On the First Day of Christmas...
Last year I led up to the Chistmas holiday with 12 days of book suggestions. I have been failing in my blogging lately so I thought I would do it again...not really to show support for one Winter holiday over another, or to promote the buying of unnecessary things, but more as a way to promote good reading in general. In fact, you should probably just check these out from a library and read them with someone you love and that will be a memory worth more than any object you could give someone. But...I will step off my soap box to talk about the most important thing...books!
Today I bring you two mystery books. I have never been a huge fan of mysteries but kids LOVE them! I have always found that by about 3rd grade kids start to really get into mysteries. Here are a couple of suggestions.
Summer Island: A Prince in Peril by Robbin Russell.
Age 9 - 12
I finished reading this over the Thanksgiving break. I'll be honest, I was a little unsure at first, partly because I generally don't pick up mysteries and partly because I thought it was going to be about summer camp, which I missed out on as a kid. However, I was immensely surprised at how quickly I got into this book and the characters. Russell tells of a little girl who always has to go to "Poor Camp" over the summer. This camp is set up in her city for kids who can't afford the fancier camps and she loathes it. However, this summer she is sent on a mystery trip to an island in Maine. But instead of going to campy, she moves into a great big house owned by a lovely woman, Tia, with many past lives. The girl is joined by 4 other children who all know each other from previous summers. As she gets to know them and the island, a mystery starts to unfold. In the middle of the night another child joins their group, however he isolates himself. He won't play, he won't hang out, and he dresses very formally. Soon, the friends start to discover that there is danger all around. I couldn't put the book down because I was so intrigued by what might happen. What I loved most about this book was how Russell brought each character to life and how their stories intertwined. And the good news is, this is one in a series! I can't wait to read the next one!
Chet Gecko Series by Bruce Hale
Age 8 - 12
Last year, the Reading Specialist at my school introduced me to this series. I wasn't quite sure, again, as I am usually a little cautious of mystery books. However, this series wowed me! Chet Gecko is a young, lizard detective at Emerson Hickey Elementary School. His trusty sidekick, a mockingbird by the name of Natalie Attired, joins him in a series of mysteries ripe with clues, bad guys, and amazing puns. My kids loved hearing these read aloud and laughed when they heard character names such as Erik Nidd (the tarantula), Luke Busy (the custodian), and Lauren Order (a hamster.) These books offer just as much humor for adults as they do kids. In fact, I think a lot of the best jokes were lost on my class. However, they did get a kick out of me laughing out loud by myself while they all shared puzzled looks. Check out these fabulous titles in the series: The Malted Falcon, Key Lardo, the Big Nap, The Hamster of the Baskervilles, and more!
Today I bring you two mystery books. I have never been a huge fan of mysteries but kids LOVE them! I have always found that by about 3rd grade kids start to really get into mysteries. Here are a couple of suggestions.
Summer Island: A Prince in Peril by Robbin Russell.
Age 9 - 12
I finished reading this over the Thanksgiving break. I'll be honest, I was a little unsure at first, partly because I generally don't pick up mysteries and partly because I thought it was going to be about summer camp, which I missed out on as a kid. However, I was immensely surprised at how quickly I got into this book and the characters. Russell tells of a little girl who always has to go to "Poor Camp" over the summer. This camp is set up in her city for kids who can't afford the fancier camps and she loathes it. However, this summer she is sent on a mystery trip to an island in Maine. But instead of going to campy, she moves into a great big house owned by a lovely woman, Tia, with many past lives. The girl is joined by 4 other children who all know each other from previous summers. As she gets to know them and the island, a mystery starts to unfold. In the middle of the night another child joins their group, however he isolates himself. He won't play, he won't hang out, and he dresses very formally. Soon, the friends start to discover that there is danger all around. I couldn't put the book down because I was so intrigued by what might happen. What I loved most about this book was how Russell brought each character to life and how their stories intertwined. And the good news is, this is one in a series! I can't wait to read the next one!
Chet Gecko Series by Bruce Hale
Age 8 - 12
Last year, the Reading Specialist at my school introduced me to this series. I wasn't quite sure, again, as I am usually a little cautious of mystery books. However, this series wowed me! Chet Gecko is a young, lizard detective at Emerson Hickey Elementary School. His trusty sidekick, a mockingbird by the name of Natalie Attired, joins him in a series of mysteries ripe with clues, bad guys, and amazing puns. My kids loved hearing these read aloud and laughed when they heard character names such as Erik Nidd (the tarantula), Luke Busy (the custodian), and Lauren Order (a hamster.) These books offer just as much humor for adults as they do kids. In fact, I think a lot of the best jokes were lost on my class. However, they did get a kick out of me laughing out loud by myself while they all shared puzzled looks. Check out these fabulous titles in the series: The Malted Falcon, Key Lardo, the Big Nap, The Hamster of the Baskervilles, and more!
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