Mystery's the Theme

It seems as though I am currently drawn to the mystery genre and now I have stumbled upon a new investigator with lots of spunk and individuality!

Meet Gilda Joyce, created by Jennifer Allison.

Gilda is a character with a flair for drama. In this first book, as Gilda is looking for a summer adventure, she decides to "seize the day" and invites herself to visit relatives of her mother's whom she has never met and who live in San Francisco. Determined to become a psychic investigator, Gilda packs all the necessary items she might need to solve any impending mysteries while she is gone, taking great care to include: a pink wig, an evening gown for seances, a ouiji board, her psychic handbook, and the typewriter her father used to write novels before his death. The items she packs come in handy, and she does solve her first mystery, just not in the way she expects. The mystery to solve requires bridging the distance between her relatives, Lester Splinter and his daughter Juliet, and discovering what has kept them at odds.

While at times Gilda can be a bit over-the-top and somewhat blind to the needs of others, she is a character that infuses energy and excitement into the ordinary hum-drum of life. The storyline of this book is one that is filled with many plot lines, all neatly wrapped together, yet each carrying its own importance and weight, a literary skill masterfully woven by the author.

The epitome of good characterization is having multiple feelings and reactions to a character, which was my own experience while reading this book for I found myself reacting in many ways to Gilda: I was irritated with her, I laughed at her, I felt sympathy for her, I liked her. And now I have additional titles to add to my Need-to-Read list since there are two additional Gilda Joyce books available.

In recommending this book, I would suggest it for 6th grade and up due to some of the more mature themes that occur within the story.

Keywords: family, death of a parent, individuality

Check out Gilda Joyce online at: http://www.gildajoyce.com/

Good Books

In the world of children's literature, there are lots of good books. The question is "what makes a book good?" In exploring the variety of children's awards and honors given, one can get a sense of what a good book is, but ultimately a good book depends on the response of the reader.

A good book that I recently read, The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer was nominated for the Best Juvenile category of the Edgar Awards, sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America.

Set in London's Victorian era, the main character Enola Holmes (younger sister of the famous Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes), finds herself drawn into the world of mystery and intrigue when on her fourteenth birthday her mother disappears, seemingly without a trace. However, Enola soon discovers several hidden codes and ciphers left by her mother and sets off to pursue these leads. Disguising herself to avoid her brothers, Enola heads to London. However, she is soon sidetracked by the disappearance of a young Marquess, and must find a way to save his life as well as her own. Fortunately, Enola is a young lady who has bravado and can think on her feet, skills that prove to be life-saving for the young protagonist.

The atmosphere in which this story is set comes to life for modern-day readers with depictions of social life, gender roles, and living conditions of the Victorian age in London that are vividly created through the writing. As the story progressed, I found myself compelled in watching the character development undergone by Enola, for she is not the same person at the end of the book that she was at the beginning. In this book, Nancy Springer does a marvelous job of offering the reader a multi-layered story which contains twists and turns and several surprises, making the book hard to put down.

I would certainly classify this as a "good book" on my bookshelf and would recommend this book to those who enjoy good mysteries, strong female protagonists, or books set in historical places. I look forward to more titles in the Enola Holmes Mystery series.

Keywords: female protagonist, Sherlock Holmes, Victorian era, London

The Creek

The Creek by Jennifer Holm is an intense and suspenseful novel that is hard to put down. A quiet, peaceful suburban neighborhood is turned upside-down when a juvenile delinquent returns to his parents' home. Horrible things associated with this young man's past begin to happen again when he returns, and it seems as if his acts of violence are targeted toward one particular group of friends who live in the neighborhood, especially a young girl named Penny. To save Penny, the truth of these acts must be discovered, yet in this book the truth is not always what it seems.

The mystery of this story is one that pushes beyond the typical plot of a child-turned-detective tale and I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout the book, waiting anxiously to see what would happen next while wondering what would happen to Penny. The author does a fantastic job of creating a heightened sense of suspense as the action unfolds, making this a book that readers of mystery and suspense will enjoy.

Due to the intensity of the events in this story, I would recommend this book for students in grade 8 and above.

Keywords: friends, neighbors, community, murder, suspense

Welcome

Welcome to The Kingdom of Books!

Here you will find books, books, and more books - all classified as children's or young adult literature. With each highlighted book, I will include a book critique, personal response, and other relevant information.

You are invited to visit often and explore the treasures of the kingdom, for in this kingdom you will find no dragons. Well, except for the occasional library dragon!

"Storytime, shmorie-time," blew Miss Lotta Scales, "why, if I let the children touch these books with their gooey fingers and snotty noses, this Library wouldn't last a week."And she stared so furiously at the teachers that they threw down their weapons and clanged out. All except sweet Miss Lemon. "You know, Miss Scales, we all love the books as much as you do..., but the Library belongs to the children." "Good Knight, Miss Lemon, you slay me," cracked Miss Scales. "Why the idea of storytime is simply medieval."

Deedy, Carmen Agra. 1994. The Library Dragon. Georgia: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.