Archive for Mystery

Escape from Silver Street Farm

Written by Nicola Davies

Illustrated by Katharine McEwen

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Three animal-loving children, Meera, Karl, and Gemma, get together to form a farm within the city. They love every aspect of developing a farm—even shoveling poop– alongside Flora MacDonald, a young Scottish farmer whose experience in farming is invaluable. As they prepare for the Grand Opening, they hear the results of the constant head-butting of their latest arrival, Kenelottl Mossworthy Merridale (Kenny, for short). Despite the noise, the children think everything is set until Flora announces that their prize attractions, the always-nervous turkeys, have flown the coop. As if that isn’t bad enough, Bobo and Bitzi, the Silver Street sheep—formerly known as poodle puppies—have also disappeared. Since the sheep are the newly arrived ram’s new wives, it is only sensible that the children use him to sniff them out. With the sheep in the grocery store and the turkeys about to take a frightening ride in a bouncy castle over the dam, life is exciting for all involved! But is the mystery solved? Not yet! There’s still the matter of the unexplained hole in the fence and the hidden tunnel. Enter Bish Bosh and Squirt for some additional entertainment.

As the sequel to Welcome to Silver Street Farm, Escape from Silver Street Farm is the second in a series of six books. Full of humor, the series should appeal to animal lovers at the third grade reading level. If teachers like the idea of teaching children the value of taking charge with the aid of a supportive adult or two, this book should definitely be added to their reading list.

About the author:  http://www.nicola-davies.com/

About the illustrator: http://www.katharinemcewen.co.uk/

Related video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNDTCL73SsE

  • Escape from Silver Street FarmTitle: Escape from Silver Street Farm
  • Author: Nicola Davies
  • Illustrator: Katharine McEwen
  • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Reviewer: Bonita Herold
  • Hardback: 80 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-6133-5
  • Genre: Humor
  • Lexile score: 810

 

The Deductive Detective

Written by Brian Rock

Illustrated by Sherry Rogers

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When a cake is stolen from a cake contest and there are twelve possible suspects, who do you call? Duck, the deductive detective! He assesses the situation and one by one eliminates suspects based on the evidence. The Deductive Detective is a charming read-aloud, but for a third grade class to really appreciate the puns, students may also read it individually. Brian Rock, a former educator himself, also writes allusions throughout his book. To understand puns like the Elephant’s statement, “I come from a long line of Tudors”, or cow’s recollection that her great-grandmother once “jumped over the moon,” students must remember who the Tudors were or a nursery rhyme.

As a comprehension activity, students may be asked to pick two puns and explain them as if teaching an English as a Second Language (ESL) student. This type of activity promotes comprehension of the text and empathy for ESL students. This book is also a fantastic book to bridge literacy and math concepts. The overlap of the math concept subtraction and the process of elimination are clear.  As another extension activity to help students understand the concept of deductive reasoning, students may play the games like “Guess Who,” “Battleship,” or “Twenty Questions.” Each of these games requires students to use clues and the process of elimination to reach the solution to a problem. Literacy and problem solving skills are two of the most crucial skills for students to acquire, and games along with The Deductive Detective are a fantastic way to learn.

  • Title: The Deductive Detective
  • Author: Brian Rock
  • Illustrator: Sherry Rogers
  • Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing
  • Reviewer: Sharon Schulte
  • Paperback, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-60718-6250
  • Genre: fiction/deductive reasoning/mystery
  • Lexile: 670

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time

Written by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Illustrated by Joe Berger

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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang seems to have a mind of her own. The amazing flying, submarine-ing, time traveling car takes the Tooting family on one adventure after another. Whether the family is escaping from a field full of Tyrannosaurus Rexes in the Cenozoic Era, riding in a car race in Prohibition-era New York or experiencing the lost city of El Dorado in the wilds of the Amazon, life with a luxury car demands ingenuity and stamina. Yet back at their home in England is an even bigger problem. A super-villain has moved into their house, touching all of their stuff. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is taking them to these different places in history for a reason. Dad, Mom, Jem, and Lucy are constantly seeking clues to solve the mystery of what Chitty is trying to tell them. Each member of the family is also learning that he or she has something important to contribute to solving the puzzle, even baby Harry. They soon feel like there isn’t any problem too big for them to handle. Good thing! The book ends with a cliff-hanger as the family is stranded in 1966 without Chitty.

This is a fun read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With a classic knack of British understatement, the humor is endearing. Jem is an inventive, engineering type of boy and Lucy is a brainy girl so both boy and girl readers will have someone to cheer for. This would be a great class read aloud for either third or fourth grade. Each place the Tootings land has something to do with Chitty’s history. Have the students make a chart and record what part of Chitty’s story is represented in each location as a reading worksheet or critical reading activity. There is an activity kit, a teacher’s guide and a book trailer available at the publisher’s website: (http://www.chittyfliesagain.com/).

  • Chitty BangTITLE: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time
  • AUTHOR: Frank Cottrell Boyce
  • ILLUSTRATOR: Joe Berger
  • PUBLISHER: Candlewick, 2013
  • REVIEWER: Risa Brown
  • EDITION: Hardcover, 234 p.
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-5982-0

The Adventures of Jo Schmo and Dinos Are Forever

Written by Greg Trine
Illustrated by Frank W. Dormer

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The Adventures of Jo Schmo and Dinos Are Forever is a fun, exciting, and engaging chapter book for 3rd grade level readers. It has an interesting character that will grab the reader, even a reluctant one, from the very first page because the action and adventure begin right from the start.

Third grade level readers will master the reading alone and advanced third graders may also find success with the assistance of wonderful graphic illustrations throughout to emphasize the scenes. The book is a great classroom book to read together because it offers the teacher an opportunity to encourage discussion and imagination with each student. A great additional activity would be to encourage students to write their own adventure chapter book with illustrations making this an extra opportunity to teach reading and writing.
The Adventures of Jo Schmo- Dinos Are Forever introduces the reader to fantasy and learning what is true and real and what is not, offering another great opportunity for teachers to instruct about fiction and nonfiction.

The story is a great example of a fantasy graphic chapter book for the third grader. Following Jo Schmo as she becomes a detective and tries to solve crimes in her city, and as she becomes a superhero saving lives and solving mysteries, will keep both boys and girls at this reading level engaged and turning the page. The illustrations serve to aid in reading comprehension making this a win- win for both students and teachers when added to the classroom selection.

As budgets get cut, it can be difficult to decide what books to include for third and fourth grade level readers but The Adventures of Jo Schmo would be one to include. It is both engaging and interesting and just plain fun for this reading level. Kudos to Greg Trine for writing a book that kids will love to read.

  • Dinos Are ForeverTitle: The Adventures of Jo Schmo- Dinos Are Forever
  • Author: Greg Trine
  • Illustrator: Frank W. Dormer
  • Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books
  • Hardcover: 105 pages
  • Reviewer: Terri Forehand
  • Lexile: 580

Mallory McDonald: Super Snoop

Written by Laurie Friedman
Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis

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What do you get when a ten-year-old girl’s brother has an official girlfriend and the sister wants to know what the couple is doing?Lots of trouble. That’s what. In this eighteenth installment from the “Mallory McDonald” series, Mallory and brother Max are at home with babysitter Crystal while their parents are out of town. Max and his girlfriend are working diligently on a secret science project, and Mallory is not convinced they are really working on the project. Mallory goes to extreme lengths to discover the truth, asking everyone she knows, including her cat, for advice. She talks to her best friend, to Crystal, to other friends, and even sends an email to an internet advice columnist. They all tell her to leave her brother alone, but she doesn’t like this advice. She finally witnesses an innocent kiss by hiding in a closet. Not satisfied with her knowledge, she embellishes the event to the point of embarrassment for all involved. Needless to say, she pays dearly for her lies. Her friends are appalled, and everyone else is very angry. Mallory has to figure out a way to start the healing.
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Hunter Moran Saves The Universe

Written by Patricia Reilly Giff

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Tinwitty Day is coming (soup ahoy). Five-year old Steadman is following (“The stakes are high. One sound and we are stuck.”).The report card is about to breathe its last (and has to be given a proper burial).  The dentist is plotting (Hunter and Zack are on his trail).  Mary is screaming (the house is out of milk). Linny is shouting (“Where’s the milk for Mary? Someone drank it all?”). William is painting (big globs of paint are everywhere). Mama is in the kitchen (maybe cooking). And Papa is in the office (working).  All this in just the first chapter!  Oh what an exhausting book already!
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Mystery Math: A First Book of Algebra

Written by David A. Adler
Illustrated by Edward Miller

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Halloween is spooky-scary and so is math. David Adler puts them both together, using the imagery of Halloween, which is not really scary after all, to show that once you understand the principles of mathematics, it is not really scary either.

What a fun idea! Skeletons peek from cupboards, and oh my gosh you have to count them! Imagine dividing skeletons, adding bats, subtracting ravens; activities right up the alley for third grade readers. Yay! Yay! Bring them on, we will add, subtract, multiply and divide these spooky creatures.
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The Boy and His Mud Horses and other stories from the Tipi

Written and Illustrated by Paul Goble

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At first glance, this lovely story collection is a bunch of random myths and legends that have nothing in common.  On closer inspection, magic is the common theme.  The foreword and introduction written by a tribal leader, Albert White Hat, and the author, Paul Goble, talk about the role that storytelling played for Native Americans.  White Hat emphasizes how stories teach about life, both the good and the bad.  Goble talks about how stories teach in a symbolic way that is meaningful in different ways during different times of a listener or reader’s life.  Goble urges readers to allow time to let the stories take hold in the imagination.  At the heart of all the stories, there is a mystical happening, an ever-present knowledge that there is more than what we humans can see.
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