BRAIN TEASER RIDDLE #33

BRAIN TEASER RIDDLE #33

How did the egg cross the road?

BOOK TRAILERL DEAD END IN NORVELT

BOOK TRAILER:  Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

BOOK REVIEW: MINI MYSTERIES: 20 Tricky Tales to Untangle

Mini Mysteries:20 Tricky Tales - mystery book review

MINI MYSTERIES: 20 Tricky Tales to Untangle

Rick Walton

Pleasant Company Publications

2004

Available: Paperback

This is a book that is exactly what the title suggests, a book of 20 mini mysteries for the reader to solve, using logic and their powers of observations. The same main characters appear in the stories, so even though each story is a mystery unto itself, the book had a feeling of continuity. Marie and her best friend, Noelle, have to figure out which clues will help solve the mystery and which ones are red herrings that lead the reader in the wrong direction. Once the reader thinks they've solved the mystery, they can check the case folder in the back of the book to see if they're right.

Kids who love to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and crack cases will have fun with this book. All of the characters in the stories are girls, which sadly means that some boys won't want to read the book.

Target audience: grades 3 - 7

Mystery /suspense: Fun

Kid appeal: High

HISTORY OF THE MYSTERY

HISTORY OF THE MYSTERY 1853

Most of the novels that Charles Dickens wrote contained elements of mystery and suspense, but were embedded in stories about the social injustices of the time. The only true mystery he wrote was "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" in 1870. Unfortunately he died before he finished it. It's the perfect murder mystery because it's forever unsolved, not that scholars and writers haven't tried. 

BOOK REVIEW: Explorer: The Mystery Boxes

Explorer The Mystery Boxes - mystery book review

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes
Kazu Kibuishi (Editor)

Scholastic

Available: hardcover & Paperback

THE MYSTERY BOXES is a collection of seven short graphic novels. Each story is about a mysterious box that will change the life of the person who handles it forever. Some of the stories are sad. Some are funny. They all have beautiful color graphics. And what's really fun is that each person finds a different box with different contents and very different outcomes. One has a wax doll inside. Another is a strange puzzle box. Another is a vast floating box with an alien inside. And four other extraordinary boxes with puzzling contents.

This is an excellent collection of graphic tales appropriate for the middle grade reader. The mysterious contents of the different boxes offer a variety of challenges for the young people who open them. The artwork is outstanding.

Target audience: grades 5-7

Mystery /suspense: Great

Kid appeal: High

13 CLUES #3

THIRTEEN CLUES  #3     

Monday morning, Principal Adams walked into Ms. Phelp's classroom. Butterflies and moths were plastered everywhere. Kids were laughing, talking and pointing. No one was working.

"This won't do," he said. "Who's responsible for this?"

Of course no one confessed, so he called Detective Brown.

"Count the butterflies before I get there."

YOU CAN HELP

            HOW MANY:

BLUE?                        WHITE?                        YELLOW?                        RAINBOW?

RED& BLACK?                                       ORANGE & BLACK?

BLACK WITH WHITE SPOTS?

TOTAL?

DID YOU SPOT THEM ALL?

ANSWER:

BLUE  13   WHITE  8    YELLOW  9    RAINBOW 9      RED& BLACK   8                                    ORANGE & BLACK  3      BLACK WITH WHITE SPOTS?  3      TOTAL : 53

Detective Brown was stumped with THE CASE OF THE UNMISSING BUTTERFLIES until he looked at Ms. Phelp's lesson plan book. It was blank. But the case was clear. She wasn't prepared to teach so she put up the butterflies instead.

BOOK REVIEW: RUSH FOR THE GOLD: MYSTERY AT THE OLYMPICS

Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics -mystery book review

RUSH FOR THE GOLD: 

MYSTERY AT THE OLYMPICS

John Feinsten

Alfred A. Knopf

2012

Available: Hardcover, Kindle, audio

Susan Carol Anderson is headed for the 2012 London Olympic games in just 84 days. Her rise to stardom happened in just a year, and suddenly everyone is interested in her. Agents and corporate sponsors and the media, and all of them offering her millions. It's a bit overwhelming for everyone involved. Her boyfriend, Stevie Thomas, is more than a little concerned at all the attention. It's turned everything upside down. Usually they cover the sports events together and now he's on his own. As the competition heats up the real question is if someone is trying to rig, who will win the gold medal in the swimming events. Of course, Stevie and Susan Carol try and solve the mystery on their own.

Most of the book, Susan Carol is preparing for the games and it's Stevie who has the funny feeling that something is up. Girls interested in swimming and the Olympics will love learning the behind-the-scenes action of the sport. It's filled with lots of details about competitive swimming, including the mention of several big-time swimmers. Mystery lovers might be just a bit disappointed if they're not into swimming or the Olympics as the actual mystery feels secondary to the story.

Target audience: grades 7-9

Mystery /suspense: Overshadowed by sport

Kid appeal: Girls interested in swimming will love it

BOOK REVIEW: THE BLACKOUT GANG

The Blackout Gang - mystery book review

THE BLACKOUT GANG

Josh McCall

Razorbill

2006

Available: Hardcopy & Paperback

       BB, Monica, and Kev 1 n, are three twelve-year-old super-talented geniuses stuck for two weeks at a camp for normal kids on Pine Rock Mountain, near New York city. Talk about boring. They can't wait to get back to the city, their computers, decent food and air conditioning. When BB receives a plea for help from a nerdy classmate Newt Lizzard, they jump at the chance to return to the city. He's in serious danger. They sneak away from camp and take the train into Manhattan. When they get there, the city has been slammed with a blackout. There's total chaos everywhere. Armed with their super talented brilliant minds and their trusty bicycles, the Blackout Gang faces off against the evil mastermind behind the city’s power loss and the disappearance of their parents.

            Overall the story is a fast paced, fun read. And although the end is a little cheesy, I think reluctant readers especially will enjoy the fast paced action that showcases the unique talents of the three kid geniuses.

Target Audience: grades 5-8

Mystery / Suspense: fast paced

Kid Appeal: Reluctant readers