Meet Smarty Pants
The fearless friend with a mind full of ideas.
If you’ve ever known a kid who talks fast, thinks even faster, and leaps before looking, then you already have a pretty good idea of who James Shelley, better known as Smarty Pants, is. He’s the spark to Fraidy Cat’s careful thinking, the energy in every scene, and the best kind of friend: the one who makes you feel braver just by standing next to him.
Who Exactly Is Smarty Pants?
Smarty is eleven years old but short for his age, with thick black hair that never sits quite right, deep blue eyes, and a scatter of freckles across his nose. He’s all motion: hands waving when he talks, bouncing on his toes when he’s excited, bursting into a grin the second he catches a new idea.
Where Fraidy overthinks, Smarty overdoes.
Where Fraidy hesitates, Smarty is already halfway across the room.
And somehow… it works. Together, they make the perfect team.
The Brain of the Operation
Smarty isn’t called Smarty Pants for nothing. His head is full of theories, shortcuts, wild plans, and “What if we just tried THIS?” ideas that sometimes get them into trouble, but almost always push the mystery forward.
He notices patterns, remembers details, and comes up with solutions even adults might miss. Yes, he can be impulsive. Yes, he sometimes forgets that safety is a thing. But his mind is a treasure chest of creativity, exactly the kind you need when solving a century-old mystery.
A Friend Like No Other
Where Fraidy Cat is cautious, Smarty is confident. Where Fraidy worries, Smarty encourages. He is fiercely loyal to the people he loves, especially Fraidy. If Fraidy is the heart of The Mother Diamond, Smarty is the spark that keeps the adventure alive.
He’s the kind of friend kids wish they had:
the one who always believes in you, always backs you up, and always pushes you to be your best (even when it’s scary).
A Boy Caught in a Bigger Mystery
Smarty thinks he’s just helping his best friend search for clues about Mrs. Carver’s disappearance… until he realizes they’ve stumbled onto something much bigger. Footprints that shouldn't be. Shadows in the trees. A hidden past buried in the Maple Hollow mine.
Where Fraidy feels fear, Smarty feels challenge.
And he is ready for it.
Why Readers Love Him
Kids adore Smarty because he’s bold, funny, and full of life. He’s not perfect, he messes up, rushes in, and occasionally makes Fraidy want to scream, but his huge heart and unstoppable imagination make him unforgettable.
And in his own lively, chaotic way, he teaches readers something important: that courage isn’t just about being fearless… sometimes it’s about having enough faith in your friend to jump in with both feet.
More Than a Nickname
To Smarty, life is meant to be lived big. His ideas might be wild, his energy might be a lot, but his loyalty is unshakeable, and his courage is loud enough for both him and Fraidy.
He may be small, but he thinks huge.
And when danger creeps close… that might be exactly what saves them.
