Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles (Ronan Boyle #1)

In this tongue-in-cheek middle grade adventure, 15-year-old Ronan Boyle is tapped to join the Garda Special Unit of Tir Na Nog, an elite division of the Irish police dedicated to handling supernatural-related incidents, such as those involving leprechauns, trolls, and changelings. Determined to prove that his incarcerated parents were framed for the theft of a mummified "Bog Man," Ronan pursues his law enforcement career with an eye toward finding the true culprit. First, however, he must survive the harrowing training process, which includes learning Shillelagh Safety and Combat as well as Weaponized Poetry. His greatest test comes when his team is sent to investigate reports of a harpy, a mission that goes disastrously wrong. Actor/screenwriter Lennon (the Night at the Museum series) makes a spirited debut with this mythology-laden tale, but his comic voice suffers from an overload of jokes, quips, and ludicrous situations. Every page is littered with clever asides or helpful footnotes, making it difficult for the reader to consider one before moving on to the next. Even so, the memorable voice and playful sensibility make this an entertaining series opener. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10-14. Agent: Stephanie Rostan, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency. (Mar.)

Gr 4-7--At the age of 14, Ronan Boyle is the youngest recruit to the Garda Special Unit of Tir Na Nog, the Irish law enforcement agency tasked with investigating crimes involving the wee folk. While Ronan enrolls in the Garda as a means of finding evidence to free his parents, museum curators framed for the theft of an artifact, he learns that chasing after law-breaking faeries and other magical beings is not for the faint-at-heart. Ronan's training includes shillelagh class and weaponized poetry, as well as tin whistling for beginners; he needs all these skills and more when he and his captain set out to catch some leprechaun wine thieves. After encountering a dizzying array of faeries, and with the aid of a smarter-than-average Irish wolfhound police dog, the criminals are apprehended and Ronan returns to the human world with a lead on his parents' case. In the author's forward, Lennon states this book is his "love letter to Douglas Adams," and his efforts to emulate Adams' linguistic zaniness are evident throughout the book. However, Adams' genius is a challenging muse to follow, and this story reads like frenetic slapstick. Additionally, Lennon relies on the stereotypical trope of the Irish fondness for alcohol, and an overabundance of footnotes slows the pacing. VERDICT While the premise of the series is enticing, this first entry has trouble finding its voice. Hand readers Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl" series instead.--Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District, Lancaster, PA