Kids' Corner

Get a clue with some mysteries

By now you are probably aware that the Summer Reading theme this year is Get a Clue @ Your Library!  Over 800 Summer Reading Packets have been picked up by kindergartners through sixth graders, and the Henrietta Public Library is a very lively place to be.  To help you “get a clue,” we have a display of mysteries next to the children’s magazines.  And  here are some recently published mystery titles that I think you’ll enjoy:

Cam Jansen and the Summer Camp Mysteries  by David Adler
The girl with the photographic memory and her friend Eric spend three weeks at Camp Eagle Lake . . . and solve three mysteries.
For grades 2 – 4

Room One:  a Mystery or Two  by Andrew Clements
Ted, the only 6th grader in his one-room school, has read every mystery he could find.  Now he’s faced with a real life mystery involving an abandoned farmhouse.
For grades 4 – 6

Half-Moon Investigations  by Eoin Colfer
12 year old Fletcher Moon (called Half-Moon because of his small size) has graduated from an Internet Detective School-  but now he’s accused of being a criminal.
For grades 4 – 7

Mystery at the Club Sandwich   by Doug Cushman
Nick Trunk, an elephant private detective, gathers clues to discover who stole Lola Gale’s lucky marbles -  and he works for peanuts!
For grades 1 – 4

Mercy Watson Fights Crime  by  Kate DiCamillo
Mr. and Mrs. Watson’s pig, Mercy, (whose favorite food is hot buttered toast) chases after the man who has stolen their toaster!
Preschool -  grade 3

Sly the Sleuth and the Sports Mysteries  by Donna Napoli
Sly (Sylvia) only takes on cases that her cat, Taxi, would approve of, and that will make her happy.
For grades 2 – 4

Bad Bear Detectives : and Irving and Muktuk Story  by Daniel Pinkwater
The two polar bears are the chief suspects when a shipment of designer Italian muffins disappears from a waterfront warehouse.  Can they find the real thief?
For K – grade 3

Nate the Great Talks Turkey  by Marjorie Sharmat
This is the latest in the humorous series about the boy detective who solves mysteries with the help of his dog, Sludge. Why is a giant turkey being seen around town?  Nate can probably find out.
For grades 1 – 3

The Mysterious Benedict Society  by Trenton Lee Stewart
The newspaper ad asking “Are you a gifted child looking for Special Opportunities?” attracts four orphans . . . who find themselves in a struggle against evil forces.
For grades 4 – 7

Detective Small in the Amazing Banana Caper  by Wong Herbert Yee
When all of the bananas in town are stolen, the city’s best ( and smallest) private eye is on the case, in this rhyming tale.
For K – grade 2

Happy Reading!
Ellen Xydias, Children’s Librarian