Mystery Books--Reviewed by 4th grade

Here are some reviews of mystery books by Mrs. B.'s fourth grade class, 2009-2010. Enjoy!

The Hardy Boys and the Secret of the Caves by Franklin W. Dixon
This book is about the Hardy Boys an their friends having a goal to solve mysteries. They are famous as detectives in the city of Bayport where they live. Their goal is to fight crime and they get into a lot of personal trouble along the way. In the end, they safely return to Bayport with the mysteries solved.
The Secret of the Caves takes place in many different locations. First, the Hardy Boys start out near Bayport where they live. Then they go to a college to look for a missing professor, to the railroads, to the cliffs, and end up at the honeycomb caves on the sea!
Rating: I give this mystery book five stars ***** because it made me feel like I was a character in the book. Another reason why I give the book five stars is because I couldn't stop reading it because it was so good.

Nancy Drew: The Ring Master's Secret by Carolyn Keene
This book is about Nancy drew, an eighteen year old girl who loves to solve mysteries. The story is Nancy's aunt sends Nancy a small horse charm bracelet with a big mystery behind it. Nancy discovers that the horse charm bracelet is missing one charm. Nancy is soon trying to find where the missing charm could have gone. Nancy found out that a woman named Lola Flanders had sold the bracelet at a shop because she needed the money. Nancy went looking for her.
Soon the circus comes to River Heights and Nancy's friend Teddy wants to go so Nancy is to accompany him. While Nancy is watching the parade her little friend, Teddy, runs up to Cinderella's carriage. Nancy chases after him into the carriage. Nancy meets a young girl in the carriage named Lolita and she soon finds out that she is Lola Flander's daughter. When Lolita said her mother supposedly died in a circus accident Nancy's hope falls. However Lolita still has hope that her mother is alive. Will Lolita ever find her mother who is supposedly dead and will Nancy ever find the last charm to her bracelet? Read the book to find out!
Rating: I give this book ***** stars because it was really detailed and fun to read.

The Hardy Boys: Mystery of the Firebird Rocket by Franklin W. Dixon
When the Hardy Boys get asked by their father, Fenton Hardy, to go to Princeton College to help find a missing rocket scientist they start on the case. They find a clue at Princeton that leads them across the world to Australia. They follow the criminals around Australia. On the way Joe almost gets run over by a car. Finally, they find the gang's hideout, an old house in Alice Springs. There were guards all around the house and they couldn't get in. Will they sneak into the house and save the scientist?
Rating: I would rate this book three stars ***, but compared to the other Hardy Boys books I have read I would give it two stars **. I liked all the action, I was on the edge of my seat. Like the other Hardy Boys, I would highly suggest it.

Under the Mountain by Maurice Gee
This book is a slow starter and is fast to end. It's almost all bad. I didn't like the book that much because I couldn't find anything to really follow in the book. The book was all jumping to different places; it didn't really tell you what was going on that much. It did have good parts but a lot of bad parts. The bad parts are when the book is trying to tell you what's going on, but it just can't get it right. The good parts are the fast pages that don't have ten things going on. I'm sorry but this is a book I want to stay away from.
Rating: not the best but not terrible--two stars **

The Mystery of the Mixed Up Zoo by Gertrude Warner
This book is about James, the grandfather of the children Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny. James' friend, Edward, owns a zoo. Someone keeps switching the signs at the zoo. A lot of animals are not behind bars. Someone stole the monkey. They found out who stole the monkey. Read the book to find out who stole the monkey.
Rating: I give this book ** stars because I don't like zoos. I also didn't like it because it had too much adventure.

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatly Snyder
April, Melanie, and Marshall come up with the idea for the Egypt Game. They find the A to Z shop backyard and think it is a perfect place to play the game. They set up there and have a great time, but at Halloween they slip away from the group and go to Egypt. Some kids follow them and climb over the wall. These kids want to join, so now they have six players. They come up with the idea of using hieroglyphics to send secret message to each other. At the same time there is a murderer on the loose int he neighborhood. He tries to catch the members of the Egypt Game. Will the children be all right?
Rating: I would give this book 2 stars because it did not have very much mystery in it. I did like it because it moved right along.

Spiderkane and the Mystery Under the May Apple by Mary Pope Osborne
This book contents are about a young butterfly named Leon who runs away from home and falls in love with another butterfly whose name is Mimi. Mimi is in a detective group. In the time he is away from home, Leon stays in his friend's house that are also in the group. The leader of the group is a spider named Spiderkane. One day Mimi has mysteriously disappeared from under her May Apple. Leon is desperate to find her. The only way to find her is for the group to lead Leon on a wild adventure he will never forget. Will they find Mimi? Read to find out.
Rating: I give this book ** stars because it kept me on the edge of my seat if I was in one.