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Children's Book Suggestions | MysteryUnpublished

Great reads for mystery-loving kids, from picture books for preschoolers to spy thrillers for middle school sleuths. For more recommendations, check out our 2024 mysteries list or browse the online catalog.

Updated December 5, 2024

LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Oregon City Public Library

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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...

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)

The absent alpacas

Whaley, Kayla

Paper Book

Solve Animal Mysteries from A to Z! Young clue hunters Abbi, Daniel, and Lydia sniff out the mystery behind a group of missing alpacas. Inspired by Ron Roy's beloved A to Z Mysteries series, this spin-off is perfect for budding young chapter-book readers--and future detectives!

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)

The pizza mystery

Warner, Gertrude Chandler

Paper Book

Who is trying very hard to put Piccolo's Pizzeria out of business?

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)

Wallace and Grace take the case

Alexander, Heather

Paper Book

The Read & Bloom line offers high interest, character driven stories for newly independent readers that feature full-color illustrations throughout and will transition kids from leveled readers to a lifetime of reading. In this charming series, perfect for newly independent readers, kids will be...

A pair of owls solve a mystery in this beginning chapter book for newly independent readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

The haunted library

Butler, Dori Hillestad

Paper Book

A brand-new young chapter book series from Edgar Award winner Dori Hillestad Butler! When ghost boy Kaz's haunt is torn down and he is separated from his ghost family, he meets a real girl named Claire, who lives above the town library with her parents and her grandmother....

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)

The Chicken Squad

Cronin, Doreen.

Paper Book

Now an animated series on Disney Junior! They're darling. They're daring. They know their shapes! They're chicks on a mission--and on this, their first (mis)adventure, the Chicken Squad launches a galactic backyard expedition. Meet the Chicken Squad: Dirt,...

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)

InvestiGATORS

Green, John

Paper Book

With more than three million copies in print, John Patrick Green's goofy graphic novel series is a colossal comics hit! Join super spy alligator duo MANGO and BRASH as they surf the sewers and fight the forces of evil. With their Very Exciting Spy Technology and their tried...

Goofy alligator spies solve crimes! The toilet travel system ensures Dav Pilkey fans will love this one. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)

The video game bandit

Dixon, Franklin W.

Paper Book

Frank and Joe are on a mission to track down a thief in the first book in an all-new, interactive Hardy Boys chapter book mystery series. Includes space for readers to jot down their own ideas and solutions to the case! Bayport Elementary is throwing a fundraiser so they can go...

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)

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library

Grabenstein, Chris

Paper Book

Can you find your way out of what James Patterson calls the "coolest library in the world"? Join gamer-fan Kyle Keeley as he competes in the escape game of a lifetime! From the coauthor of I Funny and Max Einstein--and with 100+ weeks on the the New...

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)

From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Konigsburg, E. L.

Paper Book

A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) Run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with E. L. Konigsburg's beloved classic and Newbery Medal-winning novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! When Claudia decided to run away, she...

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)

Nancy Clancy, super sleuth

O'Connor, Jane.

Paper Book

Nancy Clancy is growing up and ready for a whole new adventure . . . in her chapter book debut! Nancy and her best friend, Bree, have everything they need to solve a mystery, from their totally professional trench coats to their top-secret code. But when crime strikes...

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)

The absent author

Roy, Ron

Paper Book

Don't miss A to Z Mysteries--alphabetic adventures that are full of thrills, chills, and cases to crack! A is for Author... In the first book of the A to Z Mysteries--an early chapter book mystery series featuring strong boy and girl characters--Dink writes to...

This classic 90s series is a perfect introduction to mystery novels for young readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

City spies

Ponti, James

Paper Book

A New York Times bestseller! A GMA3 Summer Reading Squad Selection! "Ingeniously plotted, and a grin-inducing delight." --People "Will keep young readers glued to the page...So when do I get the sequel?" --Beth McMullen, author of Mrs. Smith's Spy School...

A perfect way to introduce middle school readers to suspenseful, action-packed spy thrillers. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The maze of bones

Riordan, Rick.

Paper Book

The first book in the #1 bestselling phenomenon sends readers around the world on the hunt for the 39 Clues!Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue."Grace is the last matriarch of the...

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 tower treasure

Dixon, Franklin W.

Paper Book

A dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stored "in the tower." Both towers of the looted mansion are searched in vain. It remains for the Hardy boys to make an astonishing discovery that clears up the mystery and clears the name of a friend's father.

The original Hardy Boys mystery series opener! Perfect for fans of classic mysteries and historical fiction. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The secret of the old clock

Keene, Carolyn.

Paper Book

Read the original Nancy Drew mystery, the first book in the iconic mystery series that introduced readers to America's favorite teenaged sleuth! The accidental rescue of a little girl who lives with her two great-aunts leads to an adventurous search for a missing will....

Join the most famous sleuth in children's literature on her first mystery! (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Greenglass House

Milford, Kate

Paper Book

New York Times Bestseller * National Book Award Nominee * Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery It's wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler's inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his...

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)

The Westing game

Raskin, Ellen

Paper Book

When an eccentric millionaire dies mysteriously, 16 very unlikely people are gathered together for the reading of the will--and what a will it is. A Newbery Medal-winning novel.

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)

The boxcar children

Warner, Gertrude Chandler

Paper Book

An early edition of the beloved classic. Since The Boxcar Children® series began in 1942, the adventures of the Alden family have captivated generations of readers. But years before she began working on the series of beloved children's books that remain widely read today, Gertrude Chandler...

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)

The bad beginning

Snicket, Lemony.

Paper Book

It's a good thing that Violet Baudelaire has a real knack for inventing things. When misery comes to call, the right invention at the right time can mean everything. It's also fortunate that her brother, Klaus, has read lots of books and knows many important things, like how to tell an alligator...

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)

The story collector

Tubb, Kristin O'Donnell

Paper Book

"For every book lover who fantasized about getting locked in the library overnight, The Story Collector is a dream come true!" --New York Times-bestselling author Alan Gratz In the tradition of E. L. Konisburg, this middle-grade...

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)

The maze of bones

Young, Ethan

Paper Book

The graphic novel adaptation of the mega-bestseller that launched a global phenomenon! Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her descendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue." Grace is the last matriarch of...

A graphic novel adaptation of the popular mystery/adventure series. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)

Shirley & Jamila save their summer

Goerz, Gillian

Paper Book

This middle-grade graphic novel for fans of Roller Girl and Smile introduces Jamila and Shirley, two unlikely friends who save each other's summers while solving their neighborhood's biggest mysteries. Jamila Waheed is staring down a lonely summer in a new...

Two unlikely friends team up to solve mysteries in their Canadian neighborhood during an otherwise boring summer. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)

The secret letters

Haddix, Margaret Peterson

Paper Book

In this page-turning middle grade series by New York Times bestseller Margaret Peterson Haddix, Colin and Nevaeh, whose parents own rival junk-removal businesses, uncover mysteries hidden in attics and basements and discover how trash can become treasure. In The Secret Letters, Colin and Nevaeh...

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)

Restart

Korman, Gordon

Paper Book

The amazing New York Times bestseller about what you can do when life gives you a second chance. Chase's memory just went out the window. Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes...

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)

The case of the missing marquess : an Enola Holmes mystery

Springer, Nancy.

Paper Book

When Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared--on her 14th birthday nonetheless--she knows she alone can find her. Disguising herself as a grieving widow, Enola sets out to the heart of London to uncover her mother's...

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)

The Mona Lisa vanishes : a legendary painter, a shocking heist, and the birth of a global celebrity

Day, Nick

Paper Book

A "witty thriller" (The New York Times) for middle-grade readers about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world--and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all. ...

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)

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Children's Book Suggestions | MysteryUnpublishedShare

Children's Book Suggestions | MysteryUnpublished