The Case of the Dead Man’s Treasure by Mike Mains

 

Genre:  Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: Purchased

 

When I read the first book in this series I was immediately taken back to my childhood and reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries.  As an adult reading these books I am drawn to books by Max Elliot Anderson and Tim Shoemaker. The reason is simple; these are books that are not only a great mystery but also carry a faith-based message.

 In book number two we find Jeffrey Jones and his friend Pablo are on another case and this time they are being paid. When their teacher is injured in a hit-and-run accident, he pays them to track down the car. The police don’t seem to have any interest in it, saying that there are way too many cars to be able to find this one. He has faith that this genius boy who was able to take him down in class in a game of logic will solve this case.  What he couldn’t see coming was  Jeffrey and his friends stumbling on a case that may just cost them their lives.

 I have to say that my response to Jeffrey besting his teacher through logic was not what most people would expect. As a teacher, I have taught kids from all over the world. If any of them could explain why they wrote something the way they did and it was logical then I gave them credit for it and then taught them the correct way. Sometimes perspective really does matter. Jeffrey has earned his first-ever “F”. He asks the teacher why and the teacher proceeds to read the question, tell him the correct answer, then read Jeffrey’s answer to the whole class. Unfortunately, Jeffrey’s answers are correct based on his logic.  It didn’t help that Jeffrey keeps badgering his teacher about the unfairness of the situation and how it did matter because it would affect his permanent record.  The flustered teacher gives him a riddle with the understanding that Jeffrey has only 60 seconds to solve it. If he is successful, he will change Jeffrey’s grade to an “A”.  I was cheering Jeffrey along. I have come across too many teachers who believe they are always right and students are always wrong.

 This kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out the clues. Needless to say, all these years of reading mysteries I am not much better. Out of all of the clues I was able to get only one of them correct and only a part of it.  My students are going to love these books.

The North Hollywood Detective Club in the Case of the Hollywood Art Heist by Mike Mains

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: Purchased

 

Jeffrey Jones is one of the smartest kids in his school. He has a knack for figuring out mysteries. He really doesn’t have to try very hard. His mind just works that way. His parents are proud of him, but would really like him to stop. You might wonder why. His most recent case almost cost him his life. Jeffrey’s math teacher tells his class about a recent break-in and burglary of his apartment. One thing that was stolen was his teacher’s stamp collection worth a lot of money. The police have told him it was probably stolen for drugs or by gangs. The first thing everyone in the class does is looks at Jeffrey because he has asked about clues. They tease him about wanting to solve the case. His teacher finally agrees to let him check out the scene which resulted in catching the thief and almost killing him in the process. Now his parents aren’t sure they should go on their trip and leave him home alone. He and his best friend Pablo have formed a detective club. While sitting in his basement bedroom they hear sirens and screaming. They go outside to see the neighbor’s son hauled off in handcuffs.  Jeffrey and Pablo help stop the distraught mother and get her back into the house. This is how we are introduced to the next case.

 I love mysteries. I have since I was a young girl in elementary school.  I am always looking for that book that will hold me on the edge of my seat all the way through. This author has done that. I have just a handful of mystery authors that I recommend on a regular basis to my students. I now have a new one to recommend when the school year begins. This was a quick read for me. This was the first of two books I read on this day. I hope to read the next two books in this series tomorrow. I highly recommend this to all lovers of middle-grade mystery.

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel

Source: Purchased

I purchased books for my classroom from Scholastic with my birthday money. This was the first book I picked out to read. New Kid is the story of Jordan Banks. He is a middle school student who loves to draw graphic cartoons.  He wants to go to arts school. However, his mom wants something more for him. She has managed to get him into one of the most prestigious schools in the area. Jordan realizes that there are very few kids of color in this school. There are very few kids who are not rich. This is just one more reason for him not to feel like he fits in.  To me this book was very appropriate for what we have been seeing in our country the last few weeks.  However, this isn’t just about color, it is about being accepted for who you are regardless of social status, color or anything else. It is about standing up for what is right. This was a very quick read for me and one I can say I really enjoyed. This says a lot because my students would be the first to tell you that graphic novels are not my favorite genre. One thing I really enjoyed about the book is that we get to see Jordan’s drawings, a peek at his sketchbook within this book. I would definitely read more by this author. This is a book a can’t wait to put on my shelves and recommend to my students.