The Case of the Pilfered Pearls by Margi Preus

Yesterday, I posted my thoughts on a fast-paced mystery for the young adult audience. So today, I'm going to shift down to the middle graders with this first book in a new mystery series...well, I think it will be a series. It's not really said.  Now, I'm not expecting this one to be high tension...at least, not like The Escape Game was. Instead, I'm getting more fun vibes with a little cute mixed in too. I'm hoping the mystery is well laid and that this little detective is one to love.

Let's open this one up and see if we can crack the case right along with this shrew. (And yay, a screw character!)

THE CASE OF THE PILFERED PEARLS

The Shrew Detective

by Margi Preus

Illustrated by Junyi Wu

Amulet Books

Middle Grade Mystery

128 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING MAY 19th!!!

Wind in the Willows meets Enola Holmes in this exciting, young middle grade mystery series from Newbery Honor–winning author Margi Preus and with art from Junyi Wu

Something that is difficult or impossible to understand.

With a curious mind and a vast vocabulary (thanks to her wallpaper—pages of a discarded human dictionary), tiny Minerva Shrew would love nothing more than to solve the Big Mysteries of Life and the Universe.

Instead, in The Case of the Pilfered Pearls, she’s called upon to help her cousin Tenacity solve a mystery in the most dangerous of a human house. When a string of pearls goes missing, the human owner is sure a “dreadful rodent” has pilfered them—and now the lives of all Minerva’s friends are at risk! Will Minerva find the true culprit before the exterminators arrive?

With wit and warmth, Margi Preus creates a charming woodland world filled with creatures both whimsical and nefarious ( wicked or criminal), along with suspense, intrigue, and, thanks to Minerva’s metabolism, plenty of snacks.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

With an clever shrew and tons of meals each day, this mystery lures in while building reading skills along the way.

Minerva Shrew's home is wallpapered in dictionary pages, and she loves nothing more than deep mysteries...like the meaning of life and philosophical questions. When one of her friends insists she help out with a real crime mystery and thwart a potential murder, Minerva isn't thrilled to shift her brain gears down to a 'lower level' discovery but doesn't want anyone to die, either. She follows her friend to a dangerous, human house and a complex mystery. But the stakes are very high and the clock is already ticking. Minerva must discover the true identity of the thief before the exterminator arrives and kills all the little animals living in the house.

When I first saw the cover and tale length, I thought this might be a tale for strong chapter book readers and lower middle grade ones, and while it is, it stretches further than that. The tale is short and engaging, and every few pages, Minerva drops a difficult vocabulary word and the definition...and these are mostly not words readers would usually run across. Add that the author tends to sprinkle in more difficult terms anyway, and the vocabulary skills are getting a workout. But thanks to the shorter read, it also relaxes what could be frustrating in a longer novel. The printed text is kept relatively short for a usual middle grade read, and there are lovely illustrations, which often dropped in to enhance the tale. Plus, it's not about depth as much as it is about solving the case. So, it is a true middle grade read...and one that works very well to improve those word skills. I'm thinking homeschoolers and classrooms will want to peek into these pages, too.

As for the story, it holds a quick-paced mystery with vibrant characters and tons of quirks. Of course, Minerva, as a shrew, already gives this book a fun and original twist. Readers learn a little about shrews along the way, too (like they need to eat extremely often to stay alive). The other animals are just as interesting and add a little furry chaos and fun. The first pages give readers time to meet Minerva and learn about her usual life and interests, which then, makes the turn into the mystery that much more interesting. The mystery is well laid and holds several surprises. The ending isn't easy to solve and, of course, there are some messages about friendship, helping others, and reaching beyond the comfort zone as well.

I can only hope that this is the first in many tales to come.

Elf Dog and Owl Head by M.T. Anderson

 Happy Sunday! We're lucky enough to have a few cooler days after the week long heat. Now, if it would only rain. Farmers are never satisfied with the weather, by the way. It's a great day to head outside, lean back, and just enjoy several last summer days before autumn weather settles in. And that also means it's a great day for an enjoyable read.

If today's read qualifies as one to grab up?

ELF DOG & OWL HEAD

by M.T. Anderson

Illustrated by Junyi Wu

Candlewick Press

Middle Grade Fantasy

240 pages

ages 8 to 12

A Newbery Honor Book

A magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight.

Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever.

GOODREADS     /      AMAZON     /     B&N

 

MY TIDBITS

When a secret realm accidentally leaks into the modern world, an exciting adventure is guaranteed.

Clay escapes the monotony of life by heading into the forest, but when a lovely and somewhat odd dog appears, boring is the last thing his future holds. Elphinore is a royal dog from the realm beneath the mountain...a realm which no person knows exists. The dog isn't only intelligent but leads Clay down invisible paths, where he discovers not only hints of magic but beings, which can't really be real. One, an Owl Head child, becomes his friend, and soon Clay realizes, he's going to need all the friends he can get.

This is an easy adventure to sink into and mixes the dreams of fantasy nicely with the familiarity of the modern world. The two worlds run parallel to each other, almost always flipping back and forth through forest visits. But not always, and that adds a humorous tension which guarantees some smiles. 

Clay comes across as a normal kid, who's just dealing with usual life. No extra baggage or issues, which is refreshing. His excitement is easy to understand as he finds Elphinore and is happy to have a pet as his own, especially with the reactions of Clay's siblings and parents. There's just enough family goodness to add needed security and warmth, while still letting the story take flight. But then, Clay's siblings do get tugged into the adventure, steering the plot into the wonders of brotherly and sisterly relations...with the good and more difficult moments. And the friendship with Owl Head brings it's own lovely messages concerning friendship.

The tension builds as Clay gets drawn more and more into the magical worlds, and creates a nice pacing. The beginning is a little slower as the aspects of the world sink in. This allows for solid world and character building, while side-stepping any boring moments. It grounds the fantasy well and opens the door for the variety of creatures Clay will come across. And he, as well as the reader, are in for quite the adventure because there are more than a few unexpected twists and turns.

And before I forget, there are well-done illustrations sprinkled between the pages, which make the read that much more enjoyable.

It's a fun, easy, and tension-filled adventure, which fits very well to the audience level.

And here they are...

M. T. Anderson is the author of Feed, a National Book Award Finalist; the National Book Award winner The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party and Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves, which were both Michael L. Printz Honor Books; Symphony for the City of the Dead; Yvain: The Night of the Lion; Landscape with Invisible Hand; and many other books for children and young adults, including The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge, cocreated with Eugene Yelchin, which was a National Book Award Finalist. M. T. Anderson lives near Boston, Massachusetts. Junyi Wu is the illustrator of several books, including Two Bicycles in Beijing by Teresa Robeson; Beatrix Potter, Scientist by Lindsay H. Metcalf; and the Newbery Honor Book Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker. Junyi Wu is a graduate of ArtCenter College of Design and is based in Orange County, California.