I have to admit that I like a good mystery as much as the next gal. Throw in some action and adventure and I am hooked. Of course I always like to try and guess the ending, which drives my husband and kids nuts at a movie theater or even on the couch watching TV, but a girls gotta guess when a girls gotta guess!
I love mysteries for kids because they have to pay attention to the clues in the text and they begin to get a better sense of foreshadowing. These traits will only help them as they move on to different types of stories. Learning while enjoying a good story - what could be better?
The books I picked this week are great. Lockwood and Co. is just a standout. This is that book that you finish and just say "Wow!" Down the Rabbit Hole is a perfect book for kids transitioning from kid fare to adult or young adult books. The plot is just a little more sophisticated but there is nothing inappropriate for this age group. And finally Death Cloud which is the young life of Sherlock Holmes and is perfect for kids who are moving on from the Alex Rider series. All the covers have been redone, and none too soon I might add. The original book jacket made Sherlock look like he was part of a boy band!
Visit my website to see full reviews of all the books discussed and to find more great book choices for your kids: www.onegreatbook.com
Title: Lockwood & Co.
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Target: Grades 4-8
Series: This is the first book in a planned series
What this book is about:
England has been invaded by Visitors, which are ghosts that inhabit dwellings or objects of significance to their death. Only certain children can directly see or hear these ghosts so they are the ones who can exterminate them. While some ghosts are only a mild nuisance, others harbor anger and resentment which cause them to hurt or kill the living. Lucy Carlyle joins Lockwood & Co., one of the extermination companies. After a job gone wrong, the agency is in peril of closing, so Lucy and her two partners, must take on one of England’s most haunted houses to keep the company afloat. No one else has survived the night in this house, so why should it be different for them?
Why I love this book:
Oh, this was a fabulous book. My son had read the Bartimaeus Trilogy, written by the same author, so I had a feeling this series would be good. Stroud manages to capture the eerie and frightening moments with perfect morbidity, however, he also is able to use the humor of the characters to significantly lighten the mood without destroying the tone of the book.
Now the three partners Lucy, Anthony and George are just wonderful together. Lucy can hear the ghosts, Anthony can see them and George is meticulous with research. But I don’t want you to think of them as cliche. They are wonderfully drawn out, with nuanced relationships. By the end of the story I had very clear and crisp pictures of these three in my head.
Who this book is for:
Any child who likes a little fright but has worked their way past the Goosebumps series. Also, any kids who like a good mystery with charismatic characters and a rousing adventure thrown in.
Final thoughts:
This is perhaps one of my favorite new series this year. Just fabulous (I know I said that already, but I am going for emphasis through repetition!)
