Summer Reading Club 3: Precious Mysteries

The BC Summer Reading Club week 3 theme is "Precious Mysteries: magic & mysteries." Check out these suggestions for readers ages 0-12!

Updated July 3, 2024
G
Greater Victoria Public Library
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
The book of mysteries, magic and the unexplained
Macfarlane, Tamara 
Paper Book
A fascinating look into the secrets of the supernatural world for curious children obsessed with magic and mystery.  Featuring bright and bold illustrations, Mysteries, Magic, and the Unexplained traces the story of myth and magic from ancient superstitions to medieval...

Non-fiction

Garden of lost socks
Edugyan, Esi 
Paper Book
Two-time Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Esi Edugyan debuts her picture book, lovingly illustrated by Amélie Dubois, a whimsical story about friendship, curiosity and the magic of a vibrant community  Akosua was always told she was too nosy. Her parents loved her very much, but...

Picturebook

The hidden world of gnomes
Soloy, Lauren
Paper Book
A delightful introduction and collection of facts about the secret lives of gnomes that will charm and fascinate readers of all ages. This book is an introduction to the hidden folk called gnomes, who live in a happy place they call The Pocket. Where is The Pocket, you ask? ...

Picturebook

The Night Gardener
Fan, Terry 
Paper Book
In the spirit of Goodnight Moon and The Curious Garden comes a stunning debut picture book filled with whimsy and creativity from brothers Terry and Eric Fan. One day, William discovers that the tree outside his window has been sculpted into a wise owl. In the...

Picturebook

Hamster Holmes. A bit stumped
Sadar, Albin 
Paper Book
Hamster Holmes and his firefly sidekick, Dr. Watt, solve a colorful new mystery in this Level 2 Ready-to-Read story perfect for beginning readers! Hamster Holmes and his firefly sidekick, Dr. Watt, have a new case...and for the first time, Hamster Holmes is stumped. It all began...

Reader

Pete the cat and the lost tooth
Dean, James, 1957- author, illustrator. 
Paper Book
When the tooth fairy takes the night off, it's up to Pete the Cat to step in. But it's not easy being the tooth fairy when a tooth goes missing--will he be able to find the lost tooth before it's too late Beginning readers will love Pete's adventure as the tooth fairy in this...

Reader

The queen in the cave
Sarda?, Ju?lia
Paper Book
In her debut as author-illustrator, Júlia Sardà spins an enthralling and evocative tale, rich with layers of meaning to be discovered. One night, Franca has a dream about a marvelous queen who lives in a dark cave, deep in the forest. She cannot sit still until she knows if her...

Picturebook

The monster detector
Potter, Ellen, 1963- author. 
Paper Book
The adventures of Big Foot and Little Foot continue in The Monster Detector, the second book in the series from award-winning author Ellen Potter and illustrator Felicita Sala. Hugo is a young Sasquatch. Boone is a young boy. After an unlikely encounter,...

Primary fiction

Just Harriet
Arnold, Elana K. 
Paper Book
From the award-winning author of A Boy Called Bat comes a new young middle grade series in the tradition of Ramona and Clementine, starring an unforgettable girl named Harriet. There are a few things you should know about Harriet Wermer: She just finished third...

Primary fiction

The case of the curious scouts
Mang, Veronica 
Paper Book
Gifted Girls. Daring Dames. Marvelous Mysteries. The Secret Spy Society is back with a new case to solve! After officially naming themselves the Petite Private Eyes, Peggy, Rita, and Dot are ready to take on a new assignment from the Lady Spies. The...

Primary fiction

Edison the mystery of the missing mouse treasure
Kuhlmann, Torben, 1982- author, illustrator. 
Paper Book
2019 Batchelder Honor Award 2019 ALA Notable Children's Book Award-winning illustrator Torben Kuhlmann's stunning new book transports readers to new depths where imagination lights the way!  A long time ago, one mouse learned to fly,...

Primary fiction

A note, a goat, and a casserole
Smith, Mark David, 1972- author. 
Paper Book
The first book in a mystery series features three sleuthing sisters One spring evening, three strange visitors arrive in the town of Covenly. Sisters Hildegurp, Yuckmina, and Glubbifer are hoping to start fresh with a new business: a pet store! Their first customer is nine-year-old Jessica...

Primary fiction

The body under the piano
Jocelyn, Marthe 
Paper Book
A smart and charming middle-grade mystery series starring young detective Aggie Morton and her friend Hector, inspired by the imagined life of Agatha Christie as a child and her most popular creation, Hercule Poirot. For fans of Lemony Snicket and Enola Holmes. Aggie...

Intermediate fiction

City of ghosts
Schwab, Victoria 
Paper Book
From #1 NYT bestselling author Victoria Schwab comes a sweeping, spooky, evocative adventure, perfect for fans of "Stranger Things" and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.A New York Times bestseller!Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't...

Intermediate fiction

Winterhouse
Guterson, Ben 
Paper Book
An Edgar Award Finalist An Agatha Award Finalist An enchanting urban fantasy middle-grade debut--the first book in a trilogy--set in a magical hotel full of secrets. Orphan Elizabeth Somers's malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous...

Intermediate fiction

The field guide
DiTerlizzi, Tony 
Paper Book
The Grace children discover the faerie world is closer than you think in this repackage of the first book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Spiderwick Chronicles. After finding a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they've just moved...

Intermediate fiction

Premeditated Myrtle
Bunce, Elizabeth C. 
Paper Book
A 2021 Edgar® Award Winner, Best Juvenile A BookPage Best Book of 2020: Middle Grade A Mighty Girl's 2020 Books of the Year Introducing Myrtle Hardcastle, your favorite new amateur detective: a wickedly smart...

Intermediate fiction

Cream buns and crime tips, tricks, and tales from the Detective Society
Stevens, Robin, 1988- author. 
Paper Book
Learn more about Daisy and Hazel's detecting process and unravel three brand-new mini-mysteries in this "jolly good fun" (Kirkus Reviews) short story companion to the Murder Most Unladylike series for "fans of Enola Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Stuart Gibbs" (School Library Journal)...

Intermediate fiction

Mystery on Magnolia Circle
Klise, Kate 
Paper Book
Rear Window meets Nancy Drew in this middle-grade novel by Kate Klise about a girl who believes she has witnessed a crime What happens when two best friends take on the world's worst summer? On the first day of vacation, ten-year-old...

Intermediate fiction

The Ojja-wojja a horror-mystery, or whatever
Visaggio, Magdalene 
Paper Book
The first in a new graphic novel series from indie comic stars Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge is a coming-of-age story about the transformative power of friendship. And an immortal demon with the power to take over the world. But mostly the friendship thing. Welcome to...

Graphic novel

The witch boy
Ostertag, Molly, author, illustrator. 
Paper Book
From the illustrator of the web comic Strong Female Protagonist comes a debut middle-grade graphic novel about family, identity, courage -- and magic.In thirteen-year-old Aster's family, all the girls are raised to be witches, while boys grow up to be shapeshifters. Anyone who dares cross...

Graphic novel

Enola Holmes. Book one the graphic novels
Blasco, Serena, author, illustrator. 
Ebook
A graphic novel adaptation of the hit books that inspired the Netflix film! Sherlock Holmes' brilliant, strong-willed younger sister takes center stage in this delightfully drawn graphic novel based on Nancy Springer's bestselling mystery series. 14-year-old Enola Holmes wakes on...

Graphic novel

Garlic & the vampire
Paulsen, Bree
Paper Book
An enchanting, farm-fresh debut graphic novel starring an unusual heroine who is braver than she realizes, for middle grade readers looking for a cozy, adventuresome read in the vein of Witch Boy or Be Prepared. Garlic feels as though she's always doing...

Graphic novel

Mystery at the museum
Friel, Helen, author, illustrator. 
Paper Book
Join William the hippo and friends in an interactive adventure puzzle book. Help them solve the mystery and save the exhibition! William the hippo and his friends live on 5th Avenue, New York, inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At night, when the museum is closed and all the...

Non-fiction

Winged wonders solving the monarch migration mystery
Pincus, Meeg 
Paper Book
2020 Finalist AAAS/Subaru American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru2020 EUREKA Excellence in Nonfiction Awards - HonoreeWinner Best of 2020 Picture Book New Releases - Innovative Nonfiction CategoryThe Original Art 2020 NomineeFor decades, as the monarch butterflies swooped through...

Non-fiction


Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.