Happy Monday! I'm starting out the week with a mystery...fantasy...fantasy-mystery? I found the cover endearing with the mix of fairy gentleness and Sherlock Holmes readiness. I'd never even dreamed these two worlds would meet, but now, I'm sure that it will work out wonderfully. Fairies can be up to so many things, and a mystery always adds intriguing spice.
This read is for those readers, who are sure of their words but need more practice before heading into full-fledged middle grade novels. I'm hoping that means entertaining illustrations, wide spacing, and imaginative characters and clues. So, let's put on our sleuth caps and see what this fairy is up to.
SHAILA HOLMES FAIRY DETECTIVE
by Lori Keating
Illustrated by Kyria McKie
Literary Leaf Press
Children's Mystery
122 pages
ages 6 to 10
Hi there, Junior Detective!
I'm Detective Shaila Holmes, and I need your help.
My hummingbird sidekick, Itsy, and I have five mysteries to solve, and we can't do it alone.
There's a black widow spider whose red hourglass marking has mysteriously vanished, a missing pie at the Redwood Harvest Festival, and a few more puzzling cases to tackle.
Each mystery comes with tricky clues, curious critters, and just the right sprinkle of fairy dust!
Grab your magnifying glass and your sharpest fairy senses! These mysteries may be small, but they're full of big surprises!
Together, we'll follow the clues, crack the cases, and keep Englewood Forest safe.
Solve the mystery, spread the fairy dust!
I'm Detective Shaila Holmes, and I need your help.
My hummingbird sidekick, Itsy, and I have five mysteries to solve, and we can't do it alone.
There's a black widow spider whose red hourglass marking has mysteriously vanished, a missing pie at the Redwood Harvest Festival, and a few more puzzling cases to tackle.
Each mystery comes with tricky clues, curious critters, and just the right sprinkle of fairy dust!
Grab your magnifying glass and your sharpest fairy senses! These mysteries may be small, but they're full of big surprises!
Together, we'll follow the clues, crack the cases, and keep Englewood Forest safe.
Solve the mystery, spread the fairy dust!
MY TIDBITS
In a lively forest, mysteries pop up and keep this adorable detective extremely busy.
Detective Shaila Holmes is a fairy and has just opened her own detective office with her hummingbird assistant, Itsy. She's placed a vibrant sign outside and hopes that someone will stop by and give her a good mystery to solve. It doesn't take long before she gets her very first case, a black widow spider whose red hourglass has disappeared. But this is only the first of five cases, each one very different from the last.
Those readers, who are very sure of their words and about to head on into the lower side of middle grade novels, will slide right into this read. The vocabulary builds word skills while the descriptions and plots are a little more complex (just slightly) than chapter books for practicing readers. I'd even recommend this for the hesitant lower end of the middle grade age group. I especially appreciate that the tale never seems overly simplified, but rather, opens up to a vibrant, animal community packed with personality. The characters are fun to meet and each one is different than the last.
There are five mysteries, each one its own separate tale....although they do mention characters from the other tales, at times. These mysteries take Shaila Holmes on very different adventures, and each time, it involves a new group of animals. From spiders to wolves, Shaila never knows who's going to knock at her door. Each ending also is a surprise to make it hard for readers to guess what is really going on. Sometimes, there is a villian. Other times, something else is at play. The clues are well laid, and Shaila keeps a notebook to mark each important thing she notices. There's also some humor to keep things light, but then, these mysteries are wholesome and very age appropriate.
Each mystery holds a few chapters. These are only a few pages, making sure that none of the mysteries grow overly long. The illustrations bring Shaila Holmes and the other characters to life and add to the atmosphere. The entire set-up keeps each tale from growing too long, making this a lovely collection for even slightly reluctant readers.
As extra goodness, the author has worked in some animal facts. The species of each client Shaila helps is highlighted at the end of each tale with a few facts about that animal. This is sure to delight animal fans. The author also directs readers at the very end of the read to other books, where they can learn more about each of the animals.
And here she is...
Lori Keating is an award-winning author known for her ability to create captivating stories for children of all ages and genres. When she isn’t busy writing or illustrating, she enjoys spending quality time with her amazing husband and daughter at the beach, boating, or cruising in their car with the music blasting and the sunroof open. Often, you’ll find her cozied up on the couch with a great book, fully absorbed in a world of adventure. For updates on Lori’s upcoming books, you can visit her website at www.lorikeating.com.
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