Mysteries for Early Elementary Students

Looking for mysteries for primary grade students, whether for shared or independent reading? Check out this selection of beginning reader, early chapter book, and graphic novel mysteries! Many books are the first in a series.

Updated August 21, 2025
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The case of Piggy's Bank
Archer, Dosh
Paper Book
Together, Detective Paw and Patrol Officer Prickles can crack any case. When they're called to Piggy's Bank, all the money has vanished! Who could have taken it? Solve the mystery alongside this delightful duo in this rollicking new series.
King & Kayla and the case of the missing dog treats
Butler, Dori Hillestad
Paper Book
King & Kayla are back on the case in this laugh-out-loud mystery from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award-winning series. Kayla made peanut butter treats for Thor, Jillian's new puppy. But now the treats are missing, and King is under suspicion. Analytical Kayla...
Katie Woo and Pedro mysteries
Manushkin, Fran
Paper Book
It's nearly Katie's birthday, and she learns she will be getting a special present. She's too excited to wait patiently for the gift to arrive, so she decides to investigate ahead of time. The clues might lead her to her present, but is it better to let this mystery go unsolved?
Hamster Holmes, A mystery comes knocking
Sadar, Albin
Paper Book
Hamster Holmes and his firefly sidekick, Dr. Watt, solve mysteries together in this start to a Level 2 Ready-to-Read series! Hamster Holmes and Dr. Watt are the best sleuths in town! So when their friend Corny O'Squirrel has a mystery he needs help solving, he knows just who to...
Inspector Flytrap
Angleberger, Tom
Paper Book
From husband-and-wife team Tom Angleberger, creator of the New York Times bestselling Origami Yoda series, and Cece Bell, author/illustrator of the Newbery Honor graphic novel El Deafo, comes the start to a funny and clever illustrated chapter-book series about a mystery-solving Venus flytrap....
The case of the nibbled pizza
Bentley, Tadgh
Paper Book
Meet Dino Detective and Awesome Possum- the sister-and-brother duo who are on the hunt for the next big case! Designed to engage early readers, this story combines charming characters with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids' confidence and create...
The case of the missing tarts
Curran-Bauer, Christee
Paper Book
The Pigeon Detectives are looking forward to devouring a delectable platter of jam tarts--until the tasty treats are stolen from right under their beaks! With tummies grumbling, the PPD are on the hunt for clues, but can the detectives recover the tarts in time before they are all eaten--or worse-...
The buried bones mystery
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
Four boys who call themselves the Black Dinosaurs dig up a mysterious box of bones in this first book of the classic chapter book series by award-winning author Sharon M. Draper. Ziggy and his friends Rico, Rashawn, and Jerome build a clubhouse in Ziggy's backyard and decide to...
The big race lace case
Jacobs, Paul DuBois
Paper Book
Mack Rhino is a private detective--who just so happens to be a rhinoceros--in this silly, fun-to-read Aladdin QUIX chapter book that's perfect for emerging readers! Mack Rhino is a private eye who has just finished solving his 99th case. With his trusty sidekick, Redd Oxpeck by...
Hero dog!
Lysiak, Hilde
Paper Book
Real-life super-sleuth and media sensation Hilde Lysiak's reporting skills are put to the test in this fun early chapter book mystery series!Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text,...
The weird sisters : a note, a goat, and a casserole
Smith, Mark David
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...
The Underdogs catch a cat burglar
Temple, Kate
Paper Book
"The Underdogs will have young readers HOWLING with laughter, SNIFFING for clues, and BARKING with delight." --Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood, creators of the Real Pigeons series   Perfect for fans of comical animal do-gooders like The Bad Guys, The InvestiGators, and The...
The case of the strange splash
Winkler, Henry
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling creators--Emmy Award-winning actor Henry Winkler, children's book author Lin Oliver, and Caldecott Medal-winning author-illustrator Dan Santat--comes Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash, a hilarious, full-color...
Wednesday and Woof : Catastrophe
Winston, Sherri.
Paper Book
Can Wednesday and her service dog, Woof, sniff out Mrs. Winter's missing cat before her big trip This is the first book of a fun full-color early chapter book series about the best detectives in the Midwest! Detective Tip #1 Try not to jump to conclusions. Wednesday and her...
Simon and Chester : super detectives!
Atkinson, Cale
Paper Book
Welcome to the world of Simon and Chester, ghost and boy duo extraordinaire. They like to kick butt and take names. They don't like chores. They are best friends. And they are about to solve the MYSTERY OF A LIFETIME. (Oh, and eat some snacks probably.) Join Simon and Chester in their first...
P.I. Butterfly. Case #1, Gone guppy
Kilpatrick, Karen
Paper Book
"Kids will laugh and learn as P.I. Butterfly solves the case!"--Jim Benton, New York Times bestselling author (Dear Dumb Diary, Franny K. Stein, Catwad) This outlandish whodunit will keep readers guessing and laughing...all the way to the surprise...
Sloth sleuth
Marko, Cyndi
Paper Book
On an island crawling with crime, everyone's a suspect. Luckily, its resident sloth can solve crimes in her sleep (and often does!). Meet Paz, the world's first sloth sleuth. She may be slow . . . but she's always one step ahead of the bad guys. This hilarious graphic novel mystery...
The great puptective
Tysoe, Alina
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection A set-in-his-ways housecat has his routine upended by an enthusiastic new puppy with a nose for solving mysteries in this first "effervescent" (Publishers Weekly) book in a graphic chapter book series perfect for fans of InvestiGators...
The case of the golden bone
Varon, Sara
Paper Book
Can Detective Sweet Pea sniff out the suspect and crack the case? From the creator of Robot Dreams, now an Oscar-nominated feature film, comes a new graphic novel series for young readers! Sweet Pea's got a pretty sweet life. The animals in her hometown of Parkville...

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