Skulduggery Pleasant

 
Landy, Derek. Skulduggery Pleasant. New York : HarperCollins, 2007.

Plot: Much to the shock of all her relatives, Stephanie becomes the primary heir to her rich uncle's vast fortune, including his house. After managing to convince her mother that she is safe at the house by herself, she is visited by an dark stranger and a suit-wearing skeleton. The skeleton is the good guy. After rescuing her from the unknown thief, the skeleton, known as Skulduggery Pleasant, explains she also inherited a staff of great power from her uncle. Unfortunately, neither of them know where he hid it. They do know, however, several powers would kill for it to usher evil, magical overlords toward their goal to reshape the world.

Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Fantasy, Horror

Reading Level: Grades 4-9; however, some fight scenes are graphic and macabre, so caution sensitive readers.

Personal Thoughts: The first book in a currently five-novel series presents its plot and its characters excellently. Both Stephanie and Skulduggery exhibit popular intelligent-sarcastic personalities while showing genuine concern for their fellows. However, according to reviews the books progressively focus more on the macabre/Lovecraftian, so exercise discretion when recommending it.

A movie based on the book was scheduled, but was postponed indefinitely due to author/screenwriter conflict.

The Westing Game

Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game. New York : Dutton, 1978.

Plot: At the invitation of an eccentric paper-factory millionaire, the residents of a nearby apartment complex become the heirs of a vast fortune...if they can discover the source of the millionaire's unexpected demise. As the heirs fight, cooperate, and search, their own plans to gain the fortune, ranging from stock trading to checking car hoods, begin to unfold. So do their faults. The race for the millions becomes the scene of bombings, thefts, domestic troubles, gambling, and discoveries. Yet, the answer to Westing's final game remains ever evasive, even after the millionaire's murderer strikes again.

Genre: Mystery

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Floors, The Dark Stairs, Secret of the Three Treasures

Personal Thoughts: The novel proves it is possible to make a wonderful story with terrible characters. Overall, it reads like a hybrid of Finding Nemo and Murder by Death. The plot reveals the faults and growth of the characters through a genuinely intriguing manner, much like the Pixar film. As in the mystery movie, several are incredibly sympathetic and relatable, until the reader actually considers what they do. For example, the bomber acts to escape an unbearable social situation. However, her actions risk her life, injure at least one more person, and destroy a significant amount of property. Additionally, the two main protagonists, while presented as likeable, become unforgivable through their own actions. The female protagonist is a manipulative, evasive, violent brat, while the male protagonist is equally manipulative, but also irresponsible. Character faults eventually lead to conflict, lack of repercussions, and growth. The bomber gets what she wants without facing charges or guilt. The brat continues to hide her fears and faults under her accomplishments. The millionaire continues to avoid actually apologizing for his manipulation, neglect, and cruelty. Lesser characters also face their problems, but, unlike the supposed sympathetic people, actually work for their growth. A secretary fights through her fears of being ignored by becoming involved with other people. Once fearful of bias, a judge learns to assist others in radical ways. Two individuals afraid of accepting responsibilities and taking risks fight through their marital and social problems to succeed financially and emotionally. Yet, such accomplishments are downplayed in light of the supposed protagonists' undeserved happy endings. The story is wonderful, but the actual characters become little other than annoying.

39 Clues: The Maze of Bones

Riordan, Rick. 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones. New York : Scholastic, 2008.

Plot: Amy and Dan, two neglected orphans, find their lives even more bleak when their grandmother passes away. While they miss her terribly, their grief shatters into an adventure when they discover they may inherit one of the most important secrets of mankind. The road to the secret is surrounded by danger, since they are not the only potential heirs. The entire Cahill clan seems aware of the secret's power, and, unlike Amy and Dan, they have the money, time, and means of getting it. If Dan and Amy do not get to it first. To find it, they must follow the 39 clues left by their famous ancestors before their cruel rivals reach them...or kill them.

Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Historical Fiction

Reading Level: Grades 4-8; some intense scenes may not be suitable for sensitive readers.

Similar Titles: The  Harry Potter series.

Personal Thoughts: Much like the story of a British wizard, the novels begin with the sudden realization that two neglected, discouraged children contain a surprising amount of unexpected power. Unlike Potter, the two do not have access to magic. Instead, the stories take a National Treasure-like approach, using history to explain the presence of clues and power in plain sight. Highly recommended for tweens with an interest in history and mystery.

Side note: The series does not, in fact, consist of 39 books. The original arc consists of ten titles. Additionally, each title includes five cards hinting at future clues and describing characters. A new arc recently began with the conclusion scheduled for publication in 2013.

Howliday Inn

Howe, James. Howliday Inn. New York : Atheneum, 1982.

Plot: A sequel to Bunnicula. While the Monroes go on a car trip, Chester the cat and Harold the dog find themselves boarded at Chateau Bow-Wow. Despite Mrs. Monroe's assurance that adventure is good for the soul, the pair of pets discover slew of strange situations awaiting them, including a love triangle between two poodles and a bulldog, a clash  between the kennel's staff, and a strangely absent vet. The situation becomes worse when two wire-haired dachshunds keep the boarding house awake with their howls, making Chester suspect some werewolf genes exist in their background. Chester's over-active imagination becomes even more irregular when an unpopular boarder unexpectedly disappears. However, his response may not be quite as strange as initially suspected, particularly when another animal vanishes...

Genre: Animals, Mystery

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Bunnicula, The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, The Buddy Files series

Personal Thoughts: While I am especially found of the novel now, I adored it during middle school. It provides a simple, but unexpected mystery and can be a good introduction to the genre. Additionally, the storyline is believable and the twists, while surprising, remain in character with the initial introductions. Overall, a solid sequel to the original.

Nancy Drew: Riverboat Ruse

Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew: Riverboat Ruse. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2005.

Plot: Nancy Drew is awestruck by the picturesque Magnolia Belle, a riverboat hosting a charity dinner. As she and her friends settle down for the evening mystery play, they are shocked by an abrupt, unscheduled blackout. When the lights return, a valuable necklace disappears. Nancy must make her way through the boat, its mysterious curse, its questionable staff, and its strange passengers to discover the thief.

Genre: Mystery

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Original Nancy Drew series, Hardy Boys

Personal Thoughts: I tried to like Nancy Drew. I really did. To give the series the best opportunity I could, I decided to read the "new" series, much like I did with the Hardy Boys. I think the original and the newer titles are the same. Nancy just does not strike me as believable. She gets the unquestionable approval of everyone except the passive-aggressive authority figures (very original *sarcasm*). Somehow, she manages to acquire unmentioned skills (such as long-distance swimming) just when she needs them. She searches rooms without permission or a warrant (good luck using such items in court, Kid). Also, she never seeks help from someone who actually has the legal rights to do something. Seriously. She depends on her friend to hack into police databases. Instead of contacting the chief of police, she has a friend, pardon, BOYFRIEND contact his father to snoop out the FBI. She does not address her concerns to the captain or any of the crew. AND SHE NEVER GETS IN TROUBLE. Somehow, all the laws and protocol she breaks never come back to haunt her. I would like Nancy Drew, but in the books I have read, she comes off as a Mary Sue.

The Hardy Boys #10: What Happened at Midnight

Dixon, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys #10: What Happened at Midnight. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1931.

Plot: Unlike previous cases, Joe and Frank do not prevent a theft in this mystery. Instead, they participate! Following the orders of their detective father, the boys break into the house of a famous inventor to obtain a radio before the real criminals can steal it. They barely manage to claim the item before stumbling on the real thieves. Attempting to capture the criminals while protecting the invention, the boys find themselves facing a gang of kidnappers, thieves, smugglers, and con men.

Genre: Mystery

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Other Hardy Boys titles, Nancy Drew series

Personal Thoughts: Another series that did not age quite as well as I hoped. The usage of certain terms, such as "chum" in a friendly context tends to distract readers. Also, the technological limits seem appalling by modern standards. That said, the story itself seems better than the Nancy Drew title I read. The dangers are real, but so are the behaviors of the boys. They seem less superhuman than Nancy does. In addition, some of the boys' actions have consequences, such as when they order at a restaurant they cannot afford. Joe and Frank are superheroes, but believable ones.

Nancy Drew #10: Password to Larkspur Lane

Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew #10: Password to Larkspur Lane. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1933.

Plot: When a plane releases an injured pigeon over her garden, Nancy Drew realizes she has a mystery to solve. Who owned the pigeon? Why did they release if from a moving plane? What does the message bound to the leg about "singing horses" mean? The mystery only deepens following a mysterious kidnapping and sudden change in a solid houseman's behavior. With the help of her friends and brand new convertible, Nancy is on the case!

Genre: Mystery

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, Hardy Boys

Personal Thoughts: Nancy Drew is an icon of literature. Her exploits find praise by traditionalists and feminists alike. She remains firmly herself and very feminine, yet she does not hesitate to take matters into her own hands and become involved with complex missions. She is, in many senses of the word, a heroine.

That said, I did not like the book. The mystery is good for what it is, but the text did not age well. Many of the terms and concepts are dated. In addition, her independence makes a swift move toward recklessness. The police are never contacted, even when she observes a known criminal stalking her. The book recalls the mentality of the old Superfriends cartoons. Drew is simply a heroine, incapable of making any mistakes, insults, or emotion.

The Bone Detectives: How Forensic Anthropologists Solve Crimes and Uncover Mysteries of the Dead

Jackson, Donna M. The Bone Detectives: How Forensic Anthropologists Solve Crimes and Uncover Mysteries of the Dead. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1996.

Plot: An introduction on forensic anthropology. The book details a case in 1989 when a hiker found a bleached white skull at a Boy Scout camp. Through the deduction of police, forensic anthropologist Dr. Michael Charney, and forensic sculptor Nita Binter, the skull, shreds of clothing, and a few broken bones allowed the killer to be found and tried. The book continues by explaining how historians use forensic anthropology to reconstruct and identify long-dead individuals.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: CSI Expert! Forensic Science for Kids

Personal Thoughts: As a tween, I think I would have been scared of this book. Then again, I have never found the nerve to enter a haunted house (even a Disney one), so I may not be the best gauge for scariness. Anyway, the book does provide solid information and illustrations describing the steps and science of forensic anthropology.

The Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers - #10 Blown Away

Dixon, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers - #10 Blown Away. NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2006.

Plot: Shortly after capturing a team of drug dealers, Joe and Frank, teen twin operatives for a government secret agency, receive a new mission. They must leave the snow of lake Tahoe for the sunny landscape of Arizona. A terrorist threatens a major resort with a bomb. The boys have until three o'clock to find the terrorist while maintaining their cover with the vacationers and keeping their search a secret from their mother. Could one of the two business tycoons at the resort have a grudge worth killing for? Will the boys find the bomb on time? Will their mother make them play Scrabble?

Genre: Mystery, Adventure

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Original Hardy Boys series, Nancy Drew series

Personal Thoughts: This is one of a series of updated Hardy Boys books. Many of the cultural, economical, and social references are up-to-date, allowing readers to gain easy understanding of the novels. I remember one of my teachers claiming the original Hardy Boys were the only books she could get chronically non-reading boys to enjoy. While the new version is certainly enjoyable, I think I need to get my hands on an original.

The Secret Garden

Burnett, Frances H. The Secret Garden. Philadelphia: Lippincott 1962.

Plot: Bratty Mary Lennox finds herself shipped to her uncle's manor after her parents die in colonial India. She does not fit into the manor's household, but she did not fit in well in India, either. Still, she enjoys exploring the garden, especially after she hears about a garden hidden and locked away. With the help of an energetic robin, she discovers the garden, which brings her and the other unwanted members of the manor together. They rebuild the garden and manage to solve the mystery behind the garden's original disappearance.

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Genre: Fiction

Similar Titles: The Little Princess, Ann of Green Gables, Little Women

Personal Thoughts: Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present the rarely-seen school book with a happy ending. Seriously, nearly every required reading novel from fifth grade onwards seems to end with the character losing a pet, mother, father, and/or friend. Then people wonder why kids suddenly stop reading. Okay, the rant is now done.

Anyway, the book manages to offer a mystery without the usual spies, skeletons, or murders. Instead, it presents a realistic look at manor life in the Victorian era from the perspective of a child. The characters are flawed, but endearingly so. Tragedies occur, but they do not remain crippling, figuratively or otherwise. The ending manages to be happy, but not sappy. This was one of the few books I enjoyed from my tween school years. As a side note, the story provided a basis for at least two films and a musical.

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenwieler

Polette, Nancy. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenwieler. O'Fallon, MO : Book Lures, Inc., 1995.

Plot: Tired of the chores and small allowance at home, Claudia makes the perfect plan to run away with Jamie, her younger brother. Claudia is not the type of woman to run to the woods, though. She and Jamie successfully escape to New York's Museum of Art. Barely a day into their escape, they discover a mystery. Is the beautiful angel in the Renaissance wing really by Michelangelo? Only the statue's seller, Mrs. Basil E. Frankenwieler knows.

Reading Level: 9-11

Genre: Mystery, Fiction

Similar Titles: The Phantom Tollbooth, Nancy Drew series, My Side of the Mountain

Personal Thoughts: My parents read this to me when I was about ten. If Amazon.com is any sort of indicator, I was not the only one. The book addresses children's desire for success, to run away, and to discover secrets.

Stage Fright: A Sebastian Barth Mystery

Howe, James. Stage Fright: A Sebastian Barth Mystery. New York : Atheneum, 1986.

Plot: Shortly after he receives a leading roll in the civic center's play, Sebastian Barth meets a famous actress (and close friend of his mother's). The famous and superstisious actress soon discovers she has a secret admirer. However, the admirer's notes soon take a sinister theme as a series of accidents affects the actress. Can Sebastian discover what the admirer's next move will be...and still learn his lines?

Genre: Mystery, Fiction

Reading Level: Ages 9-11

Similar Titles: Hardy Boys series, Nancy Drew series

Personal Thoughts: A reasonable mystery. Some of the references to actors may feel dated to younger readers. Howe does discuss the mix of confidence and low self-esteem present in teen years briefly.

Bunnicula

Howe, Deborah and James. Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery. New York: Athenum Books for Young Readers, 1979.

Plot: When the Monroes return from the theater one rainy eventing, they bring a new companion - a little black and white bunny. Harold, the Monroes' shaggy dog, seems to welcome the new (but slightly boring) member of the household, but Chester, the well-read and eccentric cat, suspects something. His suspecions are confirmed when drained, white vegetables appear over the next few days. Could the tiny rabbit be hiding a terrible secret? Harold watches in shock as Chester tries to eliminate the rabbit named Bannicula. What begins with vegetables could end with the world!

Genre: Animals, Mystery, Fiction

Reading Level: Ages 8-11.

Similar Titles: Howladay Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Nighty-Nightmare, Bunnicula Strikes Again!, Bunnicula Meets Edgar Alan Crow.

Personal Thoughts: I'll admit it. I read this book when I was a tween (way back when tweens were not called "tweens"; they were just "kids"). I managed to finally find a copy when I was twelve, but I still liked it. While younger readers will probably enjoy it more than older ones, it still manages to provide an entertaining mystery.