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 and 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...
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
A funny and clever illustrated early chapter book series in the Flytrap Files universe, from New York Times bestselling author Tom Angleberger and Newbery Honor winner Cece Bell!   Meet Inspector Flytrap! He's a Venus flytrap and world-class solver...
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 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...
Fabio the world's greatest flamingo detective : the case of the missing hippo
James, Laura
Paper Book
This hilarious, brightly illustrated chapter book starring Fabio the flamingo detective and his sidekick Gilbert the giraffe is perfect for fans of CatStronauts and The Bad Guys. In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives the world's greatest flamingo detective. His...
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...
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...
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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