Field Trip Mysteries

January 1, 2011

Gr 3-6-Cat, Sam, Egg, and Gum are sixth-grade pals with a penchant for solving mysteries. Regardless of their destination, they make the most of their class trips by combining detective work with sightseeing. In Big Apple, they arrive in New York City just as a lunch box has been lifted from the Ralph Kramden statue in the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Later there is more vandalism at the Museum of Natural History and the Bronx Zoo, setting these kids on the trail of a suspicious girl who just happens to know their itinerary. In New Orleans, the friends witness acts of voodoo at every tourist attraction and wonder if certain people might be zombies in disguise. In both books, a bullying classmate initially seems to be the culprit, but when his crime appears to be no more than a weakness for ice cream, the tourists reach deeper into their detective tool boxes to unravel the clues. Each of these compact chapter books offers leading characters of both genders, some full-page, full-color illustrations, a "detective's dictionary" (aka glossary), a useful model of a school report on the featured city, and evidence-based discussion questions. These titles are excellent introductions to the mystery genre; the graphics and short chapters make them accessible to struggling or reluctant readers.-Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

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