Great mystery about finding community
Simon is tired of always being on the move. His parents like to move around and feature their new hometown on their social media feed, The Hydes Go Seek. Simon is tired of their fake picture perfect life so when they move into the Tangerine Pines, Simone hopes to have a home for more than half a school year - a place to make real friends and maybe get a pet. Then there's a theft in their apartment building on the night they move in and Simon is convinced his parents will pack up and go before they've even unpacked, Can Simon and his new friend solve the mystery so Simon can put down some roots?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

A fun middle grade mystery about a boy who is tired of moving from place to place with his influencer parents. Simon hopes figuring out who stole a valuable necklace from a tenant in their new apartment will convince his mom and dad the family should stay in one place for awhile. The mystery itself could've been a little tighter, since I successfully fingered the thief about halfway through the book, but the characters and setting were interesting and the overall message of staying true to yourself was executed well.

For a book focused on a jewelry theft this one manages to be surprisingly gentle. Which does not mean that it's only a surface read. Quite the contrary. The plot transcends a simple mystery. It digs deep into motivations both of thieves and other characters. Even more than a mystery, its an exploration of community and the depths of people and their relationships. It has the perfect level of complexity for middle grade readers and reads quickly.

This is another excellent middle grade novel by this author! Simon is growing tiered of his family's constant moving. He is ready to settle down and make a home in their new community, and he is determined to get his parents to agree! Soon after they arrive in their new building, a valuable necklace goes missing and Simon joins forces with a potential friend in an effort to find it before his parents write this community off as a place to make their home.

This book was a lot of fun! It was kind of a middle grade version of Only Murders in the Building...but instead of murder, it was a series of burglaries! I loved seeing this from Simon's point of view, as he tried to both solve the mystery and make this new town feel like a home for his parents.

The cast of characters was real cooky! There were heiresses, grumpy old men, retired detectives, and families. It was like anyone and EVERYONE could live at the Tangerine.

I would recommend this book to you or your readers if:
- You're a mystery lover.
- You're a fan of OMITB.
- You like to laugh.
- You love cooky middle-schoolers.

Trouble at the Tangerine follows Simon, whose family is constantly on the move exploring new places to document on their social media account, The Hydes Go Seek. Simon is tired of the traveling and longs to find a permanent home and friends. At the family’s latest location, The Tangerine Pines apartments, Simon finds new friends, adventure, and a mystery to solve. The plot is a bit far-fetched in places (are adults really going to be so laid-back about two kids investigating a crime?), but overall I enjoyed this cute story, particularly the found family element. I think this would be a fun read for middle-graders. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Help Simon and his newfound friends solve the mysterious thefts that have hit the Tangerine. Students are going to love this fun mystery. Simon is so relatable and fun.

I really liked this book. It was nice to see a main children’s book character who was respectful and had a conscience. I like the mystery and think children will too. Best of all was the storyline of Simon finding friends where he could be himself.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for an eARC of this book.

I will certainly be recommending this one to fans of realistic fiction and mysteries. This will be great for younger readers looking for a low-stakes mystery.

Trouble at the Tangerine is a fun heartwarming mystery. I love the elements of family and friendship and learning to communicate in these relationships as the characters navigate a mystery that they did not see coming. The book gives a great balance of possible suspects as you try to navigate the mystery with Simon and Amaya. The main characters remind me of the boy and girl from the movie Up. While he is quieter and reserved, she is outgoing and often surprises him with her words. The characters’ stories are so well written and relatable. I love how the writer describes each of their backgrounds, making me feel for them each in a different way.

I’ve read all the books Gillian McDunn has published so far, so I knew when I saw this one, that I had to read it. Her books are so great!

This one is a little different than the others. Maybe the one it’s most like is HONESTLY ELLIOT. I think TROUBLE AT THE TANGERINE reads a little bit younger than her other books, but I’m second-guessing that now. I’m not sure. That was my sense as I read the book, but I could be wrong.

TROUBLE also follows a mystery, which is something a little different. It’s also a story about making friends and being the new kid, so maybe it’s really half mystery, half new kid making friends. I liked the balance between those two things, and it made the mystery seem less intense, which I think is good.

I thought the story definitely had some very lighthearted, very upbeat Rear Window vibes. It’s not scary or tense at all like that movie, but it’s about a kid in an apartment building with a broken leg in the summer solving a mystery and observing his neighbors. So, there are a few similarities. (There are no hatboxes or scary things buried outside, though.)

On the whole, I think this will be a really fun summer read. It’s a perfect vacation or beach book or great for reading on a lazy, hot day.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Simon's family is very transient; both parents are able to work remotely, and Simon's dad hates staying planted in one place for any length of time. Simon, though, craves stability and routine. He feels like he finally found it at Tangerine Pines apartment building. Not long after they move in, the building's residences begin experiencing thefts. Simon's parents immediately feel like they've made a mistake and begin discussing another move while Simon joins forces with a neighbor to investigate in the hopes of convincing his parents to stay.

Tame, whodunit for upper elementary grades. This is good, safe choice for elementary collections, and I feel it has potential for state reading award lists.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be just kinda fun. It's definitely more of a middle grade book. Which isn't my go to. However that being said I know a lot of my family and such would love this!

Trouble at the Tangerine is a new middle grade mystery about a stolen necklace. Simon is used to moving around a lot. His family has a YouTube channel that is based around them moving around a lot. Simon wants to settle down and he has found the perfect place. When him and his parents arrive, an expensive necklace is stolen. Simon teams up with a new friend and they try to solve the case so Simon can stay in a new place.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were good and the writing kept me interested. I liked the mystery and I think kids will enjoy this one. I guessed the twist but I don’t think kids will be able to as easily.

It also says a lot of important things about social media and life in general. Like how social media shows the perfect part of life but not the messy stuff. I think that’s important for kids to learn. It also has some lessons about friendship and forgiveness as well.

Thanks so much to netgalley and Bloomsbury Children's Books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Simon has never had a forever home because his parents are restless and love traveling, and when they move to Tangerine Pines he tells his parents he doesn’t want to move anymore. When an expensive necklace is stolen from an apartment, Simon is worried his parents will want to move thinking the area is not safe. Simon teams up with new friend Amaya, and they want to find out who stole the necklace. Will they find the thief? Will Simon’s parents decide to stay or move again?

I received an electronic ARC from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books through NetGalley.
Simon is tired of moving to new locations. His parents, especially his dad, love to move and explore new areas as often as possible. Their lifestyle works with this as both parents can work from anywhere and they have a popular travel blog. Simon yearns to stay in one location and build friendships. He hopes to get his wish when they arrive in this new location. However, some major events threaten their staying. Simon works with a new friend, Amaya, to solve the mysteries and reassure his parents that this is the place to stay. In the end, the mystery is solved and his parents agree to try staying in one location.
McDunn's style will appeal to middle grade readers. She offers enough action blended with humor and mystery to make readers feel they are helping to solve the mysteries along with the three. She throws a couple red herring hints to see if readers will guess incorrectly and be surprised by both culprits in the end.

Simon and his parents have just moved to a new town and into the apartment building called The Tangerine Pines. That’s nothing new. Simon’s family has built a huge social media following by documenting their constant moves.

On their first night, the fire alarm goes off, everyone evacuates the building, and when they return a priceless necklace has gone missing.

(As a grown up reading this book, I got a little hung up on how similar the initial plot was to the TV show “Only Murders in the Building,” but I’m assuming that the middle grade readers this book is written for wouldn’t get the reference.)

On one level, this book is a fun “whodunit” mystery that will keep kids guessing. But what I really loved about this, and why I think it would be good to read in school, was the approachable way it dealt with how we portray ourselves on social media. Simon sees the reality of what his family is dealing with but their followers only see the good parts and this isn’t sitting right with him.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of this book! If you want to check it out, it comes out April 2nd.

I absolutely adored Trouble at the Tangerine. I read it in two sittings! This perfectly paced mystery is infused with Gillian McDunn's signature emotional depth. Kid readers will enjoy it as they try to solve the mystery alongside Simon and Amaya. Underlying the surface story about a stolen necklace are reflections on how appearances can be deceiving, the balance between attachments to people vs places vs things. A wonderfully quirky but not over-the-top cast of characters, including several appealing pets, rounds out the well drawn setting. And I could definitely see the set up for a sequel, or a series. This is a must read!

Simon’s been in school after school in his short life, but he’s not an army brat, not running from anything, and isn’t leaving because of family finances. His parents frequently move and document their adventures on social media, but Simon is done with the nomadic lifestyle. When they move to an apartment complex called Tangerine Pines, he just wants to figure out a way to stay. He gets tangled up in a mystery with a new friend and solving it might get him closer to his goal. This book was a fun, quick read with memorable characters