Today’s mystery books for kids are so jam-packed with action, adrenaline and adventure that you can hardly recognize them as mysteries at all. They incorporate everything a child needs in a good story: brave characters, a reason to keep reading and a quick pace for their ever-shortening attention spans.
The past few years have brought kids mystery stories to a whole new level. The following titles are just some of the many exhilarating mystery books available for young readers:
The 39 Clues series (Scholastic)
- The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (September 9, 2008 | ISBN 9780545060394)
- One False Note by Gordan Korman (December 2, 2008 | ISBN 9780545060424)
- The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis (March 3, 2009 | ISBN 9780545060431)
- Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson (June 1, 2009 | ISBN 9780545060448)
Plot Summary:
After Amy and Dan Cahill’s parents passed away, their Grandmother Grace was the only relative left who truly cared about them. But not long after, Grace died of cancer, leaving behind a greater fortune than her money and estate. In her will, she gave each member of the Cahill family a choice: they could have one million dollars or the first of 39 clues that would lead them on the greatest race this world has ever known. Amy and Dan can’t resist the challenge. They take the clue—along with five other teams of ruthless, power-hungry relatives—and begin their journey around the world. But the hunt for the 39 clues becomes dangerous, as many of their family members will stop at nothing to win the race and become the most powerful person in the world.
The Missing series by Margaret Paterson Haddix (Simon & Schuster)
- Found (April 22, 2008 | ISBN 9781416954170)
- Sent (August 25, 2009 |ISBN 9781416954224)
Plot Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Jonah is adopted. He starts receiving strange letters in the mail, calling him “one of the missing.” When Jonah finds out that his friend Chip is also adopted and that he, too, received the letters, Jonah realizes that this is more than just a prank. Together, Jonah, Chip and Jonah’s sister examine their adoption records, but discover that the answers to their questions are few and far between. Little do they know that something big—something that affected the entire world—happened 13 years ago. And it involved Jonah, Chip and 34 other adopted children.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Little, Brown)
- The Mysterious Benedict Society (March 7, 2007 | ISBN 9780316057776)
- The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (May 1, 2008 | ISBN 9780316057806)
- The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma (October 6, 2009 | ISBN 9780316045520)
Plot Summary:
Mr. Benedict, a man burdened by narcolepsy, has assembled a team highly-intelligent and gifted orphans for mission to save the world. Together, Reynie Muldroon and his new friends must infiltrate the institution on Nomansan Island—the base for a global brainwashing project known as “the Emergency.” The orphans must locate the machine that is transmitting subliminal messages through the television and put an end to the evil Mr. Curtain’s plan.
More Recommended Reads:
- Scat by Carl Hiaasen (Random House | January 27, 2009 | ISBN 9780375834868)
- The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson (Penguin Young Reader Group | September 1, 2007 | ISBN 9780525469193)
- Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett (Scholastic | June 1, 2004 | ISBN 9780439372947)
- How to Disappear and Never Be Found by Sara Nickerson (HarperCollins | April 1, 2002 | ISBN 9780060927725)
- Joe Sherlock, Kid Detective series by Dave Keane (HarperCollins)
- Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen (Random House)
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