Parents' Guide to

The Detective's Assistant

By Tracy Moore, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Action-packed female detective story champions smarts.

The Detective's Assistant Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

THE DETECTIVE'S ASSISTANT blends action, high ideals, real history, and heart into one fast-paced read. Here, a young woman finds an unlikely mentor in her stern aunt, who inspires in her a drive and ambition she might never have known. Though readers will become engaged with the story of real-life female detective Kate Warne and the events that led up to the Civil War, there also are some messy, nice ideas about what family really means and how important it is for girls to build a skill set and solve problems on their own.

History lovers will find lots to dig into here, and adventure fans will enjoy real tests of courage for the two headstrong female protagonists, as well as good humor and the very reassuring idea that we can often make a great family out of the one we've got.

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate