![]() In her YA novel, Richards takes readers through a scavenger hunt which reveals clues Cleo must use to solve the mystery of who is sending her the clues and why. The clues all center around landmarks and experiences Cleo had with her ex-boyfriend Declan who she believes died in a rafting accident the year before. As the clues unravel Cleo, her friend Hope, and her brother Connor begin to question whether Declan is actually dead. Texts and videos begin to surface that shed light on the clue sender's motives and what actually happened during the rafting "accident". If you enjoy mystery and suspense, you might want to add this read to your list. Approximate Grade Level - 9th grade+ - Although this is considered a YA novel, there were some pretty "heavy" issues included within the pages such as physical abuse, drugs, blackmail, and violence. Because of aforementioned issues, I would not personally recommend the novel for middle schoolers despite it potentially being on the reading level of some 7th and 8th graders.
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![]() The Maze of Bones is the first book in the 39 Clues series which is a book series written by a collaboration of authors. Rick Riordan is the author of The Maze of Bones. The Maze of Bones sets forth the premise of the series which begins with the death of Grace Cahill and the reading of her will. The reading of her will sets forth a race where the various factions of the Cahills search for 39 Clues that will result in finding information that will lead to a serum to make someone the most powerful person in the world. Each of the books follows Amy and Dan as they travel around the world with their nanny and search for clues. Each book focuses on a historical character that ties into the clue; Ben Franklin is the historical figure investigated in The Maze of Bones. If you can get past the implausibility of the novel (two young orphans traveling the world with their nanny and a host of really wacky family members), you might enjoy this book and book series. The book is fun and the characters are quirky. I think younger students will enjoy the action and mystery within the novel. Approximate Grade Level - 4th-7th (There are some unsavory characters and situations in the book, but they are more comical than scary, so I think it would be appropriate for most audiences.) ![]() The Parker Inheritance was recommended to me by a former colleague, and I am quite glad she recommended it to me because I always have students ask me for mystery recommendations, and I just rarely read mystery books. The protagonist of the story is a young Black girl named Candice who works with her friend Brandon to solve a mystery involving her grandmother. As Candice works to solve her grandmother's mystery she encounters historical information and racism. The plot line bounces from current times to the 1950s seamlessly as the reader learns what is happening with Candice as well as what happened with her grandmother. Students who like a mystery and historical fiction will love this book. There are some discussions of racism in the book as well as a character who is LGBTQ+. Approximate Reading Level: 4th-6th grade |
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