What the Valley Knows

Written by Heather Christie

This novel is presented from three separate points of view. Ann, a mother, who moves into the town for a new start, her daughter, Molly, a high school senior, and Wade, the star football quarterback.

It is a coming-of-age story, touched by a budding romance, and the problems of bullying and adjusting to a new home. Each of the characters faces challenges and struggles. Drama is added with a mystery that needs to be solved.

The book will appeal particularly to young adult audiences. It is a pleasant change from the dark fantasy and paranormal often found on young adult reading shelves.

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The Magic Volcano: Molly’s Magical Adventures: Book One

Written by V. K. May

Although this book is targeted at a middle-grade reading audience with short chapters, it contains all the elements that will please young adult and adult audiences.

Molly Marsh possesses an insatiable curiosity and strong determination to get to the bottom of things. As the book opens, she has departed Australia for Papua, New Guinea. Upon landing, a blue butterfly lands on her nose assuring her things will be okay. Let the adventures begin.

Molly teams up with Michael to explore the island. The characters are well-defined, and the action is continuous. Readers discover all types of useful information. I won’t spoil the plot but will say once you start reading, you will not be able to put the book down.

A delightful chapter book for readers eight through eighty.

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Logan Scott Files: A Spoiled Brat is Missing!

Written by D.C. Spaar

This is Book One of a chapter book series that is perfect for a beginning or reluctant reader. The print size is large and the short chapters are easy to follow.

Scott possesses the talent of finding lost objects. The local police department decides they could use his help in their secret division. They recruit Scott, offering him lots of fancy tools like glasses that see-through buildings and a spray that makes him invisible.

His first case involves finding the daughter of an influential citizen. It turns out she is a spoiled brat. Will Scott follow the clues to discover her whereabouts? Can he use his smarts to close the case?

Children love a mystery to solve. This book of about fifty pages is a quick read with lots of appealing characters. Recommended especially for ages six through ten.

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The Flip: A Haunting on Long Island

Written by Michael Phillip Cash

A fast read with interesting characters and a nice blend of genres. Brad and his wife Julie are house flippers. Julie would love to earn enough money to quit her day job to join her husband, who is a full-time contractor.

What could go wrong when they purchase an old Victorian house named Bedlam in Cold Spring? Plenty. Turns out the original owners, Gerald and Tessa decide to put their ghostly talents to the test by torturing the new owners.

Why were Gerald and Tessa killed? Readers learn about the history and the mystery of the abandoned property as they follow the clues and become absorbed in the lives of its inhabitants, past and present.

Highly recommend this entertaining read for young adult and adult audiences.

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Thomas Templeton and the Whispers of Branson Manor

Written by Emily A. Stewart

Illustrated by Chad Stewart

Sarah, Thomas, and Evie are three orphans who have been taken in by their Aunt Gertrude. Gertrude never wanted them in her life.

When the siblings overhear that she is planning to get rid of Sarah and Thomas but keep Evie around to do her bidding, they decide to run away. How will they survive with limited resources and no one to watch out for them?

The resilient trio go on an adventure, adopt a lost pup, and meet a bunch of friendly and unfriendly characters. As Gertrude attempts to get them back for punishment, the three children find themselves in the house where their parents died. Strange things befall them. They learn about witches and curses. Will they escape their aunt and find a way to stay together? Is the house cursed? What happened to their parents?

Interesting characters, a nice blend of humor, mystery, with just enough scariness, combine to make this a middle-grade page turner.

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The Mystery of Santa Claus

Written by Paul Moxham

Will is spending the Christmas holidays in Scotland at his grandparents house. His three best friends, Joe, Amy, and Sarah have joined him.

The foursome venture out to check out the scene of a recent accident in which a tree fell on a vehicle narrowly missing killing the driver. They are distracted when their dog follows another dog. Of course, they need to investigate the urgency. When they come upon a man dressed as Santa Claus in the snow, the mystery deepens. It’s Christmas Eve and the snow is falling. How will the children be able to rescue the injured driver and solve the mystery?

This thirty page short story is a page turned. Although it is written for middle-grade audiences, I could not put the book down. American readers should note that this book is written in British English, but it is an easy read.

I highly recommend adding it to your holiday reading list.

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Trick or Treat Free For All: A Halloween Kids Book

Written by: Marina J. Bowman, J.K. Campbell, Richard Clark, Eli Cranor, Connor Grayson, Deb Logan, Scott Peters, D.M. Potter, and M.K. Radican

Here is a book that will please beginning and middle-grade readers. There are ten different stories. Each is written by a well-known children’s author.

These stories have different themes that correspond with the genre and characters familiar to each of the authors. Detective story fans, magic fans, folktale fans, and mystery fans will find a story to love. Reluctant readers will be enticed by the shorter length and off-beat characters.

Teachers might read one of these each day or the collection might be read aloud at a Halloween party. Anthologies are not common for young readers, but I think it is a good way to introduce readers to a wide variety of different genres and book series.

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Onward: The Search for the Dragon Gem: An InQuestigation

Written by Steve Behling

The book is based on the Disney movie. It is primarily a middle-grade read for fans of fantasy, magic, dragons, and coming-of-age novels.

Sadalia is a sophomore at Mushroomton High, Her passion is journalism. She constantly searches for that big story. When a red mist appears around the school one evening, her dream comes true. The high school is taken over by a dragon. The adventure of a lifetime begins.

Will things ever get back to normal? What part have her two schoolmates, Ian and Barley have in the mystery? Can Sadalia get her big scoop? Fans of the movie will want to check out the book. Recommended for grades three through seven.

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Sophie Washington: Secret Santa

Written and Illustrated by Tonya Duncan Ellis

This Christmas themed story adds a nice touch to the Sophie Washington series of books. These chapter books are geared to middle-grade readers. The black and white line drawings enhance the tale and provide added incentives for beginning readers.

Sophie is now a sixth-grader at Xavier Academy. Her younger brother, Cole, is sometimes a thorn in her side, but she loves him dearly. Sophie steps in to protect him from a new neighbor who is bullying Cole. The main part of the plot involves a series of Christmas gifts that mysteriously appear on Sophie’s doorstep. The signature says from your Secret Santa. Sophie is puzzled. She and her girlfriends try to figure out the mystery. Then she learns that another boy in school is also receiving gifts. Sophie’s grandmother helps them to solve the mystery when a clue emerges. The giver is certainly not anyone they might have suspected.

This book is a beautiful story portraying the true Christmas spirit. Lots of wholesome family values, like supportive family relationships, bullying, and preteen angst are addressed. I highly recommend the book to lift holiday spirits. If you enjoy it, check out the entire Sophie Washington book series.

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Scaredy Bat and the Frozen Vampires: An Illustrated Mystery Chapter Book for Kids 8-12 (Scaredy Bat: A Vampire Detective Series 1)
Written by Marina J. Bowman
Illustrated by Yevheniia Lisavoya

Ellie is a twelve-year-old vampire who loves to solve mysteries. The fact that she is afraid of almost everything fails to deter her. Ellie fears loud noises, spiders, and clowns, among many other things. One thing she does have is a large network of friends who come to her aid. When Ellie attends a vampire wedding, everyone freezes solid. How can she overcome her fears and solve the mystery before it is too late?

The author includes bonuses for budding detective readers. She offers a quiz to test if the reader qualifies to be a detective. Readers receive a guide to analyzing suspects and recording evidence.

Lisavoya draws excellent black and white illustrations to sustain interest levels. The book is not too lengthy, which encourages reluctant readers.
One caveat, I read the Kindle version which contains formatting errors. I would rate the book three stars in the Kindle version, but five stars in the paperback edition.

Recommended for middle-grade readers in the print version.

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