Review Time--Carly's Angels: Swamp Sting

Charlie's Angels are going back to school--elementary school that is. Three smart and sassy third-grade girls take on corruption and pollution at their school armed with iPads, digital cameras, and awesome hair. In this first installment by Blake A. Hoena, the Angels investigate a rash of unexpected bee stings and pollution in the local pond.

I generally like most of what I read. Chalk it up to being a positive person, I like most of what I come across in most areas of life. But I didn't particularly care for this novel. Maybe it's because I don't have a lot of history with Charlie's Angels--I didn't see either the original television show, the television reboot, the movie, or the sequel to the movie. But the intended audience of the books is a seven-year-old girl, who isn't likely to have much interaction with Charlie's Angels either so I don't think that could be it. After all, I never watched the old Doctor Who but I love the reboot.

(You guys. I love him. So much.)

My original dislike stemmed from the fact that this didn't really seem all that different from any girl detective story. For example, (*spoiler alert*) the culprits at fault for the pollution are members of the science club. Because if re-runs of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" have taught us anything, it's that the bad guys are always the jocks or the science nerds.

I wasn't all that impressed with the characterization, either. You've got the racially diverse group of friends (who all somehow have the same features) with awesome hair and clever, Clueless-esque conversations. With their tiny bodies and abnormally large heads, the three girls look more like Bratz dolls than human beings. Maybe it's just me, but that style is a bit played out. After all, Steve Madden has been doing it for decades.

(Remember these girls?)

Final Grade: C-