A must read for middle grade kids. It's got it all....a very lovable protagonist, a loving and supportive family, a mystery, a trip to Paris and a visit to the Louvre....and a new baby!!!

My kids loved this one!

The narration was a little hard to follow at times but overall great story,

I think this can be enjoyed by both boys and girls but my daughter was definitely more into it than my son.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this hilarious, exciting story. It may not have been as much fun to read it on my own, because the performers were amazing.
The main little girl is 9 and overly dramatic, which is my personal experience with many 9-year-olds. She was also charming and clever and independent, wanting to solve her own problems as they arose.
I asked to read this because of the languages, and I did appreciate that there were multiple languages and information about art. Kids and parents will enjoy reading this together and discussing the choices made.

This was a very good audiobook! I really like the narrator and the way the author writes! I plan to read more by this author!
The story was beautiful!

<i><u>I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. </i></u>

the audiobook of this story was great and helped us follow Julieta along in her mystery. the pronunciation guide at the beginning was great to know what certain words and phrases meant before getting started.
the story was fun, funny, and interesting without getting you lost in a complicated mystery since it's geared toward children
i know we were following a 9 year old but she definitely seemed to be a bit younger which worked out for my child who was able to see herself in the story more because of this

Such a good book. It’s fun and adventurous and just what little girls need. They can see themselves as the investigator 🕵️‍♀️ willing to solve the problem. And that is a perspective we all can use a little of. To see a problem and to come up with a solution, even if it requires investigation.

The icing is the language immersion, adding in both Spanish and French. So you have a bit of a spring board to learning more of these languages and reading these languages.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
I liked the book and the mystery. Julieta did seem younger than her stated age by the way she acted.

When I first started listening I struggled with the narrator for Julieta because she was a little dramatic and the story was not. I almost stopped listening but decided to continue and I am glad I did. The story became more intriguing as Julieta and her father leave for France leaving her mother behind who is close to delivering a baby boy. Things heat up in France and Julieta becomes an accidental detective. She also matures through the events that take place in France (her goal had been to be a support for her dad on the trip so her parents would trust her to care for her soon to be born brother). The review of the French and Spanish words that were going to be used in the story was helpful and informative as well as many words explained throughout the story as Julieta learned them. At the end many of the art pieces that were part of the story were given their historical background which also makes this book informative. I ended up thoroughly enjoying it and am looking forward to sharing it with my students once it is published! Thank you, Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this audiobook.

This was such a fun little mystery that I think my kids would really enjoy. Julieta was such a sweet girl and I loved her passion for Greek mythology and learning in general! I was obsessed with Greek mythology at her age so it really hit close to home and has inspired me to start a mythology unit with my kids. I really enjoyed all the different narrators that were used. It was so fun hearing the different accents and helped differentiate between who was talking. The only thing I slightly struggled with (and I know my kids would struggle with) was that the translation glossary was at the beginning of the audio so it would be hard to go back and listed to what was being said. That’s much easier to do when you have a print copy of a book. Overall I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

This was a cute book! I appreciate children's books that have bilingual main characters because I have taught many bilingual students. It is important for them to see themselves in the characters they read about. Julieta speaks both Spanish and English but also learns French on her adventures. This book kept my attention and would be a great recommendation to my students.

The audiobook version had a fabulous narrator! She was captivating and fantastic. I loved her expression and her accurate pronunciation.

Wow!! Get this audiobook!!! The narrators are FANTASTIC!!! My kids and I were hooked! The way they narrate made the story so entertaining. You could feel how enthusiastic, energetic, and fun Julieta is!! This is laugh out loud funny and entertaining! We were all completely hooked and couldn't stop listening! We had to know what was going to happen next!

I love the fun mix of Spanish and French words included! It was fun for the kids (who are in a Spanish dual-immersion school) to pick up on them. I love the traveling and art! And the fabulous family dynamic!! This is such a fabulous story!!

I will definitely be picking up physical copies for me and my kids!! I highly recommend this middle grade read!!

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher Spotlight Audio, Live Oak Media for our review audiobook!

I am so pleased by the recent middle grade audiobook choices, and Julieta and the Diamond Enigma is perfect for young middle grade readers. The narrator is lively, engaging, and accurately represents the bilingual accent of Julieta. The story is fun and engaging. My 9 year old niece would love this, and I encourage families to check this out for a great audiobook to listen to on a road trip. It's sure to spark discussions of future bucket list travels.

It's a great read. I love it when there's another language. Sometimes I forget what the word is, but I just follow along with the story. Thanks to Publisher Spotlight Audio, Live Oak Media and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook for a review.

What a great listen! My daughter loved this story and it kept both her and me engaged as we followed along. We would love to hear more about Julieta in other tales.

I love how this audiobook uses different narrators for each character. They make the story feel alive and more pleasant to listen to.

The story is rather slow at the beginning, but the pacing gets better when the mystery scene comes along. Overall, this is a very enjoyable audiobook!

In Julieta and the Diamond Enigma by Luisana Duarte Armendariz (Tu Books, 2020), nine-year-old Julieta is caught in a scandal when she and her father witness the Regent diamond being stolen. When Julieta accidentally lets the thief out of the building and she and her father are suspected, she is determined to free themselves from suspicion by solving the mystery herself.

The story took a bit of time to get started, but once Julieta is sightseeing in Paris with her father. the excitement ratchets up. Through Julieta’s eyes, we learn about art history, French history and landmarks, Greek mythology (which Julieta loves to study), and a bit about French culture.

Although I found the backstories to slow the pace at the beginning of the book, once the diamond is stolen, the introductory information seems important. We can better see Julieta’s perspective on the situation and make our own predictions.

The audiobook of Julieta and the Diamond Enigma (Live Oak Media, 2021) brings the story of bilingual Julieta (English/Spanish) to life as she travels to France with her father for a week of adventure. Because Julieta’s family speaks English and Spanish, and because a large portion of the action takes place in Paris, some Spanish and French phrases are sprinkled throughout the audio.

But for anyone who is a foreign language phobic, there are never any foreign language phrases that are cannot be easily understood with the many context clues. The author always prompts Julieta or a different character to repeat a phrase back in English, or otherwise make it clear what has been said in the foreign language. I loved hearing the proper pronunciation of the foreign text.

Different narrators lend their voices, which also helps the reader enjoy the story even more. Tweens are sure to love Julieta’s story, and the narrated audiobook is a nice choice for bringing an exciting story and a different culture to life.

Note: I received a digital copy of the audiobook for review consideration.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

Very cute mystery story. It includes phrases in French and Spanish that can help teach kids, and familiarize them with different languages. I loved that the story had some history included. The narrator was enjoyable to listen to and I’m excited to listen to it again with my 7 year old!

This was such a cute book. I loved it and would have loved to listen/read this as a child. I plan to read it to my little niece. I am big traveler and my favorite movies are Indian Jones , night at the museum, and national treasure. It’s a reading this book really was so fun! I think any young girl and boy really love it!

This is a very fun audiobook that would be widely age appropriate for listening in the car with the family. It is easy to follow and probably best for listening for grades 1-4.
Schools would also love teaching with this book as it incorporates multiple subject areas, critical thinking, geography, foreign languages, art, art history, and mythology.
The character does seem younger than 9 years old, but her silly vibe and quirky mistakes and antics would be a sure win for fans growing out of of Junie B Jones and Amelia Bedelia. Excellent Latinx representation in the vein of Juana and Lucas, Lola Levine, and Sofia Martinez, Definitely Dominguita, and Catalina Incognito.

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma
Luisana Duarte Armendariz
Rating: 4 stars
Julieta is a lovable 4th grader that seems to get herself into trouble without wanting to. Her parent works with museums to find art and move the art into exhibitions. When she is able to go to Paris with her father to acquire the Regent Diamond for an exhibition she gets caught in the middle of a heist and her father could possibly lose his reputation and his job. When Interpol has trouble finding the culprit she takes action and tries to help solve the crime. Can she solve the case and get home on time to see her baby brother be born or will she and her father have to spend time in prison for a crime they did not commit?

The Narrators were well selected. The voices were great and they helped me keep track of who was talking. the pace and pronunciations were well done too I listened at a 2x speed and could still understand when they spoke in other languages.

I received this audiobook from the Publisher (Spotlight Audio) via @Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
#Mystery #Action #ChildrensFiction #Adventure #MiddleGrade #Audiobook #Paris #bilingual #Hispanic #LatinMC #FemaleMC #Travel #Art #Museums #France #Boston


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