Tag: mysteries for kids

REVIEW: Mercy Watson Is Missing by Kate DiCamillo

REVIEW: Mercy Watson Is Missing by Kate DiCamillo

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The Watsons are devastated when their beloved pig, Mercy, goes missing. They even seek out a private detective to help. The whole Deckawoo Drive neighborhood shows up to help – well, not Eugenia. But a couple of clever kids are able to save the day.

Review

This is a hoot! There are a ton of familiar faces in this story as well as porcine antics and buttery goodness. Series fans – of both the original Mercy Watson books and also fans of the Deckawoo Drive stories – will find a lot here to connect with. Savvy readers will likely solve the mystery before the characters do. But Mercy’s adventure takes several twists and turns I think readers will enjoy.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: Sherlock Bones and the Sea-Creature Feature by Renée Treml

REVIEW: Sherlock Bones and the Sea-Creature Feature by Renée Treml

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and HMH Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sherlock Bones is a mystery-solving superstar at the Natural History Museum. Sherlock, the skeleton of a tawny frogmouth, along with his helpers Watts, a stuffed parrot from an exhibit, and Grace, a raccoon, takes on the case of a swamp monster stalking around the museum.

Review

This is book 2 in the Sherlock Bones graphic novel series for kids. As I was reading this, I imagined this was for kids in the 6-9 age range, but the range from the publisher is 8-12. I think any elementary school reader who loves mysteries, quirky characters, and animal facts will enjoy this one. The characters are punny, and the animal facts were interesting. Readers can follow along with the detectives and work out the solutions on their own.

I got a kick out of this! It’s a funny story with unusual characters in a fascinating setting. I would like to go back and read the first one to see how the author sets up this unique team of sleuths. I would happily hand this to a young reader – I think kids will enjoy this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Bark Park by Brandi Dougherty

REVIEW: Bark Park by Brandi Dougherty

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

Scout and her friends at the Bark Park enjoy three adventures as she solves mysteries for her friends in this series kick off for chapter book readers.

First, Scout solves the mystery of who popped her friend Maggie’s ball. Second, Scout figures out why Rocky has to wear the Cone of Shame. Finally, she helps Gus find his missing bone.

The mysteries are low stakes but feature Scout’s problem solving skills. The main dogs in Scout’s circle have distinct personalities. The periodic illustrations help readers keep track of which dog is which.

The back matter provides context or background information for each of the three mysteries.

Animal lovers and mystery lovers will get a kick out of Scout and her friends!

Rating: ♥♥♥½