Half-Moon Investigations

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Clever detective fiction for middle-graders.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Fletcher is beaten with a club into unconsciousness and hospitalized. Also, the adults in this story are mostly useless, and the most appealing characters are petty criminals.

  • Quite a few sexist remarks, both from characters and from the author.
  • Fletcher is beaten severely enough to be hospitalized.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

Fletcher Moon, known around school as "Half-Moon" due to his size, has qualified as a private eye after taking Internet classes. So far he has only used it to solve petty schoolyard crimes, with payment in candy. But now he's on to something much bigger -- and more dangerous.

There's a conspiracy going on in town, and possibly more than one. They involve a local criminal family, a club of pink-clad girly-girls, a school talent show, arson, theft, and assault. And soon Fletcher finds himself in way over his head, as he is framed for arson and flees custody with a known delinquent, who may be more than he seems.


Is it any good?

 

Eoin Colfer, author of the bestselling Artemis Fowl series, brings his trademark combination of humor, brilliant kids, gritty violence, and likable villains to a new setting. Fletcher is a nerdy wimp of a kid detective, with a sharp mind and an inner core of steel, who narrates the story in the style of a '40s potboiler. Much more interesting is his reluctant partner, Red -- son of a local gangster, with a heart of gold, a short fuse, the gift of cool charisma, and the skills of his heritage.

Fletcher receives an extraordinary lack of sympathy from any adult, including his parents, after he is beaten badly enough to require surgery, which, by the way, was more violent than necessary for the storyline. When a child is beaten unconscious by an adult with a club, it doesn't register as the humorous, cartoon violence the author seems to think it is. But overall this is a satisfying romp.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the deductive techniques Fletcher uses. How does he figure out who the real culprit is? Were you able to figure it out before he did? Also, what would it be like to be Red? Why do people treat him the way they do? Why do they assume he's up to no good?


This review was written by Matt Berman
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
a must read book
i so captivated by this book that i could not put it down. i ment to read only 3 chapters but instead read the whole thing!

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Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Colfer_Fan_#1
This book had me hooked (though it helped I had hours of time) I would not have put it down even if i was supposed to be doing something. Books can be dangerous.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Great for child and parent
I read this book with my 10 year old and she loved it. My 13 year old started listening in and he also thought it was great. Very clever story, well written, and funny. There is a little bit of violence with fighting but no one is hurt very badly. I definitly recommend it.

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Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Great Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Half Moon is a book that made me hold my breath until I fainted(idiom). My favorite part was how there are many investigations inside of just one. I also like how it circles around one event and is the main clue.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
its the coolest
it's the bizom yeah whoah that ws fun o.k. good bye...

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Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Great one!
This was a really good book! I was upset when I finished it. Really interesting and unusual, but cool!

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Bought It 4 my son.
My son loves the other books by this author and I found this book at my childs bookfair thought he'd love it he di then said I had 2 read it 2 and once I started it i couldn't put it down. Now I'm hoping that Shrkey & Fletcher Moon get "The Half Moon Investigations" underway. I just assume that was what Fletcher ment by "You're half right. It was very funny as well. Just wonderful!!!!

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Adult
September 19, 2010
 
Perfect for all ages and is some of the best reading you can have Colfer did another good job

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Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
 

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Kid, 13 years old
May 5, 2011
 
when i read this book i found it boring but other kids might like it

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This review was written by Matt Berman
Author:Eoin Colfer
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Mystery
Publisher:Disney Publishing
Publication date:April 24, 2006
Number of pages:290
Hardcover price:$16.95
Publisher's recommended age(s):11 - 14
Read aloud:10
Read alone:10

This review was written by Matt Berman
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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