“Whether she liked it or not, Paloma Marquez was in Mexico City for a whole month.”
Paloma just wants to spend a normal summer at home reading her favorite mystery novels by the pool, but instead she’s headed to Mexico City. Her Mom has received a prestigious fellowship in her father’s home country, creating an opportunity to connect with her deceased father and his culture. Paloma eagerly writes down memories on note cards and stores them in a special memory box in this hopes of maintaining a connection with her dad. Even if it’s second-hand.
“If this unibrowed artist was the best thing Coyoacán had to offer, it was going to be a very hairy four weeks.”
Paloma is staying within walking distance of Casa Azul, home of her father’s favorite artist, Frida Kahlo. Paloma doesn’t have much interest in art history, but the artist’s past becomes intriguingly relevant when she discovers someone has stolen Frida’s prized peacock ring from her collection.
Instead of reading a mystery, Paloma is swept into playing detective when she is recruited by two siblings, Gael and Lizzie, to help find the missing ring. She joins the team, but doesn’t know how to handle the siblings’ puzzling behavior: sometimes they’re warm and welcoming, then closed-off and secretive! What gives? Can she trust them?
“Why are all the bravest people only in stories?”
Spanish words and phrases are woven seamlessly into the story, allowing both students and Paloma to expand their Spanish vocabularies. Mexican culture thrives in these pages, as Paloma listens to mariachi music and samples churros and chicken mole. Angela Cervantes treats readers to lush descriptions of Frida Kahlo’s paintings and her home, while delving into Frida’s backstory and illuminating what makes her a memorable giant in the art world.
To solve the mystery, Paloma has to discern the roles of mysterious figures, including a Fortune Teller and someone she calls Trench Coat Man, neither of whom are who they appear to be. She also finds a way to glean wisdom and guidance from her favorite, in-universe detective, Lulu Pennywhistle.
Between midnight investigations, mysterious identities, and no shortage of deceptions, the mystery of the Peacock Ring will keep readers guessing until the final grand reveal. This is a tale of vulnerability; how hidden struggles are a lot easier to manage if you let your friends carry them with you—and how trust and teamwork can uncover the truth. Schools looking to open the sliding glass door into another culture can explore a vital pillar of art history inside of Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring.
Source: https://readtothem.org/book/me-frida-and-the-secret-of-the-peacock-ring/