By Piranha T. 

Theodosia Throckmorton is hardly your average eleven-year-old girl. Not only is she the daughter of the Head Curator of the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London and is deemed unfortunately clever by most adults, she is also the only person who does anything to destroy the curses on the museum's artifacts when they arrive fresh from Egypt courtesy of her archaeologist mum. It's simple enough, really: with the help of her protective amulets and the advice of ancient texts, Theodosia has managed to keep the worst curses from wreaking havoc in the museum. If only her parents consented to wear gloves when touching the artifacts; it would make her job so much easier. But her parents seem to think she's peculiar rather than seeing the curses lurking around the museum at night, and Theodosia knows that if she tried to explain, they'd ship her straight off to boarding school. 

When Theodosia's mum returns from Egypt brimming with artifacts, Theodosia is prepared to spend the next few weeks rooting out the curses before they're put on display. She certainly doesn't expect a curse as vile as the one clinging to the Heart of Egypt her mum returns with--one which will leave England vulnerable to its enemies if left unchecked. 

Before Theodosia can decide what to do, though, the Heart of Egypt is stolen. And it's up to her to track it down and learn more about the Egyptian magic she's always experimented with in time to stop the curse. 

I've wanted to read Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos for years, and it didn't disappoint. Theodosia's character and narrative are absolutely perfect--upper-class, sophisticated, and with a touch of dry humor and seriousness which together make her extraordinarily endearing. The rest of the series is at the very top of my to-read list--I can't wait to read more about Theodosia, and see where LaFevers goes with the successive books! The world is also fully realized: the atmosphere of Edwardian England is skillfully evoked and blended with the Egyptian magic Theodosia discovers in the museum, which I enjoyed immensely. I laughed more than once, was surprised often, and loved the myriad characters, making this book thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who enjoy quirky historical fantasy, or to anyone who regularly identifies ancient curses by moonlight. 

By Piranha T. 

Mayhap Ballanstain knows she must always obey her parents' four last rules:
 
Do not leave the house.
Do not go into the grass.
Wait for us.
Sleep darkly.

Those last words from sisters Mayhap, Winnow, and Pavoinne Ballanstain have been framed on the wall of their bedroom since their parents disappeared into the strange, swaying silver grass which surrounds Straygarden Place. But Mayhap would have known better than to enter the grass even without the warning: it is thick and strange, reaching to the roof and slipping in through open windows and unattended keyholes.

Do not leave the house.

Mayhap and her sisters have never had a reason to leave Straygarden Place. The house provides for their every need: making them food, dressing them in the morning, and even giving them droomhunds so that they can sleep without the blinding white light which disturbs the dreams of any Ballanstain.
Do not go into the grass.

But when Mayhap's older sister, Winnow, does just that--and returns dramatically changed--Mayhap must learn the truth about Straygarden Place, their parents, and herself.

Wait for us.
Sleep darkly.

Having read and loved Hayley Chewins's first novel, The Turnaway Girls, I found myself with high expectations for The Sisters of Straygarden Place--and it exceeded them all. The Sisters of Straygarden Place blew me away, its immersive, expansive prose pulling me into it from the first page to an atmospheric world full of floating trees and silver grass and strange, unquenchable magic and twined with mystery. There was nowhere where this book felt slow or confusing--indeed, any time where this book was anything less than engrossing, twisting, and full of hidden magic. It brims with the strange and the unexpected, with startling revelations and brilliant imagery, but what drives it are the underlying threads of discovery and emotion which make Mayhap--indeed, all the characters--shine so brightly. They feel so real I could touch them and talk to them, and I knew and believed in every one of them by the end of this story. I highly recommend The Sisters of Straygarden Place to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who find atmosphere and characters crucial to a story as well as a plot full of the startling and beautiful. 

​By Piranha T. 

Serafina lives in the basement of Biltmore Estate with her pa, staying out of the sight of the rich folk who live upstairs, and heeding her pa's warning to always stay out of the encircling forest. Her pa does maintenance work for the rich Vanderbilts who own the estate, but they don't know Serafina exists. She spends her time prowling the basement and systematically catching the estate's rats. Only occasionally does she venture upstairs to stare around, unnoticed, at the opulence of the Vanderbilts and their guests, or borrow an unattended book from their vast library. 

But when Serafina sees a stranger in the basement--a stranger who wraps his slithering black cloak around a girl from upstairs and subsumes her--Serafina knows she must tell someone what she saw. And when her pa doesn't believe her, Serafina has no choice but to break the rules she's followed all her life and venture upstairs to find someone who will. And she does: she finds Braeden, the Vanderbilts' nephew. 

Serafina knows she has to find the Man in the Black Cloak before he takes more children, and as she gets to know Braeden she discovers he feels the same. Their search will take them out of Biltmore and into the forbidden forest, full of strange, dark magic and whispering secrets. Can Serafina and Braeden discover the Man in the Black Cloak's identity before more children are taken--or will one of them be his next victim? 

Serafina and the Black Cloak is an atmospheric novel full of mystery, secrets, and dark magic. Set in the late 1800s at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, where the Vanderbilts really lived, this book feels as though it captures both the historical and regional setting in a really cool way. I loved Serafina's determination and personality, and she constantly surprised me in the best possible ways. This book is part-fantasy and part-mystery, as Braeden and Serafina are searching for the identity of the Man in the Black Cloak, but it also shares its touch of creepiness/horror with books such as The Sisters of Straygarden Place and A Path Begins, so if you've liked either of those, I think this could also be enjoyable. I recommend Serafina and the Black Cloak to readers ages ten and up who enjoy dark historical fantasy full of questions and mysteriousness. 

By Piranha T.

Eva Evergreen might be the daughter of one of the country’s most powerful witches, but she only has a pinch of magic. Even when she can invent a spur-of-the-moment spell, they nearly always go wrong, summoning cabbages instead of flowers and leaving her embarrassed and so exhausted that she dozes off immediately afterwards. Nevertheless, Eva’s never wanted anything more than to become a witch like her mother, and she’s determined to pass her Novice Witch quest, the first step in achieving that dream.

There’s only one problem. If she fails, she’ll lose her magic…forever.

Eva’s quest brings her to the seaside town of Auteri, where she’s instructed to help the inhabitants however possible. But nothing goes quite right. Her ‘semi-magical repair shop’ remains customer-less. The magic she does perform goes horribly awry. And then there’s the looming danger of the mysterious Culling, a disaster which strikes yearly which she must somehow barricade Auteri against.

Still, she’s also beginning to form friendships with some of Auteri’s inhabitants. And when disaster strikes, it’s up to her to protect the town she’s grown to love.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch is a fun, fresh fantasy novel full of distinct characters and intriguing worldbuilding. Eva is an interesting and motivated protagonist, and Julie Abe uses ideas of witches and spells in a cool way. I particularly liked Auteri itself—this town truly comes alive, with a layered network of characters and plenty of mysteries set up for the sequel. I recommend Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch to readers ages nine and up.

PS: If you like Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, definitely check out the sequel, Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch! 

By Piranha T.
 
When twelve-year-old Emmy Willick is sent to a boarding school in England, she knows she’s not going to fit in. After all, she knows those kinds of schools are populated by kids who have been in the system all their lives, who take Latin for fun and know everyone in their dormitory, and the school’s name--Wellsworth—hardly does anything to dissuade that notion. Her mom tells her it’s ‘the best’, just like she’s said about all the other horrible schools she’s sent Emmy to, but she always thinks she’s right. After all, her whole job is to give parenting advice. And Emmy’s dad…well, her dad disappeared nine years ago, and she thought he was gone for good. But only a few days before she learns she’ll be going to Wellsworth, she receives a mysterious letter which leads her to a strange set of medallions in the attic—medallions with belonged to her father.

At first, Wellsworth seems like any other school Emmy has attended. There’s difficult coursework, mean kids and nice kids, and competitive interscholastic sports. But with the help of her new friends, Jack and Lola, she learns that her dad went to Wellsworth, too, and for the first time, she’s on the edge of learning something about him. As she begins to dig deeper, though, it becomes clear that his disappearance might have had something to do with his time at the school after all. And then there’s the mysterious and dangerous Order of Black Hollow Lane…

It’s up to Emmy, Jack and Lola to learn the truth about Emmy’s father and the Order of Black Hollow Lane…before the Order stops them from doing just that.

​The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane is a fast-paced mystery novel with lots of twists. Emmy, Jack and Lola are a great trio of main characters, all of them interesting and sympathetic. The slow reveals in this book, especially around Emmy’s father and the Order of Black Hollow Lane, are well-paced and interesting, often raising more questions than they answer in a really cool way. I recommend The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane to readers ages nine and up. 

By Super Kitty

Charlie Thorne knows over a dozen languages. She's an extraordinary coder and inventor. Her IQ is quite simply off the charts, and she might be the only person alive capable of uncovering an equation discovered and hidden by Einstein himself--one which has eluded every intelligence agency in the world for decades. But after a not-100%-legal use of her talents which left her a multi-millionaire, she has been using them only to stay undercover.

And oh, yeah--she's twelve years old.

Under normal circumstances, the CIA wouldn't so much as consider sending a headstrong twelve-year-old into the field (especially one with such a...questionable history). But Einstein's last equation--better known as Pandora's Box--is said to have improved upon E = MC^2 so ingeniously that anyone who had access to it could easily create nuclear power, and the CIA's leaders have reason to believe that a small terrorist organization called the Furies has figured out its location. And, well, desperate times call for (very) desperate measures.

Charlie has absolutely no intention of working with the CIA--in fact, she's put a great deal of energy into avoiding them for the last few years. Yet she can't resist her curiosity, and as she begins to unravel clues left by Einstein himself, she's pulled into a mission that will cross the globe, race the Furies, and shape the fate of the world as she knows it. (No pressure or anything....) But the equation means something different for everyone--from sustainable energy to nuclear bombs--and the closer she gets to finding Pandora's Box, the more Charlie realizes that trusting humanity with the box could be its undoing. 

Clever, funny, and engaging, Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation is a fun, fast read. Charlie is stubborn, witty, and highly amusing, and I like how she uses her abilities and knowledge creatively to succeed in seemingly impossible situations--her ability to "see the numbers" is useful not just for unraveling equations, but also for outwitting her enemies and carefully calculated skateboard getaways. While most of the characters are likable but fairly straightforward, I really liked how each one has a logical goal and perspective which, instead of leading to a "good guys vs. bad guys" climax, results in a web of conflicting motivations, strategies, and factions that make the story highly entertaining, particularly the ending. I also liked the villains--most authors would have made the Furies into a brilliant underground network of evil which spanned the globe, but Gibbs instead made them simply a handful of average people, yet ones brimming with racism and blinding hatred. They aren't geniuses, but they don't need to be to be seriously dangerous and concern the CIA, which made them much more believable and interesting--I enjoyed seeing Charlie face off with them! I would recommend Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation to readers ages ten and up who enjoy complex clues, historical and scientific tidbits, and action-filled adventures. 

Note: Check out our interview with Stuart Gibbs, author of Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation! 

By Piranha T.

Life in Juniper has become tough for eleven-year-old Elodee Lively and her family. Over the past few months, it’s grown harder to talk to her family about small matters, and impossible to discuss the ones which really matter. Even her twin Naomi no longer gives her the reassurance she’s searching for. Nothing is the same, not her family, not the cooking she’s always loved, not her friends, not even her emotions. She’s glad to leave Juniper and move to Eventown, a place she remembers from a past vacation as full of sunshine and rosebushes, with delicious ice cream and cheerful neighbors.

And Eventown is much better, at first. Everyone’s happy and kind; their new house comes equipped with a beautiful kitchen and a box of delicious recipes just for Elodee. She’s glad to forget the heartbreak of the last few months. The silence which has enveloped her family lifts at last, and Elodee finds herself struggling to mirror her dad’s joy, her mom’s outgoingness, her sister’s satisfaction.

But somehow, she can’t.

Something’s strange about Eventown. Little things, which add up to big ones. The houses are all identical. Only one song is ever sung. There’s a library full of books, but all the pages are blank. And there aren’t any butterflies.

People keep telling Elodee that everything will make sense once she’s been Welcomed to Eventown. But it’s at the Welcoming Center that Elodee realizes just how wrong Eventown is. And that something has to change—something big. Because nothing can be perfect forever. And there’s power in remembering.

​Eventown is a well-written and absorbing story. Even when I wasn’t sure where it was going, I kept reading, and I’m glad I did. Two elements of this book particularly stood out to me. First of all, Corey Ann Haydu did an excellent job of evoking Eventown’s strangeness—how it was perfect and unnerving at the same time. And the characters—particularly Elodee—were vividly characterized, realistic and distinct. I also love the feeling this book ends with! I recommend Eventown to readers ages eight and up. 

 By Piranha T.

There are plenty of ways that Zenobia July is different from her fellow students when she starts Monarch Middle School. Her skills at tech, for example, developed over long days sitting at home when her father wouldn’t let her leave the house. The fact that she’s not living with her parents but with her two eccentric aunts. Or that although Zen was born a boy, in her new home in Maine, she’s been able to transition publicly to the girl she’s always been inside. Despite all the hardships she’s faced, though, Zen finds new challenges in middle school—girls who make fun of her, a boy who despises her for her skill at technology, and the constant fear that someone will learn she’s transgender. The only comforts lie in Arli, a self-proclaimed word geek, and the familiar riddles of Cyberlandium.

Then the school website is hacked, and it changes everything. Because although Zen knows she can find who did it, she’s also aware that success may not make her popular with her classmates. And as she delves deeper into the mystery, it makes her question the place she’s started to find for herself at Monarch Middle School.

It’s a multilayered puzzle which requires both cyber skills and determination. And Zenobia July may be the only one who can stop it before the hacker strikes again.

Zenobia July is an amazing book, one I’m so glad I’ve read. It’s the tale of a transgender girl figuring out who she is and navigating an unfamiliar world, but it’s also a cyber mystery with a strong friendship storyline. Lisa Bunker creates a many-layered, real story with an interesting, engaging plot. Her characters were well-drawn and unique, and every part of the story felt natural and smooth. To readers ages ten and up who like mysteries or books with diverse protagonists, I highly recommend Zenobia July.

By Super Kitty

Twelve-year-old Horace F. Andrews is a very logical person. So when he sees a sign with his name on it through a bus window on the way home from school, he can't quite  convince himself that it's a coincidence--sure, Andrews is a common name, and the chances of having "F" as a middle initial seem greater than one in twenty-six, but...Horace? Definitely unusual.

He decides to investigate. And the results are most certainly not logical.

When Horace gets off the bus and looks for the sign, he stumbles into a towering man who smells of brimstone--and who no one else on the street seems able to see--who tells him that curiosity is a walk fraught with peril, his tone not a warning but a threat. Shaken, Horace slips away and finally finds the building the sign was advertising for: the House of Answers, which somehow only leads to more questions. He is introduced to Keepers of Tan'ji, or objects with magical powers--and is told that he, too, has the aptitudes necessary to bond with a Tan'ji and become a Keeper. And that the tall, brimstone-smelling man is one of the Riven, a people that has been fighting the Keepers for the Tan'ji for eons, and must be avoided at all costs.

Sure enough, Horace discovers his Tan'ji, an extraordinary box he immediately feels a bond with. Charged with uncovering the abilities of the box on his own, Horace slowly discovers its incredible powers, and in the process meets Chloe, a prickly girl who is bonded with her own Tan'ji and can see Riven, too. Together, Horace and Chloe might change the tide of an ancient war for the power of the Tan'ji, and Horace is willing to do anything to protect the box from the Riven. But the influence of the Riven runs deep, and they always seem to be a step ahead, threatening everything that Horace has gained.

Because Horace's instinct was correct: the box is extraordinary. And the Riven are determined to take it. At any cost. 

The Box and the Dragonfly is a fast-paced, clever, and highly amusing fantasy that kept me engrossed for days. Although it's a fantasy, (with science fiction components), it strongly reminded me of the Mysterious Benedict Society books, especially the quirky characters and writing style--if Trenton Lee Stewart wrote a fantasy book, I suspect it would read a lot like this one. Horace is a smart, determined, appealing protagonist, Chloe is irritable and hilarious, and the other supporting characters each have their own distinct quirks and personalities. 

As I was writing the above book description, I was struck by how many of the elements of The Box and the Dragonfly aren't uncommon in fantasy (scientifically inclined protagonist, ancient struggle, magical objects), yet the way Sanders uses them is genuinely fresh and unique, and one particular aspect of the generally excellent plot is truly original and different from anything I've ever read before! (The reader/writer part of me found the way the plot plays with time irresistible, and my astrophysics-enthusiast side greatly appreciated the references to gravitational time dilation...) Similarly, many of the powers the Tan'ji have aren't objectively super unusual, but the ways that the characters use them and the rules attached most certainly are. Filled with quirky characters and clever twists, plus one brilliant plot unfolding in multiple times (read it and you'll see what I mean!), I would highly recommend The Box and the Dragonfly to both dedicated fantasy/science fiction fans and readers new to the genre(s) ages nine and up.

By Super Kitty

Twelve-year-old Charlie has grown up hearing stories of her relatives who were killed in the Holocaust, especially her grandmother's sister Charlotte. So when her history teacher assigns a family history project, she knows just who she wants to research--Charlotte, better known as Lottie, who was an extraordinary violinist and played for the Vienna Philharmonic in her teens. It's not just because she's Charlie's namesake, or their shared love of violin. It's because she disappeared, and though her family tells her that she was almost certainly lost in the Holocaust, Charlie wants to find out what really happened.

As she digs deeper, Charlie begins to piece together more of Lottie's life, and learns more about her family--both those she's researching and the ones she lives with. But her discoveries only lead to more questions, and she begins to wonder: Was Lottie really killed? Or could she still be alive? 

And is there really any way, over sixty years later and an ocean away, to find the truth? 

I've read many books about the Holocaust, but this was the first which explored its effects on the second and third generations of families, and although the story is relatively straightforward, as an older reader I also really also enjoyed it. Charlie is an immensely likable protagonist, and I loved how the mystery of Lottie's story unfolded, and the combination of historical and contemporary plot threads. The ending was particularly well done--although it's a happy ending, it also felt believable, and I liked her balance between connections and open-endedness. I would recommend Searching for Lottie to readers ages eight and up looking for a warm, engaging, and satisfying story about family connections and keeping memories of loved ones bright.

By Piranha T.

Back home in Kansas, everyone was used to the fact that Aven Green doesn’t have any arms. She was born like that, and even though it’s never stood in her way—her adoptive parents have always helped her figure things out on her own—she’s always been different in the eyes of other kids.

So when her parents take a job managing a decrepit cowboy-themed park in Arizona, Aven isn’t surprised when her armlessness is the first thing everyone sees in her. Still, she finds a friend in Connor, a boy who’s as isolated as she is, and together, they begin to uncover an unexpected mystery in Aven’s new home—one which seems suspiciously connected to herself.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is a funny, eye-opening, entertaining book. Author Dusti Bowling seamlessly tackles difficult themes of disabilities and exclusiveness while simultaneously crafting a hilarious story about friendship, mystery, and change. Aven is a funny and relatable main character who truly carried this book. Unlike many other thought-provoking novels, it didn’t feel like Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus was about Aven not having arms. Instead, this was simply one part of it, a section of Aven’s life which was a part of the story without taking it over, which was extremely well done. Overall, I would recommend Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus to readers ages nine and up, whether you’re looking for a thought-provoking read or simply a relatable realistic fiction book. 

By Piranha T.

It is 1940 in England; bombs rain down every night. Twelve-year-old Katherine Bateson and her brother and sister are sent to a crumbling castle-turned school in Scotland to escape the Blitz. It seems to be a perfect solution, despite the mysteries and rumors cloaking Rookskill Castle. Kat and her siblings will be safe there—won’t they?

Despite the stories Kat hears on the way to Rookskill Castle, she insists it isn’t dangerous. After all, she reasons, everything can be explained without falling back on something so ridiculous as magic. She didn’t believe her great-aunt, when she claimed her antique chatelaine had mystical powers; there is no evidence for her temporary home to be haunted.

Before long, more peculiarities are revealed. Lady Eleanor, the castle’s ruler, seems to be more than she appears—and attempts to conceal a chatelaine like Kat’s grandmother’s. Kat hears wordless singing from one of the towers at night, and watches unfamiliar children wander the grounds. She finds but one reasonable solution: Rookskill Castle must be harboring a Nazi spy.

But when Rookskill Castle’s other refugees begin disappearing, Kat realizes the truth is much more complex. She must answer a question she’s never asked herself before: what if magic is real?
​
The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle is at times creepy, at times gripping, but always full of intrigue and unfolding secrets which kept me turning the pages. Kat is an excellent protagonist who has a logical mind without provoking the exasperation readers often feel when a character refuses to accept something which seems utterly obvious; she feels very real, and so does her relationship with her brother and sister, which made me think of The Emerald Atlas. The plot keeps unveiling new layers and eye-opening secrets. This book is filled with mystery and power, including a very interesting villain and kind of magic which I look forward to reading more of in the upcoming second installment. I recommend The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle to readers ages eleven and up who love historical fantasy and twisting storylines. 

Note: If you like The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, check out our interview with the author Janet Fox, and the sequel, The Artifact Hunters! 

By Piranha T.

For twelve-year-old Milo Pine, winter vacation is a time to relax. His adoptive parents run Greenglass House, a smuggler’s inn, but no one ever stays there during the winter. But then guests begin appearing at the front door, and before long, Greenglass House is full of mysterious lodgers, all of whom seem to have their own reason for being there. And none of whom seem the least bit ordinary.

A perplexing map. A potential thief. Missing belongings. As the snow piles up outside and the mysteries deepen, Milo teams up with the cook’s daughter, Meddy, to uncover the secrets of the strange guests, the stories they tell, and the one thing they all seem to have in common: Greenglass House itself.

Greenglass House was a brilliant mystery with complex characters and multilayered histories. Milo and Meddy were awesome protagonists, and the puzzles they were solving kept me turning the pages until the very end. The entire cast was exceptionally quirky and enigmatic, in a way which reminded me of Nooks and Crannies, The Mysterious Benedict Society, or The Westing Game. Additionally, this mystery was unusual because it had hints of magic while still being set in this world, a combination I only remember reading in Knightly and Son, and was extremely well-done. I would highly recommend Greenglass House to lovers of brilliant plot twists and unusual characters ages ten and up.

Note: If you like Greenglass House, Kate Milford has written several sequels and companion books, many of which I’ve read and loved! 

By Piranha T.

When seventh grader Nora Tucker’s school announces this year’s summer homework—a contribution to a town-wide time capsule—she doubts anything worth writing about will happen. Wolf Creek may be home to a secure correctional facility, but the most interesting things which happen are cookouts and carnivals.

But when two prisoners break out of the Wolf Creek Correctional Facility, Nora’s life becomes much more tense. Suddenly, her mom doesn’t let her go outside, police are pouring into town, and her little brother has her check for inmates under his bed.

She also meets Elidee Jones, an African American girl from New York City whose brother is in the prison. And as the search continues and tension runs higher, Nora begins to realize that no matter how welcoming Wolf Creek believes itself to be, it’s still prejudiced—both inside the correctional facility and out.

Breakout was an unusual book which confronted issues of criminal justice and racial prejudice in a way which felt completely natural and was very well done. Kate Messner narrated it in a series of documents submitted by Nora to the time capsule project, mainly by Nora, her best friend Lizzie, and Elidee. This gave the book an unusual feel and depth, and uniqueness, too—there are few books effectively told completely in documents! But instead of becoming dry, it was a really engaging format.

​This book was recommended to me, and if it hadn’t been, I don’t know if I would have read it; however, I’m glad it was. Breakout was an interesting book which covered a lot of issues which I don’t often see in middle-grade books. For anyone who remotely likes realistic fiction, this is a book which is good to read. I would highly recommend Breakout to readers ages ten and up.

Note: Check out our interview with Breakout's author, Kate Messner! 

By Super Kitty

Ten-year-old Leroy Brown, nicknamed “Encyclopedia” because of his incredible memory, is known throughout town for his amazing gift at solving puzzles. With the help of his friend Sally Kimball, he runs a business solving mysteries for neighborhood kids (25 cents per day, plus expenses). And his father, the local police chief, always knows what to do if he’s stumped on a case—go home to dinner and tell Encyclopedia all about it. In ten solve-it-yourself-style short stories, Encyclopedia and Sally discover clues, track down crooks, and take on everything from local shoplifting to a missing diamond necklace.  

I started reading the Encyclopedia Brown books when I was in second grade, and I still find them utterly brilliant. They’re all but impossible to grow out of, and in fact older readers (from middle-schoolers to adults) with more general knowledge might enjoy them more than younger ones—often all that you need to solve a case is a bit of random knowledge and a skill for noticing details! Encyclopedia and Sally are great protagonists, and various quirky supporting characters keep the mysteries constantly entertaining. Whether he’s outwitting the neighborhood bully or helping his father unravel a perplexing new case, Encyclopedia’s adventures are perfect reading material for mystery lovers ages seven and up. And if you enjoy reading about kid detectives, be sure to check out the Meg Mackintosh mysteries (another solve-it-yourself series) by Lucinda Landon, James Ponti’s T.O.A.S.T. series, and Linda Fairstein’s Devlin Quick Mysteries!