Major and Mynah – Operation Raven

Operation Raven is the second instalment in the Major and Mynah series.  The stories feature Callie and Grace, two young sleuths or, as they style themselves, ‘SPUDS’ (Super Perceptive Undercover Detectives) and their feathered side kick Bo the mynah bird.

In this adventure Callie and Grace are off on a school trip to the Tower of London and Bo is heading there too – as a stowaway in Callie’s bag. When they get there, it isn’t long before they spot two suspicious looking individuals and find themselves witnessing a daring attempted robbery of some of the Tower’s treasures. The team set out to thwart the robbers with the help of the tower ravens.

The story is told with humour and some beautiful imagery. Additional touches such as fake beards, fact files, codes and case file notes add to the fun. My review copy contained an indication of the lively illustrations which will complete the final volume.

The action is set in London, and young fans may enjoy visiting the sights mentioned in the story, but there may be some disappointment – although they will find ravens at the Tower, Trafalgar Square, described as full of pigeons in the story, has been pigeon free for twenty years.

Callie is deaf and everyday tasks such as remembering to pack spare batteries for her hearing aids is acknowledged, she refers to her hearing aids as ‘slugs’ suggesting a less than positive attitude towards them. But these are no ordinary devices, they give her magical powers – allowing her to communicate with her mynah bird, an extremely useful skill for a would-be detective.

With positive representation and an engaging story this is an accessible read for young readers developing independence.