March Mystery Madness with Jim and the Warwick'sKids Dept.

All of us are searching for the book that will grab and keep our attention, something we just can’t put down. Mysteries often fill this need. The same is true for children and middle school readers. Who delight in finding a book that can put them in another world, living vicariously through the characters.

With this in mind, Warwick’s introduces its own March Madness with a sale of selected children’s young adults’ mystery books giving customers 20 percent off on their purchase. A kid sleuth starring in detective stories can be one of the best page-turners around.

For example, a staff favorite is Maureen Sherry’s Walls Within Walls in which the children in a New York apartment discover their new home is filled with hidden panels and a mysterious book, putting them on an adventure through the city. Solving this puzzle could lead to a great fortune.

Several publishers have series that will keep a youngster reading one book after another. Kids love series (always starting with the first one, of course) so that adventure can be relived in story after story.

For younger readers, the most popular chapter books include Geronimo Stilton, A to Z Mysteries (b for The Bald Bandit), and the Ballpark Mysteries (i.e. The Astro Outlaw) among many others. Those who enjoyed the Fancy Nancy children’s books will find her now with her own detective series, Nancy Clancy.

Middle readers can enjoy Blue Balliett’s detective series, including The Calder Game and Chasing Vermeer. Illustrations help carry the reader from chapter to chapter. A contemporary Hardy Boys series, Brixton Brothers, puts the kids in some exciting adventures. A modern Nancy Drew might be the Sleuth or Dare series, with Norah, Darcy and their business, Partners in Crime. Another favorite could be Agatha, Girl of Mystery, with her first adventure, The Curse of Pharaoh.

A step up from there would be Barrie Sumy’s I So Don’t Do Famous series. Prequels include I So Don’t Do Spooky and I So Don’t Do Makeup featuring a middle school girl who solves mysteries with the help of her mother, who happens to be a ghost. There’s also Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator, also assisted by the paranormal.

Not with spirits, but his own cunning, is Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer written by John Grisham (The Last Juror, The Pelican Brief, etc.). Teddy’s parents are both private investigators, but their son’s talents are much needed to solve the firm’s challenges.

The whole family might enjoy an evening reading one or more of these mystery books, providing a valuable diversion from TV or movies.

Jim is a bookseller at Warwick's

Special Guest Blogger Reviews "Falling Kingdoms"

Let me say that Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Roads is one of the most fascinating books that I have ever read. Falling Kingdoms has so many perspectives; there is Jonas, who is enraged at any injustice such as his brother’s murder and or Princess Cleo, who lives in royalty and likes peace. In this book, there is rich and food living Auranos, poor Palesia, and mean and bloody Lumeros. The plot of this book is that Lumeros and Palesia are jealous of Auranos, so they engage in war and overtake Auranos. I think the author was trying to tell people who read this book that jealousy can lead to bad things. I bet that if you read this book, you will not want to put it down.

I think overall this book was really good and I give it 4 ¾ stars out of 5!

Matthew is 11 years old

Jim Looks at Known Authors Writing Children’s Books

Many readers would be surprised at the wealth of fantastic authors writing juvenile fiction. In fact, I hadn’t read the renowned author Isabel Allende until I found a new kid’s trilogy starting with City of Beasts. The trilogy features twins who go on adventures with their archaeologist grandmother. After those I then read many of her books for adult audiences such as House of Spirits, Zorro, and my favorite, Ines of My Soul. To be able to successfully transfer her talents to a younger audience was so impressive that I have made a point of reading any young adult books written by similarly popular authors. The best part of this is that young readers will have an early introduction to some of today’s most prominent authors.

Here are a few other prominent authors delving into the children's book world:

Salman Rushdie at the Mandeville Auditorium on September 22 reminded my colleague Acacia of his two young adult titles, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, and its sequel, Luka and the Fire of Life. These are in regular fiction but are also exciting novels for younger readers.

Elizabeth George’s The Edge of Nowhere, released in early September, features clairvoyant Becca King in the first of this cycle. George is best known for her crime novels featuring Inspector Linley.

Kathy Reichs is author of Deadly Decisions and a dozen other titles feature forensics expert Temperance Brennan. Reichs’ books are the basis for the TV show, “Bones.” Her new young adult series (starting with Virals) introduces Brennan’s niece, Tori, a teen detective. A virus gives Tori and companions several canine senses, including sight and hearing, which they are learning to control.

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have co-written a creative and humorous series of books. Peter & the Starcatchers (describing Peter Pan’s first encounters with magic) The story has been produced as a musical (which debuted a few years ago at La Jolla Playhouse.) There is also Science Fair, a hilarious look at sixth graders’ efforts to close down the eastern seaboard, and the foreigners who get hooked on the Shopping Network while checking in on the students’ progress.

Prolific James Patterson has the Maximum Ride series (six books and growing) about Max and her flock of siblings who have been cloned with birds, a spin-off of the more horrific adult novel, When the Wind Blows describing the creation of these unusual teens. He also has a Witch & Wizard series, among others.

Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (also made into a movie) introduced young readers to his imaginative fantasy, with The Graveyard Book being selected for top honors as a Newbery Award.

Harlan Coben’s character Myron Bolitar is the uncle of the protagonist in this riveting first teen mystery, Shelter. Philippa Gregory’s The Changeling series is popular among young readers.

 There are certainly many others, but the authors listed are some of my favorites. If you are fans of adult titles, the ones for younger audience may appeal to you as well.

 

Jim is a bookseller at Warwick's

 

 

 

The Extraordinary Tale of Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is one of those remarkable books that manages to utterly captivate; it makes you grin, it makes you cry, and it, at times makes you a little angry (righteous anger to be sure, but anger none the less). A simple story about a boy with an extraordinary face, getting through his first year in a real school, Wonder is anything but ordinary.

Told in multiple narratives, readers get a glimpse into the life of a ten-year-old Auggie, disfigured from birth with extreme facial abnormalities, as he tries to maneuver his way through the harsh world that is middle school. Readers hear from Auggie, his family, and friends as they all struggle to deal with the everyday ups and downs of existence, while also dealing with the sometimes cruel realities of life for someone who is anything, but ordinary. In a time where more and more of the novels for kids and teens deal with dysfunctional families, teen angst, and substance abuse, Wonder is a breath a fresh air. The family, despite dealing with such a heart wrenching issue, is shockingly ordinary. The parents are married (to each other), they care about their children and actually spend quality time with them. The kids have the same issues as most kids do—fighting with friends, struggling through homework and school, dealing with the changes of getting older. This is an average family just doing their best to be happy. I love that for once, I can pick up a book that features a group of people put into one of the most extraordinary circumstances, and instead of imploding and turning on one another, they actually support each other and work together. It sounds sappy and Walton-esq, but it isn’t. They still have their problems, serious ones at that, it’s just the handling of it is a bit more real and relatable to the average reader.

I really can’t recommend this book enough. A book for all ages, Wonder is astonishing in its ability to capture so much in such a simple way. For such an unpretentious book it packs a lasting punch. It’s charming, funny, moving, and everything else you could ask for in a novel. A truly worthy read.

Jim Takes a Look at the Newbery Award

Before joining Warwick's I was an administrator at La Jolla Country Day and The Gillispie School. During that time, one of my favorite discoveries was the list of Newbery Award winners for best writing of children’s books. I have read many of those titles and most often they were a really good stories. Award-winners cover a range of styles and tales. The American Library Association’s gold imprint is placed on the top books, and silver for the honor books.

The 2012 medal winner is Jack Gantos’ Dead End In Norvelt, a semi-autobiographical tale of a boy’s extraordinary summer. Sometimes crazy and funny, but other times there are bits of history, all written to appeal to young readers.

Some of my many Newbery favorites include The Graveyard Book by Neal Gaiman, Johnny Tremain by Esther Hoskins Forbes, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, and Louis Sachar’s Holes. We carry these and many more in the children’s section. A list of winners since 1922 is at http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal.

Readers who enjoy different genres, dipping into some of these titles can be entertaining.

Jim is a bookseller at Warwick's