Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

Jesper Jinx and the Mouse Mayhem is the seventh book in the hilarious Jesper Jinx series, written and illustrated by Marko Kitti. Eleven-year-old Jesper Jinx of Puffington Hill seems to have bad luck follow him at every turn. A simple act of taking his two new pet mice, Lenny and Benny, to school ends in disaster and mayhem of hilariously huge magnitude. Unexplained events leave the neighborhood puzzled, as squirrels rain from the sky, furry fruits fly through the air, antique pianos crash into trees, the school cafeteria catches fire, and an adult woman stands atop a police car, uttering total gibberish. Jesper hasn’t a single clue what any of these things have to do with him, but you will have the chance to decide on his possible guilt after you read the facts and check witness statements for yourself. You’d be amazed at how many things can go wrong with the simplest of intentions. A bonus story appears at the end of the book, with my laugh-o-meter shattering into many pieces as it ties into the previous story.

The very first lesson I learned while reading a Jesper Jinx book is never to read it in bed when your husband is trying to sleep. Never have I laughed so hard in my life ... and that is even before the story began! Marko Kitti’s incredibly funny tale of a boy who got more than he bargained for, while doing everything he can to ensure nothing goes wrong, turns the lives of many on their heads. One would think that a simple plan of ‘Show and Tell’ with two new pets couldn’t possibly go awry. The book is so cleverly pieced together, telling the story from Jesper’s point of view before all of the people and animals interviewed give their own version of events. On reading all of the information given, the reader is then asked to decide for themselves whether Jesper is guilty or innocent of the carnage caused. Well-written, easy to follow, and with each page a sheer delight, Jesper Jinx and the Mouse Mayhem has found a definite spot in my bookcase-of-rare-gems. I recommend this book to all readers, young and old, who enjoy a hearty laugh, while solving the mother of all mysteries.