Top 50 Must Read Mystery Books for Kids
Top 50 Must Read Mystery Books for Kids
I love me a good mystery. I want to be Miss Marple when I grow up and Flavia de Luce is definitely my best friend in my head. But long before Agatha Christie and Alan Bradley filled my bookcase, I was a kid under the spell of spies named Harriet and kids living in freight cars. Mystery books for kids are great because they promote logical thinking and deductive reasoning. They're just plain fun too.
Classics like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys still have healthy readership, but the genre has come a long way. There are so many fantastic mystery series and standalone works from a diverse mix of authors and illustrators. I've put together a list of 50 mystery books for kids, both new and tried and true. The list covers everything from capers of cake theft in picture books to art robbery novels for middle-aged readers.
A NOTE ON READING LEVELS ...
I have divided this list into two broad sections, picture books and chapter books, with the chapter books in a usually ascending order based on the level. This process was a tough one! I consulted several sources to get the best estimates: Scholastic's handy Book Wizard tool; the Renaissance Accelerated Reader Bookfinder; conversations with local librarians and of course input from parents. Using a combination of these sources, I listed a grade level for each of these 50 selections, but this is by no means a universal one-size-fits-all guide.
Finally, while this list focuses on mystery books for children in the fifth grade or younger, the reading level of different titles creeps up to higher levels, ie titles ranging from grade 5–7. I went ahead and included those because they have minimal do work for fifth graders. Again, use your own discretion.
Now go crack some cases!
PICTURE MYSTERY BOOKS FOR CHILDREN (INFANTS, TODDLERS, PRESCHOOL, KINDERGARTEN)
SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (A BABYLIT SOUNDS PRIMER) BY JENNIFER ADAMS, ILLUSTRATED BY ALLISON OLIVER-
STORIES. lots of books - front mysterious riff from the Sherlock thing. This one is for the really little folks so it's kind of in a class of its own! The books in the Babylit Sounds Primer series all use simple word combinations to introduce young minds to classic literary works, such as this one about London's famous quirky detective from Baker Street.
THE ELEVENTH HOUR: A CURIOUS MYSTERY BY GRAEME BASE
In this beautifully illustrated picture book - seriously, the details in these drawings are stunning - the elephant Horace throws himself an extravagant costume party to celebrate his eleventh birthday. Then disaster strikes in the middle of the festivities: someone has eaten the lavish birthday party! Horace has to find out who the culprit is in the eleventh hour - which of his friends has no idea ?!
READ ALSO : The Best Mystery Books 2019
WHERE'S THE BIG BAD WOLF? BY EILEEN CHRISTELOW
In this remix of the classic story, Detective Doggedly tries to catch the panting, puffing, house-blowing wolf before eating the three little pigs for dinner. With the help of a few watchful cows and his own canine spirit, he'll sniff out the culprit, doggone it!
PIGEON PI BY MEG MCLAREN
Well, this picture book certainly doesn't help my theory that all pigeons are tiny cooing spies. It reads like a crime noir comic, the story of a plumed private detective who has retired to pursue a bird-watching case. He looks like the detective like a pigeon - he's wearing a fedora, so you know he means it.
THE DOT & JABBER SERIES BY ELLEN STOLL WALSH Mouse Detectives
Meet Dot & Jabber, a bunch of little ones who solve a different mystery in each of the books in this adorable series. Both fun and informative for young readers, these mysteries introduce them to the wonders of science with the help of a few cute little critters. Each book contains an afterword with facts about the subject of the book; Dot & Jabber and the Great AcornMystery, for example, contains some easy-to-understand commentary about oaks and acorns.
BETTY'S BAKERY WITH TRAVIS NICHOLS
Of all the dirty, underhand crimes I've encountered in my life as a mystery reader, this is the crown. Someone stole the pastries! Betty's Bakery was broken into by a bread bandit who cleaned out the cabinets and counters with carrot cake, cornbread and crackers. Gumshoe Zoo's animal detectives are on the case in this amazing alliterative comic book picture book.
DETECTIVE LARUE: LETTERS FROM THE RESEARCH BY MARK TEAGUE
This is the second book in the Dear Mrs. Larue about a dog named Ike Larue with a knack for crazy hijinx. The rest of the books in the series aren't mysteries, but this one finds Ike putting on a detective hat to solve a series of nearby canary burglaries. The problem is that Ike herself - wrongly, of course! - Has been charged with a crime and is detained in a dog prison! Ike only has to do one thing when the local police doesn't seem to get the job done: get out of it and take matters into his own hands. Err, paws.
THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAKE BY CLAUDIA BOLDT
“Today is the perfect day to solve mysteries and eat cheese,” Harold thinks, tucked into bed warmly. But for Harold, every day was the perfect day to solve mysteries and eat cheese. And those, folks, are some words I can relate to. Harold the fox attends a fancy dress birthday party for his friend Donkey. The festivities turn sour when the birthday cake is stolen during a monster tag game. Harold intervenes to make it party and save the day by putting the pieces together to find the culprit of this cake cutting machine. It's a great lesson on the importance of honesty, sharing and the joys of a tasty piece of cake.
BABY MONKEY, PRIVATE EYE BY BRIAN SELZNICK, ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID SERLIN
Don't let its size fool you - although it looks like a chapter book from the outside, the simple, sparse language reads like a picture book. Baby Monkey is just the cutest little bubble gum sitting in his gigantic office waiting for things to be resolved, finding the thieving culprits for everything from an opera singer's missing jewels to an astron's lost spaceship aut, with the help of serious detective work. I love, love, love that he never starts a business before stopping for a snack and how hard it is for him to put on pants. Pants are hard!
INSPECTOR BRUNSWICK: THE CASE OF THE MISSING EYEBROW BY ANGELA KEOGHAN, ILLUSTRATED BY CHRIS SAM LAM.
You might look at that title and think, "Is this about Vanessa in her twenties when Mr. Tweezer went rogue and defiled her face?" But no, this picture book is about cat detective Inspector Brunswick. He and his assistant Nelson take a trip to the art museum where they find something missing from a very famous painting. The two got together to find out what happened in this charming tale of art, teamwork and a very sneaky caterpillar.
WHO TAKEN THE COOKIES FROM THE COOKIE JAR? BY BONNIE LASS, ILLUSTRATED BY PHILEMON STURGES AND ASHLEY WOLFF Children's Song
This picture book is the perfect addition to the classic. You know - the one you started singing as soon as you read the title, and don't deny it! Mr. Skunk discovers the aforementioned cookie jar and dangles with it, he goes to find the thief. Follow along as he confronts each of his animal friends to see which of them grabbed those cookies!
7 AT 9 BY TARA LAZAR, ILLUSTRATED BY ROSS MACDONALD
Okay, I can't write a better blurb for this book than what's already been done. Unfortunately, I bring you this spot-on, punny bit of plot-summarizing perfection from the author's website: “Word on the street is that 7 ate 9. If that's true, 6 days are numbered. Fortunately for him, Private I is on the case. But the facts just don't add up. It's weird. Shall I add two and two together and solve the problem ... or is there 6 in the row to subtract? I told you.
THE GREAT PIE ROBBERY AND OTHER MYSTERIES BY RICHARD SCARRY
I'm a fan of Richard Scarry books in general, but this is one of my favorites. Sam Cat and Dudley Pig are these cute and quirky animal scouts who do cute and quirky detective stuff. In this collection of three stories, their capers include catching shoplifters, pearl thieves, and even more shockingly cake thieves. Sam and Dudley are often hilariously dumb and love to dress themselves up in pretty ridiculous disguises The illustrations are half the fun
MAMA THE ALIEN BY RENE COLATO LAINEZ, ILLUSTRATED BY LAURA LACAMARA
This isn't exactly your typical mystery - there's no crime to solve, no whodunnit to unravel. The mystery here is whether Sofia's mom is who she says she is - like from planet Earth! It all starts one day when an ID card falls out of mom's bag. Sofia sees the word n “Resident Alien” on it and wondering: does this mean that Mama is an alien ?! This bilingual story is a fun, light-hearted lesson about immigration and how words sometimes mean more than one thing.
CHAPTER MYSTERY BOOKS FOR CHILDREN (GRADES 1–5)
THE HAUNTED LIBRARY SERIES BY DORI HILLSTEAD BUTLER (GRADES 1–3)
This delectable series feels a bit like a bookworm Casper the kind ghost. It's about a ghost lurking in the library named Kaz who gets separated from his family and fears he'll never see them again. One day he meets Claire, a young girl who can actually see him! The pair become friends and solve spooky mysteries as they search for Kaz's family.
THE MYSTERIES OF MAISIE HITCHINS SERIES BY HOLLY WEBB, ILLUSTRATED BY MARION LINDSAY (GRADES 1-4)
children's mystery books a reimagining Remember
I told you many of the Sherlock Holmes stories? I assume you now accept that I am not a liar! In the Mysteries of Maisie Hitchins series, Maisie is a 12-year-old who works in her grandmother's boarding house and dreams of becoming a big bad female detective. She just knows she would be good at it, she just needs a case to prove it! In The Case of the Stolen Sixpence, the first of eight in the series, she finally gets her big break. Maisie is our renewed Holmes and her sidekick Eddie is her Watson; Eddie happens to be a dog, but hey! He turns out to be just as helpful.
NANCY CLANCY, SUPER SLEUTH BY JANE O'CONNOR, ILLUSTRATED BY ROBIN PRICE GLASSER (GRADES 1-4)
Nancy puts on her detective hat to help a classmate find a stolen priceless item. The little ones may recognize our stylish little sleuth from the Fancy Nancy picture books. Nancy is back in action in chapter book form, solving mysteries in a pink trench coat and a blinding magnifying glass. She's ... well, chic!
JULIAN, SECRET AGENT ANN CAMERON (GRADES 2-5)
Julian and his buddies Huey and Gloria consider themselves some nice secret agents. After all, they saved a neighborhood dog, saved a small child from drowning… but these kids have their sights set on solving some serious crime. They decide to arrest themselves as a bank robber, but get in the way of the police. When they get into hot water, they must use their super tracking and espionage skills to save themselves!
MALCOLM MIDNIGHT BY WH BECK, ILLUSTRATED BY BRIAN LIES (GRADES 2-5)
Malcolm is jazzed up as the new fifth-grade pet at school: he's well-fed, well-loved, and has some comfortable rooms. Even better, he finds out that the rest of the pets in the class are part of a secret society called The Academy, whose job it is to protect the school's students. When Aggy the iguana goes missing, the rest of the class animals accuse Malcolm of the crime. See, he chose to hide the fact that he's not so much a mouse as he is a rat, and that rats can't be trusted - or is he? This is a delightful mystery with some valuable lessons about acceptance and inclusion.
THE GERONIMO STILTON SERIES BY GERONIMO STILTON (GRADES 2-5)
I went back and forth about whether this originally Italian series should be labeled mystery or adventure and I think it's a bit of both! The books are about the globetrotting mouse Geronimo Stilton, a best-selling author, research reporter and editor for the Rodent Gazette in New Mouse City, Mouse Island. Stilton embarks on all kinds of wild adventures with his sister Thea, cousin Trap and cousin Benjamin, and keeps a journal of his travels as inspiration for his books. Start with The Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye where Geronimo and Thea find a mysterious map that leads the pair on the hunt for treasure.
THE SHERLOCK SAM SERIES BY AJ LOW (GRADES 2-5)
Yep. Another Sherlock book, but with a few twists! Set in Singapore, our sleuth Samuel Tan Cher Lock (aka Sherlock Sam) is a 10-year-old foodie, and his sidekick is a robot named Watson. In Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom inKatong, Sherlock and friends set out to find his aunt's stolen cookbook. Fun fact: AJ Low is actually a husband and wife duo! Adam Jimenez is a Mexican American author who grew up in California and later moved to Singapore where he met his wife Felicia Low. AJ Jimenez plus Felicia Low = AJ Low.
LULU'S MYSTERIOUS MISSION
BY JUDITH VIORST, ILLUSTRATED BY KEVIN CORNELL (GRADES 2-5)
So I definitely took this book off a library shelf because young Lulu looks like a tiny Edna Mode. You can see it too, right ?! In Lulu's Mysterious Mission, Lulu is shocked and dismayed to discover that her parents are going on vacation ... without her! She carries out all kinds of complicated plans to get rid of babysitter Sonia Solinsky, but Ms. Solinsky has a secret that could allow Lulu to see the mistake in her own way. Note: This book is one in a series, but this is the only thing I would classify as a mystery.
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN SERIES BY GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARREN (GRADES 3-5)
The Boxcar Children books were first published in 1942 and are pretty much considered classic mystery books for children. The series follows Aiden's four orphans who decide to live in an abandoned wagon in the woods. In the first book, The Boxcar Children, the children learn that they have a grandfather, but initially run away from him, believing that he is a cruel and scary old man. Fortunately, this turns out not to be the case, and the books that follow in the series each revolve around a mystery that the children solve together. My personal favorite is The Mystery Bookstore, a super fun caper set in the New Orleans French Quarter about… you guessed it! A mysterious bookshop.
THE MEG MACKINTOSH SOLVE IT YOURSELF ON MYSTERIES SERIES BY LUCINDA LANDON (GRADES 3-5)
The Meg Mackintosh books are interactive “solve it yourself” mysteries - they invite readers to analyze visual and written clues as they unravel the mystery. There are at least eight books in the series, my favorite of which is Meg Mackintosh and the Mystery in the Locked Library. In it, Meg, her brother, and her grandfather pay a visit to Meg's Aunt Alice, the chief librarian of a local library. The problem is, Aunt Alice is missing, but she has left a trail of clues that lead Meg and his company to the library.
THE BUNNICULA SERIES BY DEBORAH AND JAMES HOWE (GRADES 3-5)books
I would never forget to include this series in a list of mysteryfor kids. Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery is a mysterious middle-aged comedy about a fanged rabbit who might be a vampire. Sign me up! When the Monroe family finds a peculiar little bunny at a showing of Dracula, they decide to take him home. They call him Bunnicula and introduce him to pets Harold the dog and Chester the cat. Strange things are happening around Bunnicula, which convince Chester that this fluffy bunny man is a vampire. He wants to prove his theory - is Bunnicula really a blood-sucking rabbit, or is it all a big misunderstanding?
The Clubhouse Mysteries on SHARON Draper Illustrated by JESSE JOSHUA WATSON (Grades 3-5)
In The Buried BonesMystery, Ziggy and his friends Rico, Rashawn and Jerome decide to form a club. They've built a clubhouse in Ziggy's backyard to serve as their headquarters and decide to call themselves the Black Dinosaurs - because what's cooler than dinosaurs? They soon make a surprising discovery: someone buried a box of bones behind their clubhouse! The boys set out to solve this strange and scary mystery and embark on an adventure beyond their wildest imaginations.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN SERIES BY DONALD J. SOBOL (DEGREES 3-5)
Leroy Brown's star detective is his town, solving cases for all the kids in the neighborhood. Why is it known as Encyclopedia Brown? Because of all the random facts, figures, and trivia stored in his pretty remarkable memory. He's so good that his own father checks his brains out every night to solve tricky cases, and he's the chief of their town's police force! Each book in the series is interactive and contains ten stories for readers to follow and solve. Start with Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective and move on from there - there are over 25 books in this series, lots of clues to pursue!
EVE TITUS 'BIG MOUSE DETECTIVE SERIES, ILLUSTRATED BY PAUL GALDONE (GRADES 3-5)
Basil is a mouse, but not just any mouse: he is the mouse who lives in the basement of Sherlock Holmes' house on Baker Street. As such, he has seen the genius of the crime-solving madman upstairs, and has learned a thing or two in the art of detective work. On Basil or Baker Street, Basil must try to solve his most difficult case yet: a mouses (hehe) with seemingly no clues to proceed!
THE NATE THE GREAT SERIES MARJORIE WEINMAN SHARMAT, ILLUSTRATED BY MARC SIMONT (GRADES 3-5)pancakes
Nate the Great is enjoying his morningwhen he receives a call from his girlfriend Annie. She has lost something important and needs Nate's help to find it. Nate puts on a very Sam Spade-esque trench coat and goes right on. He follows clues, asks questions, lists suspects - you know, everything great detectives do. These books are smart and funny and there is plenty to love: this series for beginner readers is 26 books long!
THE OLIVIA SHARP: AGENT FOR SECRETS SERIES BY MARJORIE WEINMAN SHARMAT AND MITCHELL SHARMAT, ILLUSTRATED BY DENISE BRUNKUS (GRADES 3-5)
Olivia Sharp isn't new to mystery - she's Nate the Great's cousin, after all! She sees herself less as a solver of mysteries and more as an agent of secrets: she helps her clients with a warm and friendly approach and by digging into what goes on beneath the surface. Start with The Sly Spy and go from there.
RON ROY'S A TO Z MYSTERIES SERIES, ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN STEVEN GURNEY (GRADES 3-5)
Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose are three friends who solve mysteries in this beloved collection. As you may have guessed, the book titles in this series follow the alphabet: The Absent Author, The Bald Bandit, The Canary Caper, etc. Start with The Absent Author where Dink's favorite author is a no-show at a signing session. It's up to the three amigos to find out where he went.
NANCY DREW AND THE CLUE CREW SERIES BY CAROLYN KEENE, ILLUSTRATED BY MACKY PAMINTUAN (GRADES 3-5)
You must have heard of the original Nancy Drew series from the 1930s - yes, you read that right. The 1930s! But did you know there is a newer series available for intermediate level readers? Well there is! Nancy's adventures include finding her missing City Girls doll at a sleepover and tracking down the thief who stole a special basket of treats from a dog fashion show. Still, Nancy always remains the resourceful little sleuth and always crunches the case.
THE WOLLSTONECRAFT DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES BY JORDAN STRATFORD, ILLUSTRATED BY KELLY MURPHY (GRADES 3-7)
The concept of this series is just so, so brilliant. It's a reinvented 1826 where Ada Lovelace and Mary Shelley are BFFs and got together to form a secret detective agency in London. In the first book, The Case of the Missing Moonstone, this girl duo reminiscent of Holmes and Watson (yes, more Holmes stuff!) Uses math, science, and deductive reasoning to solve a mystery surrounding a stolen heirloom. This series is funny, action-packed and dripping with intelligent girl power.
ME, FRIDA AND THE SECRET OF THE PEACOCK RING ANGELA CERVANTES (GRADES 3-7)
Pamela Cervantes is 11 years old when she and her mother travel to Mexico City, the birthplace of Pamela's late father. She meets siblings Lizzie and Gael who turn to her for help finding a ring that once belonged to her father's favorite artist, beloved Mexican icon Frida Kahlo! Pamela agrees to help, but it seems that Lizzie and Gael's motives aren't as pure as they seem.
HARRIET DE SPY LOUISE FITZHUGH (DEGREES 3-7)books
I couldn't put together a list of mysteryfor kids without this classic. Harriet is an astute and spunky girl who writes thoughts and observations in a notebook. If she loses that notebook, it ends up in the wrong hands. Soon, the content (some offensive, though true) finds its way to her friends… awkward! Now Harriet must find a way to fix things with her boyfriends and prove she's not a mean girl. She just really loves the truth.
THE SECRET SERIES BY PSEUDONYMOUS BOSCH, GRADES 3-7 plot descriptions
I really dig the witty subversiveness of this series 'secrecy: the titles, and even the authors' names are all shrouded in an atmosphere of mystery perfect for young mystery readers and fans of a good riddle. The name of this book is classified is the first of five books in The Secret Series and is certainly not about a pair of eleven-year-olds on the hunt for a missing magician. No, not an adventure hunt for villains here, folks. Nothing to see at all.
THE WAY TO BEA BY KAT YEH (GRADES 3-7)
Beatrix Lee is going through some things. Her best friend has ghosted her right at the start of seventh grade, and a new baby is about to end her reign as an only child. Bea feels isolated and finds comfort in the haiku she creates in invisible ink, poems she hides in a secret hideout. One day she discovers to her horror that someone has started writing back. She tries to find out who her secret pen pal might be and finds her way back to herself. Note: I don't think this book is usually classified as a mystery. However, the secret pen pal and a mysterious labyrinth give it a mysterious atmosphere.
EXPLORER: THE MYSTERY BOXES EDITED BY KAZU KIBUISHI (GRADES 3-7)
The Explorer series has three parts so far, all edited by Kazu Kibuishi. Each volume is a collection of seven graphic stories from seven different comic artists around a central theme. Explorer: The Mystery Boxes is a creative, clever collection of stories about boxes of mysterious origins, but the stories couldn't be more different in terms of both written content and artistic style. In one story, a young girl hears a ticking sound under her bed and discovers a box containing a cryptic note; inside she finds a wax doll that looks sweet at first, but… Another story follows a Japanese girl whose grandmother is convinced that ghosts are stealing butter from the kitchen. But Obaasan can't be wrong. So funny!
VERMEER
CHASING BY BLUE BALLIET (GRADES 3-7) Set
in Hyde Park, this art mystery begins with a mysterious letter sent by an anonymous sender to three unknown recipients. The letter asks each of them to solve a crime that has wronged one of the world's greatest painters. Next we meet Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay, students in the same sixth grade who are not exactly friends. A mysterious book brings them together and they soon end up in an international art scandal. They will have to follow a trail of complicated clues and coded messages to find out the truth.
THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY SERIES BY TRENTON LEE STEWART (GRADES 3-7)
A mysterious ad in a local newspaper reads, "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Many children respond, but only four are chosen after numerous intensive tests. The four meet Mr. Nicholas Benedict; he reveals that they have been called in to bring down an evil force behind a mind control plan. To do this, they must go undercover to invade a shady organization called the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. Secrets and Societies and Child Espionage - What's Not to Love?
THE SAMMY KEYES SERIES WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN (GRADES 3-7)
When we first metat SammySammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief,has shea lot going on - she managed to make an enemy of the meanest mean girl at school. expelled from school, and she lives with her grandmother in a senior-only building because her mother is trying to become a movie star. Things go from bad to worse when she witnesses a break-in at the hotel across the street, and now the thief is after her. Can't get enough of Sammy? Follow her adventures in the 17 other books in this series.
FROM THE MIXED FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER EL KONIGSBURG (DEGREES 4-5)
I pull this blurb straight from my bookshelf in the bookstore where I work. It's one of my favorite books ever! 'I read this probably twenty times when I was a kid. It's just that good! Little Claudia Kincaid decides she wants to run away, but not just go anywhere: she's going to run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and find a way to live there. She forces her little brother to join the ride and pulls out her master plan. The two encounter a mystery that is making headlines. Since then, I've been reading mysteries (and trying to live in a posh museum, sssh). "
SMASHIE MCPERTER AND THE MYSTERY OF ROOM 11 BY N. GRIFFIN, ILLUSTRATED BY KATE KINDLEY (GRADES 4-6)
" The day Patches was stolen from Smashie McPerter's class started like any other day. Except her teacher was sick and that Smashie's class was stuck with the worst replacement in the world. And besides the mysterious cases involving the glue. And besides the fact that Patches herself had become Smashie's new nemesis. "Patches is of course the best hamster in her class, and Smashie is that. earlier distraught about his disappearance. I would have all these books as a kid, both because you ca n't read the name Smashie McPerter and because the plot is so Ramona-esque recognizable.
THE MATH INSPECTORS SERIES BY DANIEL KENNEY, ILLUSTRATED BY EMILY BOEVER (DEGREES 4-6)
Listen, Parents: These books are the best of both worlds. Each is a really fun detective story that will keep you guessing AND a math lesson! Four sixth graders have banded together to form a detective agency. In the case of the ClaymoreDiamond, the foursome hear about the break-in from a local jeweler. When they arrive on site, they find the shop owner unconscious; besides, his prized Claymore diamond is also missing! The police think they have solved the case, but they don't have all the facts together. All of this plus math - it's woven through everything to make a fun and educational treat for bookworms.
THE BOOK OF ELSEWHERE SERIES JACQUELINE WEST (DEGREES 4-6)
You should read these books because there are three talking cats in the series. Yes please! They are also a fast, page turner mix of mystery and adventure. In TheShadows, eleven-year-old Olive and her parents move into a dilapidated mansion filled with all kinds of weird and interesting paintings. Olive finds dusty glasses in an abandoned drawer and makes a surprising discovery. In the paintings, it seems she can travel to an eerily quiet place called Elsewhere! Danger awaits as she tries to unravel the mystery she has unwittingly gotten into. And did I mention there are talking cats?
THE CHINATOWN MYSTERY SERIES BY LAURENCE YEP (GRADES 4-7)
In The Case of the Goblin Pearls, the first in this series, Lily Lew is excited to hear that her great-aunt Tiger Lil, a famous movie star, is coming to visit her family in San Francisco. When Tiger invites Lil Lily to Chinatown's New Year's Parade, she naturally seizes the opportunity. During the parade, someone steals the priceless Goblin Pearls from right under Lily's face. Great Aunt Tiger Lil decides it's up to her to find the thieves and invites young Lily for the ride.
. When I was younger, I remember my mother reading mysteries all the time, and at the time, I didn't understand why. That is, I didn't understand why until I picked up my first mystery and was hooked. We made a list of our favorite mysteries for kids- both elementary and middle school age. We have read most of these but a few have been on our TBR. We have everything from sleuthing and heists to secrets and deception. If your little one loves mysteries, you might want to check out this post on our favorite logic games too! Do you have suggestions for books that we should add to our stack?
Baby Monkey Private Eye by Brian Selznick
Who is Baby Monkey?
He is a baby.
He is a monkey.
He has a job.
He is Baby Monkey, Private Eye!
Lost jewels?
Missing pizza?
Stolen spaceship?
Baby Monkey can help…
if he can put on his pants!
Baby Monkey's adventures come to life in an exciting blend of picture book, beginning reader, and graphic novel. With pithy text and over 120 black and white drawings accented with red, it is ideal for sharing aloud and for emerging readers.
Hooray for Baby Monkey!
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Sleepover Sleuths by Carolyn Keene
Eight-year-old Nancy Drew has her first case to crack! Can you help?
Nancy and her two best friends, George and Bess, are so excited! They have been invited to Deirdre's sleepover party! There will be pizza, cake, and even a pajama fashion show. But the most exciting thing is that the party has a City Girls doll theme. All of the guests are bringing their dolls with them!
But then Deirdre's City Girls doll — Hollywood Heather — goes missing. Is her sleepover ruined? Or is there a detective in the room who can make sense of this mystery?
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
It's no secret that Harriet the Spy is a timeless classic that kids will love! Every day can be an adventure if you just look carefully enough!
Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down everything she knows about everyone, even her classmates and her best friends. Then Harriet loses track of her notebook, and it ends up in the wrong hands. Before she can stop them, her friends have read the always truthful, sometimes awful things she's written about each of them. Will Harriet find a way to put her life and her friendships back together?
A to z Mysteries by Ron Roy and Illus. by John Steven Gurney
This boxed set is the ultimate gift and complete collection for any A to Z Mysteries fan. This series features three smart kids who solve crimes and mysteries. They live in a small town in Connecticut, called Green Lawn. The kids are Dink Duncan, Josh Pinto, and Ruth Rose Hathaway. They are third graders and live near each other. They have hobbies and pets and parents, but what they love most is a good mystery.
Most kids enjoy reading the 26 books in alphabetical order. But you can skip around without missing anything. Have fun getting to know these three sly sleuths!
Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol
Leroy Brown, aka Encyclopedia Brown, is Idaville neighborhood's ten-year-old star detective. With an uncanny knack for trivia, he solves mysteries for the neighborhood kids through his own detective agency. But his dad also happens to be the chief of the Idaville police department, and every night around the dinner table, Encyclopedia helps him solve his most baffling crimes. And with ten confounding mysteries in each book, not only does Encyclopedia have a chance to solve them, but the reader is given all the clues as well. Interactive and chock full of interesting bits of information—it's classic Encyclopedia Brown!
Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, illus. by Marc Simont
Join the world's greatest detective, Nate the Great, as he solves the mystery of the lost picture! Perfect for beginning readers and the Common Core, this long-running chapter book series will encourage children to problem-solve with Nate, using logical thinking to solve mysteries!
CAN NATE SOLVE THE CASE FOR HIS FRIEND ANNIE?
Nate the Great has a new case! His friend Annie has lost a picture. She wants Nate to help her find it. Nate the Great must get all the facts, ask the right questions, and narrow the list of suspects so he can solve the mystery.
Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure by Alex T. Smith
Meet Mr. Penguin: adventurer (and penguin)!
He has a dashing hat. He has a battered satchel. He has a packed lunch of fish finger sandwiches. Now he just needs an adventure! So when Bouddica Bones from the Museum of Extraordinary objects calls for help, Mr. Penguin swings into action. Can he and Colin the spider find the museum's missing treasure before bandits do? Or is this the adventure Mr. Penguin should have never answered?
This humorous page-turning story from Alex T. Smith, the author-illustrator of the popular Claude series, is sure to thrill young readers looking for a good adventure
Howliday Inn by James Howe
Not a great place to visit, and you wouldn't want to live there
The Monroes have gone on vacation, leaving Harold and Chester at Chateau Bow-Wow — not exactly a four-star hotel. On the animals' very first night there, the silence is pierced by a peculiar wake-up call — an unearthly howl that makes Chester observe that the place should be called Howliday Inn.
But the mysterious cries in the night (Chester is convinced there are werewolves afoot) are just the beginning of the frightening goings-on. Soon animals start disappearing, and there are whispers of murder. Is checkout time at Chateau Bow-Wow going to come earlier than Harold and Chester anticipated?
Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head by Lauren Oliver
Edgar Award nominee for Best Juvenile Mystery
The book is about, among other things: the strongest boy in the world, a talking cockatoo, a faulty mind reader, a beautiful bearded lady and a nervous magician, an old museum, and a shrunken head.
Blessed with extraordinary abilities, orphans Philippa, Sam, and Thomas have grown up happily in Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. But when a fourth child, Max, a knife-thrower, joins the group, it sets off an unforgettable chain of events.
When the museum's Amazonian shrunken head is stolen, the four are determined to get it back. But their search leads them to a series of murders and an explosive secret about their pasts.
This sensational new series—a 2016 Edgar nominee for Best Juvenile book and New York Times bestseller—combines the unparalleled storytelling gifts of Lauren Oliver with the rich knowledge of the notorious relics collector HC Chester.
Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead
The instant New York Times bestseller from the author of the Newbery Medal winner When You Reach Me: a story about spies, games, and friendship.
The first day Georges (the S is silent) moves into a new Brooklyn apartment, he sees a sign taped to a door in the basement: SPY CLUB MEETING—TODAY!
That's how he meets his twelve-year-old neighbor Safer. He and Georges quickly become allies—and fellow spies. Their assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer's requests become more and more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: how far is too far to go for your only friend? Charlotte holmes
Clubhouse Mysteries by Sharon M. Draper, illus. by Jesse Joshua Watson
In this reissue of a classic chapter book series by award-winning author Sharon M. Draper, four boys who call themselves the Black Dinosaurs, find themselves involved in exciting mysteries around their town.
Ziggy and his friends Rico, Rashawn, and Jerome call themselves The Black Dinosaurs, and share exciting adventures. In The Buried Bones Mystery, the boys build a clubhouse in Ziggy's backyard, where they uncover a box of bones while digging to bury their secret treasures. But when the boys try to hide their treasures, they're swept up in a mystery more intriguing—and scary—than anything they could have imagined. Who could have buried a box of bones behind their clubhouse?
The Great Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
From the strange case of 'The Red-Headed League' to the extraordinary tale of 'The Engineer's Thumb', Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson grapple with treachery, murder, and ingenious crimes of all kinds. But no case is too challenging for the immortal detective's unique power of deduction.
The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonym Bosh
Warning: this description has not been authorized by Pseudonymous Bosch. As much as he'd love to sing the praises of his book (he is very vain), he wouldn't want you to hear about his brave 11-year old heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest. Or about how a mysterious box of vials, the Symphony of Smells, sends them on the trail of a magician who has vanished under strange (and stinky) circumstances. And he certainly wouldn't want you to know about the hair-raising adventures that follow and the nefarious villains they face. You see, not only is the name of this book secret, the story inside is, too. For it concerns a secret. A Big Secret.
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen
Sammy Keyes must be a magnet for trouble…
I mean it's bad enough that she has to live illegally in a seniors-only building with her grandmother while her mother tries to make it as a movie star. And worse that she witnessed a burglary in progress–and that the thief saw her. And worse still that nosy neighbor Mrs. Graybill is onto her, and that the thief is after her. But on top of all that, she also manages to make an enemy of the queen of mean at her new school and get suspended on the first day.
Welcome to the wild world of Sammy Keyes!
Theodore Boon, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
The thrilling young mystery series from internationally bestselling author John Grisham!
In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he's only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he's one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom.
But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth.
The stakes are high, but Theo won't stop until justice is served.
The Maze of Bones (39 clues series) by Rick Riordan
The first book in the #1 bestselling phenomenon sends readers around the world on the hunt for the 39 Clues!
Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: “You have a choice – one million dollars or a clue.”
Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 Clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents.
The Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
An Edgar Award Finalist
An Agatha Award Finalist
An enchanting urban fantasy middle-grade debut―the first book in a trilogy―set in a magical hotel full of secrets.
Orphan Elizabeth Somers's malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms―most notably its massive library. It's not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel's secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel's curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to care for, and even Winterhouse itself?
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
When Kyle learns that the world's most famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town's new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night, he's determined to be there! But the tricky part isn't getting into the library—it's getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route!
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Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens
Two friends form a detective agency—and must solve their first murder case—in this “sharp-witted debut” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) that is the first adventure in a brand-new middle grade mystery series set at a 1930s boarding school.
Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are best friends at Deepdean School for Girls, and they both have a penchant for solving mysteries. In fact, outspoken Daisy is a self-described Sherlock Holmes, and she appoints wallflower Hazel as her own personal Watson when they form their own (secret!) detective agency. The only problem? They have nothing to investigate.
Goody Hall by Natalie Babbit
An out-of-work actor, Hercules Feltwright, stumbles into a job tutoring Willet Goody, the only child of a widow living in a large, lonely house. Willet quickly involves his tutor in the search to discover the truth about his father. The mystery unfolds with the discovery of hidden treasure, a gypsy séance, and the frightening exploration of the tomb of Midas Goody.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger—and a possible murderer—to inherit his vast fortune, on things for sure: Sam Westing may be dead…but that won't stop him from playing one last game!
Winner of the Newbery Medal
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
An ALA Notable Book
Pieces and Players by Blue Balliet
THE PIECES: Thirteen extremely valuable pieces of art have been stolen from one of the most secretive museums in the world. A Vermeer has vanished. A Manet is missing. And nobody has any idea where they and the other eleven artworks might be . . . or who might have stolen them.
THE PLAYERS: Calder, Petra, and Tommy are no strangers to heists and puzzles. Now they've been matched with two new sleuths — Zoomy, a very small boy with very thick glasses, and Early, a girl who treasures words . . . and has a word or two to say about the missing treasure.
The kids have been drawn in by the very mysterious Mrs. Sharpe, who may be playing her own kind of game with the clues. And it's not just Mrs. Sharpe who's acting suspiciously — there's a ghost who mingles with the guards in the museum, a cat who acts like a spy, and bystanders in black jackets who keep popping up.
With pieces and players, you have all the ingredients for a fantastic mystery from the amazing Blue Balliett.
The Greenglass House by Kate Milford
New York Times Bestseller
National Book Award Nominee
Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery
It's wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler's inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Then rings again. And again. Soon Milo's home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house. As objects go missing and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, must decipher clues and untangle the web of deepening mysteries to discover the truth about Greenglass House—and themselves.
Swindle by Gordon Korman
Ocean's 11 . . . with 11-year-olds, in a super stand-alone heist caper from Gordon Korman!
After a mean collector named Swindle cons him out of his most valuable baseball card, Griffin Bing must put together a band of misfits to break into Swindle's compound and recapture the card. There are many things standing in their way — a menacing guard dog, a high-tech security system, a very secret hiding place, and their inability to drive — but Griffin and his team are going to get back what's rightfully his . . . even if hijinks ensue.
This is Gordon Korman at his crowd-pleasing best, perfect for readers who like to hoot, howl, and heist.
Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
“Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children–two boys and two girls–succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.
Van Gogh Deception by Deron R. Hicks
Dan Brown meets Jason Bourne in this riveting middle-grade mystery thriller. When a young boy is discovered in Washington DC's National Gallery without any recollection of who he is, so begins a high-stakes race to unravel the greatest mystery of all: his identity.
As the stakes continue to rise, the boy must piece together the disjointed clues of his origins while using his limited knowledge to stop one of the greatest art frauds ever attempted. Digitally interactive, this breathtaking museum mystery offers QR codes woven throughout the book that bring renowned paintings to readers' fingertips.
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she's not sure they have anything in common. But she soon discovers that they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a deserted storage yard, Melanie and April decide it's the perfect spot for the Egypt Game. Before long there are six Egyptians, and they all meet to wear costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their secret code. Everyone thinks it's just a game until strange things start happening. Has the Egypt Game gone too far?
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer
Meet Enola Holmes, teenaged girl turned detective and the younger sister to Sherlock Holmes.
When Enola Holmes, sister to the detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared, she quickly embarks on a journey to London in search of her. But nothing can prepare her for what awaits. Because when she arrives, she finds herself involved in the kidnapping of a young marquess, fleeing murderous villains, and trying to elude her shrewd older brothers—all while attempting to piece together clues to her mother's strange disappearance. Amid all the mayhem, will Enola be able to decode the necessary clues and find her mother?
Knightley and Son by Rohan Gavin
The once highly in-demand detective Alan Knightley has just woken up after an unexplained incident kept him asleep for four years. While he was out cold, his son, Darkus, took it upon himself to read of all his dad's old cases, and he's learned a lot about the art of detection. It's a good thing too-because suddenly the duo find themselves caught up in a crazy conspiracy that involves a group of villainous masterminds (who keep appearing and then vanishing), some high-speed car chases (that will have everyone fastening their seat belts), and a national, bestselling book with the power to make people do terrible, terrible things. But because Alan is still suffering the effects of his coma, he tends to, well, fall asleep at the worst possible moments, Meaning that young Darkus might just have to solve this mystery . . . by himself.
Scat by Carl Hiaassen
Carl Hiaasen takes us deep in the Everglades with an eccentric eco-avenger, a ticked-off panther, and two kids on a mission to find their missing teacher. Florida—where the animals are wild and the people are wilder!
Bunny Starch, the most feared biology teacher ever, is missing. She disappeared after a school field trip to Black Vine Swamp. And, to be honest, the kids in her class are relieved.
But when the principal tries to tell the students that Mrs. Starch has been called away on a “family emergency,” Nick and Marta just don't buy it. No, they figure the class delinquent, Smoke, has something to do with her disappearance.
And he does! But not in the way they think. There's a lot more going on in Black Vine Swamp than any one player in this twisted tale can see. It's all about to hit the fan, and when it does, the bad guys better scat.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of Pie by Alan Bradley
It is the summer of 1950–and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath.
For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn't. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”
A Spy in the House by YS Lee
Introducing an exciting new series! Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and
intrigue, this diverting mystery trails a feisty heroine as she takes on a precarious secret assignment. (Age 12 and up)
Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady's companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant's home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past
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