"Ida May spun to where they had dug the whole and then back around. "We dug under the fourth stepping stone *from the sidewalk*. Not the fourth one *from the house*."
"Exactly," he said."
"Alex." Ida May had a look of awe on her face. "Check you out with the big brain. I didn't even think of that."
He'd never thought his brain was anything good. Good brains didn't have all these challenges. His face turned red, and he shifted his weight, curling his toes in his shoes." (pg. 77)


Alex and Ida May work hard to solve a local mystery, interviewing 'witnesses,' literally digging up clues, and--despite Alex's best efforts--becoming friends.

This middle grade novel has secret treasure--yes--but, more importantly, tells the story of one kid's experience with OCD. The OCD representation in this story is both the struggles of being different from peers in school AND the human capacity for kindness, love, and adaptability.

It was an honor to get to watch Alex push himself out of his comfort zone, to use ridiculous grounding techniques he and Ida May dreamed up, and to learn that he doesn't have to be small.

THE CASSETTE TAPE SECRET is the perfect middle grade mystery! Danielle Herzog wrapped up all my favorite kid mystery elements in one riveting story: a mismatched pair of plucky kids, a house with history, library research, small-town landmarks, and a curious locked-up artifact from the past. Add in a decades-old love story, an authentic and relevant depiction of a kid with OCD, some realistic family and social struggles, and this book has everything! I loved watching Alex and Ida May follow the clues, find their voices, and sneak into my heart. I even squealed with unexpected joy at the big reveal! THE CASSETTE TAPE SECRET is an absolute delight!

A fun mystery that touches on OCD, bullying, and friendship. When given a school assignment to take something apart and put it back together following instructions from your partner, Alex is ready to do exactly that. He follows directions to a T and doesn't vary from that. He's a very by-the-rules type kid. He's also got OCD, so he's the kid wiping down everything with sanitizing wipes, and most kids bully him for that. Enter new kid Ida May, who is a loud, friendly kid. She gives Alex an old cassette player and wants him to fix it. Since the assignment is to take it apart and put it back together, he is reluctant to do so, but Ida May has her ways of getting under your skin. A friendship develops and a mystery is afoot.

I really liked Ida May and Alex in this story and although I had it figured out pretty early on, I think middle grade readers will love the mystery of this and the evolution of the friendship between the two characters.

There are a lot of positives with this book - the normalization of OCD, fighting back against the bully, making friends. I chose this book for the mystery, and it worked well. The middle schoolers have a mystery to solve, and the clues are laid out nicely. The surprise at the end works well, and the inclusion of gay love is also normalized. Very sweet story that is put together nicely. Definitely recommend!

Alex has OCD and when Ida May asks him to help fix a cassette tape recorder it begins a friendship between the two. Ida May asks Alex to listen to the tape and they find a song that leads them to his front yard where something is buried. When they find a metal box buried, they want to know who it belong to, and does anyone have a key to open up the box? The song also mentioned Georgia. Who is Georgia? Will Alex and Ida May find out who Georgia is? Will they be able to open the box?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

4/5 ⭐
Hi! I got this book as an ARC (advanced reader's copy), in return for an honest review.
(:
I know the copy I read was an unedited proof, so I can't be too annoyed with any typos or anything, so the pre-edited typos have nothing to do with this review (:

First thoughts: I can't tell you enough how much I adore the characters in this book <3 I love how the author portrays the characters, she makes them feel like real people.

Alex: I love the way his character develops as the story progresses! If you compared Alex from the beginning and the end of the book, you'd definitely see how much growth he went through.

Ida May: Danielle Herzog, thank you for Ida May! I love her character and how fun she is! We would definitely be friends if she were real!

Mr Collins: (We love an amazing librarian)
<3
Final thoughts: The mystery in this book was super fun and exciting! I loved how the friendships in this book were developed, and I need a sequel (I need more of Alex and Ida May, they are so sweet <3).


Genre/Genres:
- Middle Grade
- Mystery

The book's vibes:
- Trollhunters (the dynamic between mom and son)
- Five survive (the friendship) (Red, and Arthur's dynamic reminds me so much of Ida May's and Alex's dynamic, and I love it!)

Age rating: 12+

Content/ trigger warnings:
- Bullying
- Anxiety attacks
- Mental health
- Severed finger (talk of one)

Parent guide:
- Middle grade
- 12+
- talks about mental health
- OCD
- No swearing
- really cute friendship
- Some lgbtq+ representation (and it's done well, but not the focus of the story)



All done! Thank you NetGally, for the ARC copy!

Good youth fiction discussing relevant and difficult topics like bullying. The main character works through a mystery as he works through self growth.