Art Attack (The Sherlock Society Series Book 3)

Art Attack is the third in The Sherlock Society series by James Ponti, and it does not disappoint. Like the first two books in the series, The Sherlock Society Book 1 and The Sherlock Society Hurricane Heist, Art Attack is a quick-paced, page-turning mystery being solved by a clever group of middle-school-aged kids and a “cool” retired newspaper journalist grandfather. Readers also get a lesson in graffiti art and a bit of Miami history. One parent is a lawyer, and the other is a professor working to counteract the effects of climate change on coral reefs, so readers learn about both subjects in the series. Because the young readers learn alongside characters they can relate to, and the information is presented in an age-appropriate way, it stays interesting, fresh, and easy to absorb.
Each book in the series includes a non-fiction component that covers Miami’s history and other topics such as weather, the environment, conservation, etc. This is a perfect book series for middle graders who may not want to pick up a chapter book. From page one, the book draws the reader in and keeps them hooked until the end.
Highly recommended not only by me but also by the highly acclaimed children’s author Kate DiCamillo for her summer reading list on her podcast, The StoryKind.
Art Attack
Written by James Ponti
Published by Aladdin, September 2026
ISBN: 9781665983563
Thank you to Alex Kelleher-Nagorski and Simon & Schuster for the review copy.