Review: Historic and Lively - What Am I? by Joyce Markovics

HISTORIC AND LIVELY

WHAT AM I?

American Place Puzzlers

by Joyce Markovics

Bearport Publishing

Picture Book / Non-Fiction

ages 3 and up

What has a main street and hundreds of historic buildings? If you guessed Colonial Williamsburg, you're right! This book introduces early readers to a mystery American place by describing its features, one by one, using short simple sentences and eye-popping full-color photos. At the end of the book, the secret place is revealed across a colorful, two-page spread. Young children will love showing off their beginning reading skills as they learn about amazing American places--one clue at a time! Fast facts and maps at the end of the book provide key information about the place. Rich, colorful photos and a clever design are sure to grab and excite emergent readers.

MY TIDBITS

With lively, real life photographs, this book describes Colonial Williamsburg while offering kids interesting tidbits along the way.

This book tries to help listeners/readers puzzle together an historic site in the United States by giving hints and clues so they can 'puzzle' it together. It's a cute idea, encouraging kids to think while trying to piece together the information offered in the pages step-by-step. Each illustration/photograph follows this scheme with its puzzle-appearance on the page, where a couple pieces are missing to give it that real game feel.

The text is very simple and short, making it appropriate for even youngest listeners. There's only one piece of information on each two page spread and the photograph fits to it perfectly. While the idea is grabbing and the book does a great job an introducing an interesting historic site to listeners/readers (and will even leave them curious to go visit it themselves), the one offered in this book, Colonial Williamsburg, is so unknown that the chances younger listeners have even heard of it are slim. This leaves a hint of frustration at the end since listeners have no way of solving the puzzle and might feel a bit cheated. It does, however, offer a great addition to those who are learning about the area or who have heard of the place before.

At the end, there's a Fast Facts section with more detailed tidbits about Colonial Williamsburg, a map of where it is in the United States, and an index as well as a website address where kids can learn more. The information is well-rounded, will inform listeners in a fun way and awaken their interest to visit the site.

Young children will love showing off their beginning reading skills as they learn about amazing American places--one clue at a time! This new series introduces emergent readers to iconic American places through a fun guessing game. Each 24-page book features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. Vibrant photos and a clever design are sure to grab and excite young readers!

There are 8 titles in this series, all of which can be viewed here at Bearport Publishing.

Review: Jug Valley Mysteries Books 3 & 4 by Anne Digby

HANDS UP!

CURIOUS CASE OF A VANISHING FOOTBALL

Jug Valley Mysteries, Book 3

by Anne Digby

Straw Hat 

Middle Grade Mystery

77 pages

Retrieving a battered old football for its frantic young owner, Charlie Smith, hardly presents a difficult challenge for Hands to handle - or so they think. In fact, the case of a football that seems to have vanished from the face of the earth will take all their detective skills to resolve - and it's far more important than they ever dreamt.

MY TIDBITS

With wholesome fun, this book dives into a fun mystery which is sure to make sleuth hearts beat a little faster.

Charlie accidentally kicks a ball during recess over the fence. Unfortunately, as a bus kid, he's unable to retrieve it. Luckily, Amy and her friend Mini volunteer, but when they enter the yard, the ball is nowhere to be found!

This is the third book in the Jug Valley Mysteries series, but by no means do the other books have to be read first. Although it's better to get to know the characters (and how the wonderful Hands & Spouts club was formed), this can be read as a stand alone.

The three siblings, Amy, Tim and Harry, and their friends are thrown into an unexpected mystery. The situations starts as something almost every kid can relate to and quickly builds from there. The situations, reactions and decisions remain pretty realistic, despite the unexpected twists and turns. The clues are laid out nicely, but still hold enough secrets to make the end a treat.

As always, the three siblings and their friends hold together well. Even little two-year-old Harry, who can be a pain to the older twins at times, proves his worth. This book (and entire series) is like a fresh breeze, offering a wholesome setting and characters. Problems happen, but the club works through them as best they can.

This is a read which will not only excite young mystery fans, but is great for families and home-schoolers as well.

PHOTOFIT MYSTERY

Can they build up a picture of the intruder?

Jug Valley Mysteries, Book 4

by Anne Digby

Straw Hat

Middle Grade Mystery

72 pages

When a classmate, Esme Kirk, thinks she sees a shadow at an upstairs window of her old home, she's so upset that she asks the five friends in Hands to keep an eye on the house for her. After all, it's supposed to be empty now it's up for sale. At first Hands wonder if Esme imagined it but soon find they have a case that will need all their detective skills.

MY TIDBITS

Unexpected surprises await in this book as the young sleuths refuse to let go of a mystery and dive in.

Esme, a girl next door to the Hands & Spouts headquarters, is not in a good place. Her mother passed away, and her father, who has barely managed to keep the house, decides to pursue a new job overseas. If the move wasn't enough, Esme sees a shadow in her house. Despite ridicule, The Hands & Spouts are on the case, and they discover more than anyone would have ever guessed.

This is the fourth book in the series and as thrilling as the first. It can be read as a stand-alone, although it is a treat to follow the sleuths the entire way through.

Unlike the other books, this one takes a deeper dive not only into solving a mystery but in exploring the troubles Esme has with moving and coming to terms with difficult life changes. And these are topics handled with wonderful finesse. Gentle suspense glides between the emotional struggles, ones that many kids will sympathize with. The mystery lures in, keeping the pages turning while Esme's problems are never pushed to the side. It's a lovely balance which makes it an engaging read.

The mystery itself offers a very unsuspected surprise at the end, and it's not one easily achieved. The kids from Hands & Spouts not only have to find and work out the clues, but must hold their own and continue forward, although others are telling them not to.

This is an excellent read for mystery lovers, especially those who enjoy a more traditional, family read. And at only 70 some pages, it's great for even those more reluctant word fans.