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Synopsis
In their first book, Max Finder and Alison Santos invited readers to don their deerstalkers and join them in their crime-solving adventures. This all-new collection serves up ten more mystifying whodunits requiring the reader’s powers of deduction. In “The Case of the Trail Trap, The Case of the Angry Anchorman,” “The Case of the Gander River Grudge” and seven other baffling cases, youngsters must decode Morse messages, take a forensics quiz, and test their sleuthing smarts in order to solve the crimes. False clues and a full lineup of likely suspects keep readers guessing until the last panel. Detailed solutions at the back of the book allow young sleuths to determine if his or her solution is the correct one. With its likable protagonists, fantastic full-color artwork, and funny, action-packed stories, the Max Finder series keeps preteens engaged and entertained even as it improves their problem-solving skills.
Children's Literature
Where to start? I knew this would be a fun book when I saw the cover because I love the mystery genre. Max Finder and Alison Santos find themselves solving mysteries again—actually ten of them. In each case, the two "detectives" have to use different skills and knowledge to unravel the mystery. The author involves the reader by including a page at the end of each mystery that requires detecting skills to read. Skills that the reader needs to use are: unscrambling words, math, mad-libs, deciphering pictograms, matching, eye-dentification of pictures, forensics, and putting information in order. The protagonists are in grade seven and are absolutely wonderful. After completing the mystery, in order to find out if the resolution is correct, all the reader has to do is go to the end of the book and read the "Case Solutions." Each solution gives detailed information about the Who, What, Where, When, and How. There is also a "Conclusion" provided that gives the logical explanation of the correct sequence of the crime. This is a book for both girls and boys who love a good mystery. This book is also great for "hooking" someone who does not get real excited about reading a mystery. Teachers should have this in the classroom as it is just the thing for practicing problem-solving skills and perfect for teamwork. I really liked this book! Reviewer: Kathie M. Josephs