Benny on the Case - by Wesley King

About the Book

Eleven-year-old Benny, a boy with Mosaic Down syndrome, navigates a new mainstream classroom, standing up to bullies, making new friends, and uncovering a government conspiracy threatening to close down the retirement home owned by his mother.

Book Synopsis

Two starred reviews!
A New York Public Library Best Kids Book of 2025
A School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Book of 2025

A boy with Mosaic Down syndrome navigates entering a mainstream classroom, making new friends, and standing up to bullies all while trying to catch a thief and save his home in this "suspenseful, emotional" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) middle grade mystery from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wesley King.

Benny isn't your average boy from Newfoundland. He lives in a retirement home that his mother runs, he has an eighty-six-year-old best friend named Mr. Tom, he knows more about fixing boats than video games, and he has Mosaic Down syndrome. When Benny transitions to a mainstream classroom for the first time, the other students tease him for his differences...except for Salma. She's new, too, and not your typical Newfoundland girl: she's tech savvy, speaks Arabic, plays basketball, and isn't afraid to eat lunch with Benny.

So when Salma's grandmother and several other residents in the retirement home are robbed, Benny asks Salma to help him catch the thief. Time is not on their side as an inspector threatens to close the home. And to make matters worse, Benny and Salma must crack the case while working on a class assignment with their bullies. Can Benny save his home and take a stand against the bullies once and for all? He's about to find out, b'ys.

Review Quotes

"This riveting mystery hits all of the staples of the genre: red herrings, shifty side characters, climactic clue reveals, and allusions to popular sleuths like Sherlock Holmes and Matlock."--BCCB

* "An immersive, empathetic, and endearing mystery, me duckies."--Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

"A heartfelt character-driven mystery featuring a neurodivergent male protagonist that explores friendship, belonging, and family, this is a story perfect for fans of R.J. Palacio's Wonder, Gayle ­Forman's Not Nothing, and Gordon ­Korman's Restart."--School Library Journal

"Young sleuths become best friends as they defeat scoundrels and save seniors in this page-turning mystery." --Kirkus Reviews

* "Utilizing a POV seldom seen in children's fiction, King crafts a uniquely savvy mystery crackling with the chill and charm of rural Newfoundland."--Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW