Great reads for mystery-loving kids, from picture books for preschoolers to spy thrillers for middle school sleuths.
This picture book series illustrated with photos of felted mice combines science concepts with mysteries for the youngest readers. (Picture Book Age 4-7)
A very weird, very silly story about a carnivorous plant detective. The wacky humor and illustrations make this a great choice for fans of Dog Man who are building their stamina for reading narrative fiction. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
A preschooler solves everyday mysteries around the house. (Picture Book Age 2-5)
Forest creatures solve nature mysteries in these graphic novels for beginning readers. (Bridging Graphic Novels Grades 2-4)
Inspired by the classic series, a new group of friends solve animal-themed mysteries in this new series from disability advocate and author Kayla Whaley. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
An elementary school student solves mysteries with the help of her canine sidekick in this advanced beginning reader. (Easy Reader Level 4)
The beloved Boxcar Children series now has installments for beginning readers who aren't quite ready to read the full-length chapter books on their own. (Easy Reader Level 4)
A pair of owls solve a mystery in this beginning chapter book for newly independent readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
A not-too-scary ghost story from an author who's mastered the art of writing mysteries for young readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
Another great chapter book option for Dog Man fans featuring a group of young chickens who may or may not be a step behind the reader in solving the crime. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
Goofy alligator spies solve crimes! The toilet travel system ensures Dav Pilkey fans will love this one. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)
Readers not quite ready for the original Hardy Boys mysteries can use these beginning chapter books to get familiar with the famous characters as they build their skills. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets The Westing Game in this chapter book about a group of kids whose favorite game-maker builds a new library that also happens to be an escape room. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Dog Man fans interested in real-life police dogs will enjoy this illustrated series about a police dog who solves mysteries while training for duty. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
While there's definitely a mystery in this classic novel, it takes a backseat to the detailed description of living in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Newly independent readers can meet Nancy, Bess, and George in this beginning chapter books series inspired by the classic 1950s novels. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
Fancy Nancy fans who've aged out of Easy Readers can keep growing with Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth. All the glamour, now with a sprinkle of mystery! (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
Travel the world and solve mysteries at the same time with Ethan and Ella in the Greetings from Somewhere series. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
Willow isn't thrilled about going to camp, especially since it seems there's something strange going on. A great choice for readers looking for books with D/deaf characters! (Young Teen Graphic Novels Grades 5-7)
This classic 90s series is a perfect introduction to mystery novels for young readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
A human boy and a ghost solve mysteries in this fun, goofy graphic novel. (Bridging Graphic Novels Grades 2-4)
This sweet graphic novel series is perfect for young sleuths who like fairy gardens as much as they like solving mysteries. (Bridging Graphic Novels Grades 2-4)
A perfect way to introduce middle school readers to suspenseful, action-packed spy thrillers. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
An action-packed mystery series by some of the world's most popular children's authors! Each book is written by a different author, with online mysteries to solve in between each book. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
The original Hardy Boys mystery series opener! Perfect for fans of classic mysteries and historical fiction. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Join the most famous sleuth in children's literature on her first mystery! (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
After discovering a magic library beneath their school, two friends are sucked into books and must solve crimes in order to rescue their favorite librarian. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Winter break has arrived. Instead of a quiet week at his family's inn with just his parents, a group of mysterious guests descends just as a snowstorm breaks out--leaving them snowed in with someone sinister. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
An eccentric millionaire dies and leaves his fortune to an unusual group of people, who must solve the mystery of his death before they can claim his inheritance. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Stranger Things meets Transformers in this "kids on bikes" style story about a giant robot who invades a 1980s midwest town. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
It blows my mind that the first book in this popular series was published 100 years ago in 1924! With over 150 books in the series to date, it's still going strong. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
A story in which everything that can go wrong, does. Orphaned siblings Violet, Klaus, and Sunny solve increasingly bizarre mysteries in this quirky, somewhat scary series. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
A historical mystery featuring siblings who investigate a haunting at the New York Public Library in the 1920s, great for fans of classic mysteries looking for a new take on a familiar setting. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
A graphic novel adaptation of the popular mystery/adventure series. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)
Two unlikely friends team up to solve mysteries in their Canadian neighborhood during an otherwise boring summer. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)
Two kids from rival junk removal family businesses team up to solve a mystery found in a box of letters from the 1970s. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
A tween with amnesia tries to solve the mystery of who he was before the accident and learns he might not like the answer. (Young Teen Grades 5-7)
A very British historical mystery set in a Victorian department store, great for fans of British mysteries and period dramas looking for an age-appropriate read. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
The Sherlock Holmes spinoff that inspired the series starring Millie Bobbie Brown, featuring the youngest Holmes sibling solving mysteries in 19th century London. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
Friends and boarding school classmates Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong form a detective agency to solve the murder of a teacher. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
A middle school girl gets to the bottom of a local mystery while honing her reporting skills. (Young Teen Graphic Novels Grades 5-7)
A true crime story featuring one of history's most notorious art heists--the theft of the Mona Lisa--and how it turned an obscure painting into a global sensation. (Children's Nonfiction Age 10-14)
An illustrated guide to an unsolved mystery from right here in the Pacific Northwest involving a stolen fortune, an airplane hijacking, and still-unidentified criminal. (Children's Nonfiction Age 8-12)
