Official Review: Pepperoni Pizza Pinching chimps

[Bianka Walter]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Pepperoni Pizza Pinching chimps" by Tracey C Ayres.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Many years ago, NASA sent four chimpanzees into space with the sole purpose of colonising Mars. The ship, as well as its hairy crew, was lost shortly after entering the atmosphere. With no sign of what happened or where they went, NASA was left with no choice but to move on.

Fast-forward to today…

In Adelaide, Australia, pizza delivery boys are mysteriously disappearing all over town. Sixteen-year-old Keah gets yanked into the investigations when one of them goes missing outside of her apartment. Keah and her friends are suddenly embroiled in a mystery of massive proportions and need to race against time to try to help solve the case.

Pepperoni Pizza Pinching Chimps is classified as other fiction, but it is a children’s-cum-young adult book. It is aimed at a younger audience; I would say from about age 8 – 15. It had a scary aspect to it, making it just creepy enough to really draw a younger audience in and keep them thoroughly hooked. It reminded me a bit of the Goosebumps series, but without as much of a horror aspect.

I would have inhaled this book when I was younger. It has all the features of a story that I loved. The unknown antagonist. The house that makes unusual and sinister noises. The absence of parents to keep the lead character safe. These facets all tick my box to make a great preteen/early teen thriller. As it stands, I don’t fall into this category and I loved it.

Keah and her friends are believable characters. They behave like normal teenagers, and they have authentic interchanges with one another. It’s one of the hardest things to get conversations to sound realistic, and the author nailed it.

There was an issue that I would like to address. The name of the book (as well as the available synopses) clearly explains who the perpetrators of the crimes are. It takes away from the whodunit aspect of the book completely, and I would have preferred to have been in the dark about who our furry felons were until the end. There is a great build-up to where Keah and her friends find out who has been masterminding the abductions, but the big reveal falls a little flat because of the lack of anticipation.

The book has unfortunately not been professionally edited. The author, Tracey C. Ayres, needs a good proofreader to make this book perfect. Because of the sub-par editing, I can only give a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this to a younger audience that like a bit of a thrill in their story selections. I would also love if the author put more mystery behind who the culprits are – but either way, I thoroughly enjoyed Pepperoni Pizza Pinching Chimps.

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Pepperoni Pizza Pinching chimps
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[Cecilia_L]

With your suggested editing, this sounds like a promising read for the targeted age range. I love the title!

[unamilagra]

Wow, the title is really one that makes you want to check it out. It sounds like this is a great book for a younger audience. I used to love Goosebumps books, and I can see how kids would love this one too. Great review!

[Bianka Walter]

With your suggested editing, this sounds like a promising read for the targeted age range. I love the title!

It is a super catchy title
Thanks, Cecilia!

[Bianka Walter]

Wow, the title is really one that makes you want to check it out. It sounds like this is a great book for a younger audience. I used to love Goosebumps books, and I can see how kids would love this one too. Great review!

I also loved the Goosebumps series!
I think all of us readers grew up on them

[mmm17]

This one seems to be a good read for preteens. The title is great, isn't it? Wonderful review!

[CommMayo]

Sounds like a totally off the wall book. I like your comment about inhaling the book as a younger version of yourself. Speaking of inhaling things, anyone else have a crazy hankering for pizza all of a sudden?

[kandscreeley]

It's not a book that I would read now, but I can see how it would appeal to a slightly younger audience. I also can understand the anticlimactic nature of the title. Great review. Very helpful.

[Bianka Walter]

This one seems to be a good read for preteens. The title is great, isn't it? Wonderful review!

The title is so catchy!
Thanks for commenting

[Bianka Walter]

Sounds like a totally off the wall book. I like your comment about inhaling the book as a younger version of yourself. Speaking of inhaling things, anyone else have a crazy hankering for pizza all of a sudden?

Oh my goodness, since I read this (and the delivery boy delivered 10 peperoni pizzas), I cannot get pizza out of my mind.
Must. Have. Pizza.

[Bianka Walter]

It's not a book that I would read now, but I can see how it would appeal to a slightly younger audience. I also can understand the anticlimactic nature of the title. Great review. Very helpful.

Ya, as great as the title is, it just gives away too much.
Thanks so much for commenting

[gen_g]

Nothing like the title giving away the entire story! Man, I wonder how the chimps managed to get back to Earth? Like a lot of us, you have me thinking too much about pizza now, and it's also conveniently dinner time at this moment... Thanks for the amazing review, Bianka! (Although I will have to give this a pass.)

[Connie Otwani]

The book sounds so intriguing even though I agree the title gives away the whodunit mystery. I guess the how is worth finding out! It is sad about the editing though.

Thanks for this excellent review!

[kdstrack]

Even though the title gives away a slice of the story, what young person doesn't like reading about pizza? The author seems to be able to appeal to a wide range of readers. Thanks for the appetizing recommendation!!

[Bianka Walter]

Nothing like the title giving away the entire story! Man, I wonder how the chimps managed to get back to Earth? Like a lot of us, you have me thinking too much about pizza now, and it's also conveniently dinner time at this moment... Thanks for the amazing review, Bianka! (Although I will have to give this a pass.)

I know. My hankering for pizza has hit a near-critical level.
Thanks Gen!