Danica dela Torre and Jack Harrow are not only best friends but also business partners. They are kid detectives, and when a new kid, Kennedy Fang, presents them with a new case, they are more than willing to take it. But there is a slight snag to this situation, Kennedy wants in on the action by joining the two detectives on the case.
When mysterious letters start to arrive warning the detectives that Kennedy has a secret past they must find out the truth in order to solve their case. Will Kennedy reveal his secret before the time is up? And if so, will there be more clues?
Rating:4/5
The mystery was both compelling and attention grabbing for my middle schooler. We enjoyed the character development and challenges that they had to face. The only thing we struggled with was the spirit world parts which made it a bit scary. Great for middle schoolers who love mysteries and detective books.


*Thank you to Mikaela Lucido, Annick Press Ltd. | Annick Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

3.75/5 ⭐️ (rounding up to 4)
Danica dela Torre is a child detective, working with her best friend Jack. When Kennedy moves across the street from her, they bring him into their friend group. Things take a turn though when Kennedy tells them that his house is haunted. When they investigate, they discover letters with their names on them. However, as they investigate, tensions arise in the friendship.

I liked this one overall. I think the storyline about the friendship was great. However, there was less sleuthing than I thought there would be. It also leaves on a cliffhanger, and I was also a little confused by the ending because it went against the info from the past few chapters. I'm sure it will be explained in the next book, so I will definitely keep reading so I can follow the mystery more.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dani has to work together with her best friend Jack and her neighbor Kennedy to solve the mystery that is keeping Kennedy up at night.

I really enjoyed this book, even if it is meant for a younger audience than I. This story has a great combination of mystery, supernatural, friendship, and family drama. I really like how the main character, Dani or Danica, is not perfect and is portrayed in a way that highlights her faults. Dani feels like a much realer and relatable character. The book was overall easy to understand and flowed very well. I will definitely keep an eye open for another book in this series and other books by the author.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for giving me an ARC.

''Danica Dela Torre" is a wonderful story about self-discovery, struggles growing up and cultural identity, all while investigating little mysteries.
I had a really good time reading this and following Danica through her journey. I love when a book, especially a children's book, touches on the subject of culture, because I think it's so important for kids to be in touch with that side of them and to embrace it.
Overall, it was a really fun, wholesome read and I'm sure many people (kids and adults) will enjoy as well.
Lastly, I loved all the illustrations, they were done so well and matched this book perfectly.

"Danica Dela Torre" by Mikaela Lucido is a poignant and engaging novel that explores themes of identity, family, and resilience. Lucido introduces readers to Danica, a protagonist whose journey of self-discovery and empowerment is both relatable and inspiring. The narrative is rich with cultural nuances and emotional depth, painting a vivid picture of Danica's struggles and triumphs as she navigates the complexities of her heritage and personal ambitions. Lucido's prose is eloquent and heartfelt, drawing readers into Danica's world with ease and empathy. "Danica Dela Torre" is a compelling read that celebrates the strength of the human spirit and the importance of embracing one's true self. It is a must-read for those who enjoy contemporary fiction that delves deep into personal and cultural identity.