A Whodunit for Kids

Who doesn't love a good mystery?  A whodunit where our main character has to use his/her wits and skills to discover the perpetrator of a crime!  Well this week I have just such a book, so go on and pull out your notebook and magnifying glass because really, who ever solved a crime without a magnifying glass?

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Title: Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile

Author: Marcia Wells

Target: Grades 4-6

Series: Yes

What this book is about: 
Edmund has a photographic memory, and when he and his father witness a crime, he is able to draw a perfect likeness of the perpetrator.  The police are quite intrigued with his ability and end up offering him a job drawing the people he observes where an art heist may take place.  While they tell him nothing about the potential crime to keep him safe, he starts to figure out what is going on and suddenly realizes the cops may be searching in the wrong place.  But they won’t believe the hunch of a kid, will they?

Why I love this book: 
There were a lot of things to like about this story!  First off I love a good mystery, and this one wasn’t so convoluted that I couldn’t understand the premise or the solution.  Second, the mystery is solved with chess!  I have a sone who loves the game, so I know he will enjoy how perpetrator’s crime was laid out.

Of course, it is always fun to see main characters who aren’t  always white males, and the fact that we have a black main character is delightful.  His race is really irrelevant to the mystery, so how lovely that the author gave us some variety. 

The book also incorporates the drawing done by Eddie, and as I always say, I love fiction with some illustrations sprinkled in.  I don’t understand why they all have to disappear simply because a reader has moved on from picture books!

Who this book is for: 
Good for kids who like mystery books like Loot, or the Stuart Gibbs novels.

Final thoughts: 
I really enjoyed this one, although I think the tutorial in the back on how to draw faces will still be lost on this artistically challenged mom.

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Eddie Red, Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile  A portion of each purchase will go back to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.