MAYA CHEN NOTICES THINGS MOST PEOPLE MISS.She's eleven years old, and she reads people the way others read books. Now, with her three best friends — methodical Theo, warm-hearted Finn, and the impossibly expressive Zara — she's turned that skill into something remarkable: The Emotion Detectives. Operating from a small, turpentine-scented art supply room at Maplewood Middle School, they take on the mysteries that no one else knows how to solve. Not the 'whodunit' kind. The human kind. FOUR UNFORGETTABLE CASES Case One: A school trophy goes missing — but the real puzzle is a fractured relationship between a boy and his father, and all the Saturdays that used to hold them together. Case Two: A classmate starts telling strange, pointless lies — not to cover anything up, but because the truth feels too heavy to carry alone. Case Three: A beloved teacher becomes cold and distant. Learning to respond with kindness without needing explanations — that's the lesson no curriculum can teach. Case Four: A hidden email reveals that the school is cutting the quiet room, the counselling sessions, the family support worker, and the enrichment programme that transformed one brilliant student's life. It will take courage, evidence, and a board of governors to change what seems inevitable. A STORY ABOUT FEELINGS, FRIENDSHIP AND FINDING YOUR VOICE The Emotion Detectives is a richly layered middle-grade novel that makes emotional intelligence genuinely exciting. Through vivid characters, carefully constructed mysteries, and dialogue that crackles with warmth and wit, author Paul Downs weaves a story that will help young readers understand why people behave the way they do — and what it means to truly listen. EDUCATIONAL THEMES (supports Social and Emotional Learning / SEL):· Emotional identification and vocabulary· Body language awareness and non-verbal communication· Empathy, perspective-taking, and active listening· Healthy friendship dynamics and conflict navigation· Self-advocacy and speaking up for others· Resilience, grief, and change ALSO INCLUDES:· 22 chapters + prologue and epilogue (~26,000 words)· Theo's private detective notebook tracking his emotional growth· The Detective's Guide to Feelings — practical body language and empathy reference· Character profiles for all five Emotion Detectives· A direct note to readers on using these skills in real life
