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| The Mystery of the Jade Princess review |
THE MYSTERY OF THE
JADE PRINCESS
Marilyn Granbeck
Scholastic
1989
Available:
Paperback
Sue and Jenny are excited. In just two days the Chinese New Year's
festivities begin. It’s a fun celebration. Sue's brother is practicing for the
parade as one of the dragon tail handlers. The girls get to wear exotic
costumes and perform in a special program of Chinese dances. But this year
something is different.
Mr. Chin always displays his lucky carved jade princess
in his shop window, but it's not there. It doesn't make sense. The statue
always watches over the festivities. In its place is an empty space. What's
even stranger is that Mr. Chin and his daughter won't talk or call the police.
Not even when the girls find him tied up in the back of his shop. Plus there are
a couple of suspicious strangers hanging around the shop. Something is
definitely wrong. Even if Mr. Chin won't ask for help, Sue and Jenny are
determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
This was a nice read. The setting
enhances the story, but doesn't get in the way of the mystery. It's well
written and the girls are not only brave, but have great logic skills. It's
well paced and although it has an older publication date, it feels fresh. Plus
it reveals a nice slice of life in an exotic American culture that is often
overlooked.
Target audience: Grades 4-5
Mystery / suspense: good
Kid appeal: good
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