Book Review: The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels written by Beth Lincoln and illustrated by Claire Powell

Publisher’s description

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match.
Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker.

Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile’s long-lost treasure. She’s excited to finally meet her arriving relatives—until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs.

So what if everyone thinks she’ll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can become whatever she wants, even a detective. And she’s determined to follow the twisty clues and catch the killer.

Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it’s packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important.

Amanda’s thoughts

I am still trying to make my way through my backlog of books in Mount TBR. I’ve set aside so many in the past months that I KNEW I’d want to read at some point, when I had more time. Well, it’s summer, and I have more time, so I’m a reading machine. And this book? This book was FUN. I read it while parked in my car waiting for my kid. I read it standing on the deck in 90 degree weather waiting for my dogs to hurry up and get some business done. I read it while making dinner. I could not put this book down. Obviously.

Here’s who to recommend this book to: your smartest kids; your weirdest kids; your kids who like dark humor; your kids who like words; your kids who like a mystery where some actual bad things actually happen.

Shenanigan is determined to solve the many mysteries happening in her house, including where is the family treasure and who did some murders. Family members are named from the dictionary (or, in their family, the Dictionary) and that sets the tone for their lives—their name tells them who and what they will be forever. It’s all decided. Tidy, right? But what happens if your name doesn’t match who you want to grow into? Who you are? What if your name is WRONG because the assumptions your family made about you, like, say, your gender, were wrong? Then what? Well, we all know that English is a living language and meanings change. So there may be hope for all these Swifts to recreate their identities to better fit who they know they are. But first, there’s the messy business of the murders—murders for which there seem to be many possible suspects, all currently staying in one house together. But it’s not ALL about figuring out the murders or trying to find the treasure. As Aunt Inheritance says, “We can’t let murder get in the way of Family time!” (pg 125) The Swifts are not like other families, so they carry on. But Shenanigan just can’t let go of trying to solve, well, everything. She’s also not sure the Swifts are above the law, or at least allowed to operate separate from it, as she’s always been led to believe. She notes that she’s “pretty sure most people’s family reunions didn’t have a body count” (159). But figuring things out won’t be easy. With this wacky bunch, nothing is ever as it seems.

This was a total delight to read. A great whodunit full of larger-than-life characters, secret rooms, red herrings, and so much amazing wordplay. Now… how long do I have to wait for a sequel?!

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9780593533239
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date: 02/07/2023
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years

Filed under: Book Reviews