Book Review of The Central Park Irregulars
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The Children’s Book Review
The Central Park Irregulars
Written by Paul Cicchini
Ages: 8-12 | 110 Pages
Publisher: One Knight Publishing LLC (2025) | ISBN: 979-8218685539
What to Expect: Families, moving house, city v. countryside, museums, mystery.
Relocating from the serene countryside to the bustling city, navigating parental conflicts, and forging new friendships in an unfamiliar setting are among the deeply relatable themes that this middle-grade chapter book skillfully explores.
When their mom’s new job takes Harper and her brother away from their Pennsylvania farmhouse and their dad and into the center of New York City, Harper can’t help feeling resentful. The city is nothing like the farm she loves, and she hates being away from her dad. Still, there are some perks—a new phone and a theatre program for her to get into, for a start. Best of all is Central Park—a place her mom refers to as “the biggest playground in the world.”
She soon makes new friends and starts to feel like the city might not be too bad… until a priceless artefact is stolen from the museum where her mom works. With her mom’s future—and maybe life—on the line, it’s down to Harper and her new friends to crack the clues hidden in Central Park and unravel the mystery.
Harper is cautious, thoughtful, and sensitive, and as a main character, she spends a lot of the story growing in confidence and self-assurance. Readers are sure to relate to the way her desire for independence sometimes comes into conflict with her need for security and familiarity. The story itself is engrossing, and readers will enjoy watching each new clue unfold. The rich detail reveals a deep familiarity with and love of New York and the vibrant life of Central Park.
This coming-of-age story is both exciting and heartwarming, making The Central Park Irregulars a worthy addition to any middle-grade library.
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About the Author
Author Paul Cicchini, M.Ed., Ed.S., NCSP, GOTJ, is a nationally-certified school psychologist. He specializes in character education and is certified in the new field of Social Emotional Learning (SEL)/Character Ed.
Paul’s latest written work is a middle-grade mystery, The Central Park Irregulars, which follows a young group of friends caught up in an investigation in the famous park and who use its notable landmarks to help solve a crime, reminiscent of adult author Dan Brown who incorporates international sites such as The Louvre and the Vatican in his bestselling novels. He hopes his young readers come away from his story with a sense of adventure that stays with them long after the book is closed.
Paul’s earlier written works include the Amazon best-selling Young Cyrano, a fictionalized account of the teenage life of Cyrano de Bergerac. It received a five-star rating from the respected READERS’ FAVORITE website. His third novel, The Essentialz, is about a team of teenage superheroes that undergo the same challenges as modern teens and won the International Impact Book Award for 2024. Paul also received the CREA Global Award for his articles that were featured in BRAINZ Magazine. He also made the famous Marquis Who’s Who in America for 2024.
Much like his hero Cyrano, Paul aspires to be a well-rounded Renaissance man. His list of personal accomplishments includes cable television host (Cars Weekly Video Magazine-Philadelphia), sports journalist, adjunct professor, martial artist, fencer, archer, semi-pro football player, high school football coach, collegiate football scout, Templar Knight (rank of Knights Commander), Washington lobbyist for education, and award-winning webmaster.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of The Central Park Irregulars. Learn more about getting a book review …
