Nancy and her friends think there is nothing more fun than ice cream in the summer. So when they find out that the owners of the local ice-cream factory are hosting a contest, the Clue Crew can’t wait to enter! Contestants must come up with brand-new flavors and they can use whatever ingredients they want! Nancy is sure that her entry—Clue Berry—will win.
But when a friend’s secret recipe goes missing, Nancy suspects that someone not-so-sweet is up to no good. Can Nancy and the Clue Crew find out who took the missing recipe?
Nancy and her friends work hard on creating their ice cream flavors, but that doesn’t stop them from encouraging their classmates to enter the contest as well. Even though the contest is important to the Clue Crew, they are more concerned with Deirdre and Kendra’s friendship. When the two are having friendship trouble, the Clue Crew jumps into action. In the end, Deirdre and Kendra’s friendship drama is resolved and the two remain best friends.
Scream for Ice Cream has enough suspects to keep the story interesting without becoming confusing. Readers will enjoy using their powers of observation to see if they can figure out who stole the ice cream before the big reveal at the story’s end. Most of the time the Clue Crew follows the rules as they search for clues. However, they do wait for an employee to be distracted so they can sneak into the ice cream factory.
The story’s conclusion is surprising, but nicely wraps up all of the story’s drama. Young mystery fans will enjoy the mystery as well as the story’s silly moments. Even though the Clue Crew’s ice cream is ruined three times, the girls don’t complain. Instead, they look forward to making more next year.
Black and white illustrations appear every 2 to 5 pages, which break up the text and help readers visualize the events in the plot. The last page of the book gives directions for making coffee-can ice cream. This modern version of Nancy Drew will be an entertaining summer read. After reading Scream for Ice Cream, readers with a sweet tooth will want some tasty ice cream of their own.
Sexual Content
- None
Violence
- None
Drugs and Alcohol
- None
Language
- When Cassidy’s sister grabs someone else’s ice cream and starts eating it, Cassidy yells, “Drop that spoon now, you little pest.”
Supernatural
- None
Spiritual Content
- None
