Grisham, J. (2010). Theodore Boone: Kid lawyer. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.
Genres: Mystery, Murder, Legal Drama
Summary: Theodore Boone, Theo to his friends, is the son of two attorneys and considers the courthouse his second home. A murder trial has begun; it’s the biggest case to hit Strattenburg in sixty years. Theo resents having to miss it because he’s just a kid and goes to middle school. The defense is strong; prosecution has no evidence to convict. But then, Theo’s friend Julio confides in him: his cousin is a witness to the murder, and his testimony could have a huge impact on the outcome of the trial, but is afraid to come forward because he’s in the country illegally. Can Theo help solve the murder and keep his friend’s cousin safe too?
Review: While the story is interesting, the characters aren’t relatable, and the ending falls flat. John Grisham may be a best-selling author, but he should either do more research on youth and writing for a juvenile audience, or stick to writing novels for adults.
Notes:
From the Bestselling author John Grisham, known for his legal thrillers.
This is the first of the Theodore Boone Series. The second, Theodore Boone: The Abduction, was released June 2011, and a third is suspected to arrive on the scene summer 2012.
Reviews: School Library Journal, Kirkus Review, Publisher's Weekly, Horn Book, Wilson’s
Sammy Keyes is a feisty 13-year old girl whose mom (“Lady Lana”) left her with her Gram who lives in a seniors-only apartment complex while Lady Lana pursues a career in Hollywood. Because she isn’t supposed to live there, Sammy spends a decent amount of time sneaking in and out or just plain hiding out. Curiosity and boredom lead her to peering at her neighborhood through binoculars from her grandmother’s bedroom window and while doing this she spots what appears to be a robber in the seedy hotel across the way. She later finds that money has been stolen from that very room.
From here on out we are led on an adventure involving psychics, pork bellies, and lots of twists and turns while Sammy tries to solve the mystery of the hotel thief. Sammy has a lot of spunk and a knack for finding mischief. She’s a believable and likable character and her ability to solve the crime when the police and other adults are not make her a great heroine. Readers will be clamoring for the next installment in this mystery series.
Chasing Vermeer
By Blue Balliett, 2004
Illustrated by Brett Helquist
254 p.
Reading Level: 5+
Interest Level: 10-13 years old
Reviews: Booklist Starrred, Publisher's Weekly Starred, School Library Journal, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Starred, Kirkus Review Starred, Wilson’s
Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay are sixth graders attending U. School on the campus of The University of Chicago. Although they both have Ms. Hussey as a teacher and they only live 3 doors from each others they were not friends- each thinking the other odd- until a series of coincidences brought them together. They find that they have much more in common than they thought, with a strong love of books, art, making sense of seemingly unrelated things, and blue M&Ms.
When a Vermeer painting that was en route to Chicago from Washington is stolen, Petra and Calder realize that a strange phenomena is at hand and that they are somehow privy to clues which could help them recover the missing painting before it’s destroyed by the art thief as has been threatened.
This is a book of puzzles. Petra uses pentominoes not only to create designs, but as letters which provide clues to the things happening around him. Dreams, reproductions of paintings, an old book of curious events, and more are all interconnected like puzzle pieces which all lead Petra and Calder to the conclusion that they know where the painting is hidden But will they get to it in time?
Illustrations by Brett Helquist are found throughout the book and are a nice visual addition.
Reviews: School Library Journal Starred, Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly
Ten year old Lewis Barnavelt is in for some changes in life. His parents were recently killed in a car accident and he’s being sent to New Zebedee, Michigan to live with his Uncle Jonathan, a relative he’s never met. Uncle Jonathan lives in a mansion filled with old and amazing things. On his first night in New Zebedee Lewis notes Uncle Jonathan’s strange reaction to clocks along with the fact that he seems to have an awful lot of them in the house. Lewis soon hears the ticking of a clock in the walls.
Strange things happen in the house, with windows that change and coat rack mirrors that display life-like images. We find out that Uncle Jonathon and Mrs. Zimmerman, the next door neighbor, are both wizards albeit the rather harmless kind. We also find out that before Uncle Johnathon, the house had been lived in by a pair of evil wizards determined to destroy the world. The hidden clock has something to do with bringing the world to an end. Lewis accidentally speeds up the process when he attempts to impress his neighbor Tarby by reading a spell from his Uncle's magic book while in a cemetery on Halloween so that he can raise the dead. He soon finds out the the person he brought back to life is one of the evil wizards and now it's up to Lewis and to prevent the end of the world.
The original editions of the books in this series were illustrated by Edward Gorey and really add to the spooky, Gothic vibe.
Byars, B. (1994). The dark stairs: A Herculeah Jones mystery. New York: Viking.
Genres: Murder, Mystery
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Herculeah Jones is as strong and bold as her name. Endlessly curious, she recruits her hesitant and bumbling neighbor (a kid named Meat) to investigate the old Dead Oaks mansion where an unsolved murder took place long ago. How could she resist being involved? Her father is a police officer, and her mother works as a private eye; solving crimes is in her blood.
Herculeah’s fast-paced adventures include a monstrous man, hidden staircases, narrow escapes, and chilling discoveries. The author entertains her young readers with just the right balance of humor and suspense. For example, Herculeah has a sixth sense: whenever she’s in danger, her hair frizzes out of control. Young readers will enjoy quirky characters and juvenile antics, but also face complex dilemmas like rights vs. responsibility.
Notes:
First of seven books in the Herculeah Jones Mystery Series.
Betsy Byars has won numerous awards for other novels ( not Herculeah Jones), including ALA Notable Books, Booklist Editor’s Choice, a National Book Award, and the 1971 Newbery Medal.
Snicket, L., Helquist, B., & Kupperman, M. (1999). The bad beginning: Book the first, A series of unfortunate events. New York: Scholastic, Inc.
Genres: Dark Comedy, Neo-Gothic, Mystery
Summary: Lemony Snicket, whose own story is shrouded in mystery, relates the tragic events of three orphaned siblings. The Bad Beginning is the first of thirteen woeful novels, introducing the Baudelaire children sitting in the rubble and ashes of their once beautiful home, facing the brutal reality that they will never see their parents again.
While the themes of this book are dark and distressing, the Baudelaire children are resilient, resourceful, and talented. Violet, the oldest, is a brilliant inventor. Klaus, the middle child, has read so many books, he is like a living encyclopedia. And Sunny, the baby who cannot yet walk or talk, has very sharp teeth for cutting or chopping things into bits.
The Baudelaire siblings are sent to live with their distant uncle, the arrogant Count Olaf, who proves to be cruel and selfish and will stop at nothing to seize the Baudelaire fortune. Can the children uncover Count Olaf’s scheme before it’s too late? Can they discover the truth of their parents’ death?
Notes:
Book One of thirteen: A Series of Unfortunate Events.
The Bad Beginning has won multiple literary awards, including the Colorado Children's Book Award, and the Nevada Young Readers Award. Other titles in this series have also been honored with multiple awards and nominations.
Byars, B. (1993). Wanted… Mud Blossom. New York: Yearling.
Genre: Mystery, Comedy
Summary: This is the fifth and final book relating the antics of one hilarious and irresponsible family, the Blossoms. Junior has the honor of pet-sitting the class hamster Scooty for the weekend. When Scooty goes missing, Junior suspects that Mud, the family dog has eaten him, so poor Mud goes on trial for murder.
Meanwhile, Mad Mary, “The Vulture Lady,” who sleeps in a cave, has disappeared; Vern and Michael have a case of uncontrollable giggles; and Ralphie has a crush on his friend Maggie, but can’t do anything right when he tries to be more than friends. Can the Blossoms sort things out? Not without some comical chaos and entertaining twists.
Notes:
The fifth and final book in the Blossom Family Series.
Winner of the Edgar Allen Poe Award in 1992.