Ant Clancy: Games Detective

Designed to appeal to children with a love of gaming, Ant Clancy: Games Detective is a fast-paced adventure story that could be enjoyed by any reader who likes an action-packed mystery story.

Ant is the only person in Westford Abbey who can’t get into playing Ray-Chay, the new virtual reality game that everyone else is obsessed with. It seems everyone in the town and across the country is playing it apart from him. Billionaire and game creator Kody Crunch is behind this new gaming phenomenon and is a celebrity in the gaming world. Soon something goes very wrong with the game, which somehow spills over into real life, and Ant is the person who will get to the bottom of what’s happening and try to put things right. As the story unfolds, the line between the gaming world and reality is blurred even further in the race to uncover the truth.

The story regularly explores the restrictions Ant has on how much time he can spend gaming and the book includes references to unhealthy gaming habits and the dangers of gaming addiction as well as touching briefly on the topic of online safety. It manages to do this through the storyline without downplaying the benefits of recreational gaming and this aspect is something teachers and parents would appreciate.

A good book for reluctant readers, the story is easy to follow and there will be many children who can identify with the characters. It would also be a good class book to prompt discussions about gaming and online safety.