Teodora’s Book Reviews: “Danny Dingle’s Fantastic Finds – The Jet of Justice” by Angie Lake (Sweet Cherry Publishing, Leicester, 2017)

Childhood allows us to easily build up the best version of ourselves, and that’s a fact. There’s no one to stop us from dreaming big, we could be whatever we want, whether it’s a daring superhero or a contemporary mini-Einstein. The limitless possibilities and the gripping imagination encourage children to shout out with glee, “What a time to be alive”. If your child has always been enthusiastic about life, then they can definitely relate to Danny Dingle, the world famous and (almost) genius inventor (his words, not mine).

The Jet of Justice, the latest book in the Danny Dingle’s Fantastic Finds collection, has an engaging plot for children of all ages. The action takes place in Greenville, during the summer holiday. The story could be separated in two parts: a summer camp and a flying machine-building contest. Danny undoubtedly steals the spotlight, but he makes sure we get to properly meet his wacky and lovable family, his slightly dopey “lab assistant”, his psychic pet toad called Superdog and his smug, full-of-himself, twit-faced enemy. What really captivates the readers is the contest itself and the process of making an actual flying machine, hence the Jet of Justice.

The most surprising element for me was that Danny didn’t encounter any major difficulties in achieving his goals throughout the story. In fact, it often felt as if the adults were already dealing with any possible upcoming problems, so as to ensure a smooth path for the boy. In the end, this could be seen as a clever realistic touch. Parents continuously help their children. They even think ahead and prevent potential trouble. That’s one of the main reasons kids believe they are heroes capable of anything. They are not fully aware of their parents’ contribution, the behind-the-scenes moments. Naturally, in time children need to slowly get used to dealing with problems by themselves. But until then, their little journeys are just for pure fun. Nothing compares to the idea of having a safe, magical trip built just for you and the delightful feeling of conquering the world.

Although The Jet of Justice is the first book I’ve read from the Danny Dingle series, I can tell that the other two stories (The Metal-Mobile and The Super-Sonic Submarine) are most likely to follow the same pattern. Danny’s main goal is to become a genius-inventor-assistant (again, his words) to Metal Face, his superhero. Therefore the entire collection reveals an adventurous boy who is constantly on the lookout for unusual items that enable him to come up with original inventions and impress Metal Face. Perhaps you’ve already come across passionate kid inventors who think they can change the world with a few homemade gadgets, a huge amount of hope and a pinch of luck, so why should you introduce your own child to Danny Dingle? No worries, he’s completely different. He is honest. He is not afraid to speak up his mind. He talks to the readers as if they are his new best friends. He shows them around and occasionally slips some random facts about the people he knows. He is competitive. He wants to follow his dreams. He somehow manages to see the good in every situation. He has hope. He is as innocent as your child. In fact, they just take each other’s hands and gradually discover the world together.

Due to the book’s short length, appropriate font size and accessible language, the young readers will not grow tired of Danny’s story. There are also some special features and surprises at the end of the book, which will keep the kids entertained for another couple of hours. Anything else worth being mentioned? The Jet of Justice lets its readers know that cheating in competitions is wrong and both winning and losing are part of someone’s life. In conclusion, Danny Dingle provides a suitable addition to any child’s bookshelf. He’s no Tom Sawyer or Harry Potter, but who wouldn’t want to meet an energetic inventor, a new type of adventure-seeker?