two months to read this. Two. Months. I was bored MOST of the time, and the interesting parts of the book only started about halfway through. There was so much build up at the beginning that by the time the story gets to the actually-going-on-missions section, it was a dragon of my mental energy to get into reading. My attention was not held, so I wouldn't expect that many kids would get that far onto it. The few illustrations that were completed in the version I read were decent, but I'll have to look at the end results to see what it actually all looked like.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

This was so much fun! A well-developed cast of characters. A fast-paced puzzle-rich adventure, helped along by the illustrations. Great for kids who love Mr. Lemoncello's Library and City Spies. .

Almost everyone can relate to feelings of not fitting in at different times in our lives, but Olive seems to be struggling fitting in anywhere at any time - with her parents, her school peers, and life in general now that her grandmother is no longer there. What most of us don’t realize in the moment is that what makes us not fit in is what makes us special. The magic of this book is not that the Misfits have special abilities, but that they learn from observing themselves and each other that it is because of their uniqueness that they can make a difference to others. This is a great thriller for younger middle-schoolers that explores how we humans not only survive but thrive through emotional ups and downs, a mixture of good and bad decisions on our own part and that of others, and the windy road of finding our path in the world.

Thank you to Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this fun and uplifting story.

The Misfits is the story of 5 kids who attend a gifted school. These kids are set apart by their teachers after a skills test shows that they can be a valuable asset to the secret organization.

Think SPYKIDS meets X-men without the superpowers.

The kids all have different skills, knowledge, and is each a misfit in their school.

I enjoyed the relationships they built with each other. They found their place in this team and they help each other be better.

I received this book from the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

#FoundFamily #SpotifyAudiobooks #Spykids #ARC #Netgalley
#MiddleGrade

This was a really cute read! When I requested this book I thought it was a graphic novel. However, my disappointment quickly turned into pleasant surprise. The cast of characters was diverse and fun to read. I loved the concept of “misfits” coming together to accomplish what others believe they can’t. I would definitely recommend this to my middle schoolers.

Utterly delightfully!

Olive Cobin Zang has finally found a place where she fits in—RASCH, the strangest boarding school ever. But when RASCH is threatened with closure by the most daring of jewel thieves, Olive and her new crime-fighting friends (AKA The Misfits) must step in and save the day. Along the way, Olive discovers that all the things she thought were "too weird" about her are actually her greatest strengths. Imaginative, funny, and entertaining!

Lots of graphic novel readers of Dan Santat’s work will delight in a chapter book with his artwork. The story is fast-paced, fun and full of creativity.

Olive Cobin Zang feels invisible and alone, especially after her Mimi dies and she's sent to a strange boarding school. The reforming arts school or RASCH is filled with other kids like her, plus bullies, jocks, preppies, etc. Olive doesn't feel like she fits in until she finds her people. The handpicked elite group of misfits learn to work as a team as they fight crime. Has Olive found a space she can call her own?
I like the camaraderie the misfits enjoy. They each develop their talents and skills as they work together to accomplish goals. And the kids learn to respect each other, too.
This book contains plenty of adventure and action, plus mystery. It's an engaging story.
The illustrations add value to the story - I enjoyed them.

Olive Cobin Zang has always slipped under the radar but problems have a knack for always finding her. But nothing would prepare her for the once prison, now turned to a reforming arts boarding school she’s dropped off at: RASCH. There, she’s lumped in with a team of four other kids whose goal is to fight crime.

Turns out, RASCH is in danger of closing. If Olive and The Misfits can stop the heist of the century, maybe she can stay at the school where she finally feels like she belongs.

One thing I want to make clear on this, is that I would not deem this as a graphic novel. It’s a novel with illustrations for sure, but not a graphic novel with pages full of panels; it’s mostly text. So hence my surprise when asked for the ARC, received it and opened it to find it mostly text. Now, it’s still a great story! And super fun and I can see a lot of kid enjoy the “being a spy” aspect

Other than that, I enjoyed the middle grade spy/crime fighting book. Was some of it completely out there - yes. But it totally reads like a fun movie - and the illustrations here and there help with the film in my head. For those kids that like page turning action, this will do it for you.

*Thank you Random House for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee was a fun and fast paced middle grade read. I think middle grade readers will definitely connect with some of the friend drama and "popular kid" references and situations throughout the book. The overall theme of fitting in and finding your group would make it a good class read aloud as well. Students reading individually will definitely enjoy the illustrations by Dan Santat!

This is a book I will absolutely be purchasing for my elementary library!

3.5, rounded up. The backstory is clunky, but middle-grade readers will enjoy Olive's fast-paced, madcap adventures with RASCH and the Misfits. I look forward to getting my hands on a published copy so I can look at the finished art (was still in draft mode when I got this eARC).

I first heard about this middle grade novel from NetGalley and was drawn to it because I’m a Dan Santat fan. I was grateful to receive an advanced copy for review but was surprised it was really more of a novel with the occasional sketch, so I ultimately listened to the audiobook via Libby. This is a fun book that reminds me of Mia Mayhem in the secret society of gifted kids out to solve crime. Olive finds a friend group and fosters her skills/strengths at RASCH, a boarding school for misfits with special talents (think Hogwarts without the magic… more of a Mission Impossible/007 vibe). There’s a bit of boot camp style training and some actual battling of bad guys and mystery solving along the way. I think this is a great book- lots of fun- and would recommend it. I’d love a bit more of Santat’s artwork. The book also had a few loose ends and some superficial plot development that I would have liked more depth and character evolution to push this up to 5 stars.

This book is a whole lot of fun and will be an easy recommendation to kids who liked Mysterious Benedict Society or the City Spies series. Dan Santat's illustrations add to the story, but the imaginative world that Lisa Yee has built is really the draw here. Never too silly or too serious, a solid series opener. I will say that I didn't find the twists very surprising, but that doesn't mean the target reader won't.

This is a lighthearted and funny mystery featuring a bunch of kids at a very special boarding school. The main character is Olive, whose parents drop her against her will at a "reforming arts" school, where students go through an unusual evaluation to determine their talents. It turns out that Olive's group is chosen because of their potential as crimefighters, and they quickly become embroiled is solving a jewelry heist. The fate of their school depends on them, and through their friendship and creative thinking they save the day.

Lisa Yee's "The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum" is an absolute gem that seamlessly blends humor, heart, and heists into a delightful and engaging tale. From the imaginative mind of Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and the artistic brilliance of Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, this illustrated series kicks off with a bang, delivering a truly enchanting reading experience.

The protagonist, Olive Cobin Zang, is a lovably quirky character who finds herself in the unlikeliest of places – a former castle turned prison turned "reforming arts school." Yee's masterful storytelling introduces us to a cast of misfit characters, each with their unique quirks and talents, forming an elite team ready to tackle the heist of the century.

The narrative is a rollercoaster of excitement, mystery, and camaraderie as Olive and her newfound friends navigate the challenges of RASCH, the covert academy with a mission to fight crime. Yee's witty prose combined with Santat's whimsical illustrations bring the story to life, captivating readers of all ages.

A Royal Conundrum not only entertains but also delivers a powerful message about friendship, acceptance, and finding one's place in the world. This first installment in The Misfits series earns a well-deserved five out of five stars for its charm, originality, and the sheer joy it brings to readers. A must-read for anyone seeking an enchanting escape into a world where misfits become heroes!"

This was a great, adventurous middle grade read! I hope to read more in this series. I loved Olive and the other characters in NOCK. Middle grade reader will love this. I highly recommend it.

A wonderful book for all children, especially those who feel like they don't quite fit in. Well, here's a chance for them to be a part of an in-group --of sorts--and go on heroic adventures they never thought possible. This book is like a big, warm hug that spins you around until you're laughing! A fun, funny, and heartwarming story I will recommend to all middle-grade readers and their adults.

VERDICT; Purchase if you have the financial ability to do so; if not, check out from your library!

DETAILS
Lisa Yee and Dan Santat pairing up? From the moment I saw that, I thought to myself, "Thank goodness this is going to be a series." Next thought: "Not to judge a book by its cover, but based on this lineup of kids' expressions, this one is going to be an amusing, fast-paced, dynamic ride. Sure enough, this animated novel is full of emotion, connection, and adventure.

You know your life is not going to end up as "normal" when your mother abruptly ships you off to a former-prison-turned "reforming arts school." Oh, yes. And it's in a castle to boot. Turns out Olive Cobin Zhang isn't just exiled from her family, she's recruited to—wait for it—a pseudo-government crime-fighting organization called No One Can Know. Add in gorgeously depicted fellow child spies Iggy the brave, James the bookworm, Philomena the genius, and Theo the chill, and you've got the Misfits.

This age can be so hard with changing friendships and social dynamics. I'm a sucker for a tale of great bonding across kids, not to mention hilarious dialogue and wacky adventures. Both Lisa and Dan deliver. Dan's illustrations are as zany as the plot, bringing both the kids' dynamics and the romp of a story to life. The kids are diverse in backgrounds and the story is part school story, part adventure novel, part friendship story, and part mystery. A fabulous draw. Some of the adventures are a stretch, but the world-building helps keep you engaged and believing.

Overall, a fabulous read that will have kids hiding under their covers to read it in one gulp. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House, for the opportunity to read and post my review!

The best of City Spies and Rosie Frost spun with Lisa Yee’s inimitable quirkiness, humor, and breakneck pacing. Very funny and exciting! After her grandmother’s presumed death, Olive is shipped off to a boarding school on an island off the coast of California. Foggy Manor used to be a reform school for juvenile delinquents.; now it is RASCH, the “revolutionary” Reforming Arts School. After a bunch of bullying and a raft of tests, Olive gets selected for a special kids’ spy unit of NOCK (No One Can Know). Their new mission is to prevent the school’s main benefactor’s jewels from being stolen, thus enhancing the school’s reputation and keeping it from getting defunded. A bakery and a cat convention get thrown into the mix, and it’s off to the races. The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum is a madcap romp with crazy characters sure to keep you guessing what they have up their sleeves and a page-turning plot with improbable situations that make you wonder what’s around the next corner. Humorous details and dialogue sparkle throughout. Hilariously accented by Dan Santat’s brilliant and clever illustrations.