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THE BIG SPLASH

Jack Ferraiolo

The treacherous, hormone-soaked hallways of Franklin Middle School are the setting for this sharp, funny noir novel about tough guys and even tougher girls. "The Frank"is in the clutches of a crime syndicate run by seventh-grader Vinny "Mr. Biggs" Biggio, who deals in forged hall passes and blackmarket candy. Double-cross him and your number is punched by one of his deadly water gun-toting assassins. One hit in the pants and you are in "the Outs" forever. Matt Stevens is a proud loner with his own code of justice. He's avoided being pulled into Vinny's organization until now: Mr. Biggs has offered him a job he can't resist, even if it means bringing down one of his oldest friends.
Matt Stevens is as tough as a steak from the school cafeteria. He's a seventh-grade private eye, and he just did something he said he'd never do: He accepted a job from Vincent "Vinny Biggs" Biggio, the kid behind every shady deal made at Franklin Middle School, from black-market candy to forged hall passes. Get on the wrong side of Vinny and you'll find yourself in the Outs, the least popular "club" in school. How do you get there? Water strategically splattered below your belt for maximum humiliation. When Nicole Finnegan, aka Nikki Fingers, the most feared squirt-gun assassin at "The Frank," is put in the Outs, Matt is sure he's to blame and is determined to find the trigger kid. Problem is, Nikki has more enemies than a snitch during a final exam. Every kid in school is a suspect. Matt had better watch his back, and especially his front, as he tackles a case with more twists than a candy addict in a swivel chair.
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Book

Published 2023-05-26 by Abrams/ Amulet Books

Book

Published 2023-10-11 by Abrams/ Amulet Books

Comments

Ferraiolo weaves a tale that is thought-provoking and rib-tickling all at the same time. Highly recommended.

Ferraiolo shines in this debut novel, working the noir tropes for all they’re worth… The mystery itself is cagily constructed to keep readers guessing pretty much til’ the last bell.

Entertaining and thrilling.

A first novel with an ingenious premise: junior high noir … Twists and curve balls keep readers guessing; extended jokes will keep them laughing. With crisp prose and surprisingly poignant moments, Ferraiolo’s debut entertains on many levels.

If middle school has an 'underworld,' this book is The Godfather and The Maltese Falcon all rolled into one. Better still, it's funny, and not just a little.

2009 Edgar Award Nominee 2008 VOYA Top of the Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers

Well paced, funny, and suspenseful, with some real commentary on bullying and mob mentality, this book will have fans eagerly awaiting the next installment in this faux noir detective series.

Jack Ferraiolo shines a light on middle school and reveals what we've always suspected: It's a sinister place ruled by crime bosses and thugs. The Big Splash will make you laugh out loud.