Owl's Outstanding Donuts
Age 8+
General Fiction
Robin Yardi, author of The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez, tells a story full of mystery, feathers, and sprinkles.
After Mattie Waters loses her mother, she goes to live with her aunt, the owner of a roadside donut shop in Big Sur, California. When an owl taps on Mattie's window one night, Mattie looks out to see suspicious activity taking place nearby. With help from her friends—and from Alfred, a stuffy but good-hearted owl—she'll set out to find the culprits, facing fears that have followed her since her mother passed away.
Creators
Robin Yardi lives in the California foothills. She loves good stories, animals of all sorts, homemade cakes, and kids.
Reviews
With an owl who likes strawberry iced doughnuts, an environmental crime, and a family business at stake, Robin Yardi has crafted a sweet mystery about the power of friendship and facing one’s fears.
Readers of all ages will be cheering—and hooting!—for Mattie and her friends as they track down the culprits in this brilliant, high-stakes mystery with heart. Owl’s Outstanding Donuts is, well, simply outstanding!
Since Mattie’s mother died, Mattie has been living in a trailer next to her Aunt Molly’s donut shop in Big Sur. One night, Mattie is awakened by an owl tapping on her window, and looks out just in time to see a white truck dumping toxic chemicals in the ditch across from the donut shop. With help from her friends, energetic Beanie and skeptical Sasha, Mattie is determined to get to the bottom of who dumped the gloop; especially since official suspicion soon falls on Aunt Molly. To solve the mystery, Mattie will have to face the fear of riding in cars that she’s had ever since her mother’s death. This eco-mystery may appeal to fans of Carl Hiaasen. Narrated mostly from Mattie’s perspective, with occasional chapters from the point of view of Alfred the irritable owl, this book has gentle humor, some action at the climax, and a touching examination of Mattie’s grief. With strong pacing, a fully-realized setting, and well-developed characters, there’s something for everyone.
School Library Journal
