Bringing Mysteries Alive for Children and Young Adults

Jeanette Larson is a retired youth services manager from Pflugerville, TX.

"A mystery fan herself, Larson provides a wealth of information that will both inspire and inform sleuths and novices alike. School media specialists, teachers and public librarians all know that mysteries are a favorite reading choice for many children. But the genre is so broad, and contains so many sub-categories that it is often overwhelming when a child generically asks for a “good mystery book.” A framework and guidelines for answering that, and many other questions can be found within this book. The history and appeal of mysteries, as well as the types of mysteries are defined with both classic and contemporary examples. Series mysteries are also examined both in terms of their appeal and merits. The two chapters focus on making curriculum connections with mysteries and programming ideas are particularly creative. There are many ideas for writing, research and art activities along with patterns and examples for many projects. Included are also suggestions for further reading and Web resources as well as ways to bring community members involved in real life investigation into programs and classrooms to further the learning experience. Along with the extensive annotated bibliography are a webliography and a listing of film and video resources for programming use. This is a useful resource for both programming as well as collection development. Recommended." - Library Media Connection