A mystery with lots of whacky characters and a lovable narrator, this novel (set in Berlin) has masses of humour and fun. Rico, the narrator, calls himself a 'child proddity', the opposite of a prodigy: 'My head is sometimes as topsy-turvy as a barrel full of lottery balls.' He is rubbish at maths and spelling, thinks slowly, can't tell right from left, and finding his way arond the city is impossible. But he is also incredibly brave and resourceful, and when his new-found friend, Oscar (who really is a prodigy) goes missing, it is Rico who takes on the kidnapper. Rico's single mum, one of the livelier characters, loves him to bits, but one must take with a grain of salt her going off to see her sick brother, leaving Rico on his own in their flat with only dippy Mrs Darling upstairs to feed him on cream crackers. However, had she not done so, the adventures could not have happened. Pacy and fun, this story presents us with a boy with learning difficulties whom one would love to know.