Olivetti

Olivetti incorporates elements from several genres to increase interest and suspense. While the book offers adventure and family drama, the two dominant blended genres are mystery and fantasy. From the very beginning, the narrative embraces many of the tropes of the mystery genre, as when protagonist Ernest’s mother, Beatrice, goes missing, he tries to find her by following clues and tracking down leads. Although the grim reality at the heart of the mystery—Beatrice’s fight with cancer—ties into Ernest’s deepest fears, the question of her whereabouts compels Ernest to take on the role of lead detective. Like a stereotypical detective, he relies on the help of a “girl Friday” in the form of Quinn, the pawn shop owner’s daughter, whose position at the shop and efforts on Ernest’s behalf often provide crucial information and propel the plot forward. Notably, however, the novel deviates from genre conventions once the mystery is solved, and from that point, the narrative focuses on the family-based concerns and life lessons that characterize typical middle grade literature. With these elements, Olivetti mirrors other middle grade works in which the protagonist seeks to solve a mystery related to family members, such as Michael Baker’s If You Find This and Varian Johnson’s