SpongeBob Mysteries: Find A Missing Star, for those who know

What do you like to read? What do you want to read? I enjoy asking that question to elementary-aged readers because they are still figuring out how to answer it. For a certain period their go-to responses will be kittens, ninjas, unicorns, Minions, sometimes MCU/Disney, and possibly SpongeBob. Whatever their response is, so long as they’re reading it’s OK. SpongeBob Squarepants Mysteries: Find A Missing Star is the start of an early reader chapter book that’s squarely aimed at those who still get belly laughs over Bikini Bottom.

The chapters in Find A Missing Star are very short, some of them are only two pages, with the longest chapter being ten pages. There’s plenty of white space between each line too, which is a subtle, but important fact in how emerging readers pick their books. Those readers who are old enough to engage in more advanced chapters of books may still determine what they read by how intimidating the pages look. While the main character in Find A Missing Star is certainly associated with tweens and teens, the readability of the pages adds to its welcoming factor.

SpongeBob Mysteries started out as an online puzzle game. As with most intellectual property that’s aimed at elementary school, it’s perfectly logical and appropriate for it to branch out into other mediums. I didn’t see that puzzle, but it’s a safe bet that it follows the same madcap, silly sense of fun, and humor that the show and book establish.

Find A Missing Star has a Bikini Bottom noir feel that will have young readers smiling or laughing from the moment they determine the fish-out-of-water premise. The normally aloof and jokey SpongeBob as a hard-nosed detective-this I must read. That’s what fans of SpongeBob will think to themselves once they discover that there’s a book out on their favorite character that they can read.

The other night I saw a third-grade student who was reading a book on this same level. They were ensconced in silence as they read about whatever Disney personality book was having adventures on those pages. Find A Missing Star operates on that same level. For those kids in that age range, it will 100% be their water cooler book. They will read every page, look at the illustrations, try to trace the illustrations and marvel at what’s about to happen. Of course, in their mind’s eye, they’ll know what’s going to happen, but they’ll be on the edge of their happy seats as they read along to confirm things.

The cover has SpongeBob and Squidward on it and they’re on the hunt for Patrick, who has mysteriously disappeared. There are dark, devious characters sneaking up on the two of them while a giant undersea craft with a big red eye is sneaking up on everyone. SpongeBob Squarepants Mysteries: Find A Missing Star probably won’t convert any fans to The Krustry Krab who weren’t already eating there. This is the kind of reluctant reader food that’s comforting, fun and effortless for those who know what they like, but simply want something in that vein to read.

SpongeBob Squarepants Mysteries: Find A Missing Star is by David Lewman with illustrations by Francesco Francavilla and is available on Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams Books.

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