Ayan's Book Review
Midnight at the Barclay Hotel

-by Fleur Bradley

Hi,

Do you like mysteries? If yes, then you will definitely enjoy this book!

'Midnight at the Barclay Hotel' is a compelling murder mystery of Mr. Barclay’s death. The suspects are a librarian, a CEO, an actress, and a cowboy, all of which received all-expenses-paid invitations to the Barclay Hotel. A detective was also called in to conduct a questioning. However, the CEO’s son, JJ, is determined to clear his mom’s name. 

Can JJ find proof that she didn’t commit the crime and find the real culprit…all before the detective accuses JJ’s mom? Read this book to find out!

I think JJ is a pretty cool guy—his hobby is ghost hunting. He even has an official ghost hunting kit—an infrared camera, an EMF detector, and a voice recorder. Pretty cool gadgets for a kid to own!

The pacing in this book is great, but you might find the start a little slow. Finish the first chapter, though, and you’ll find yourself caught in a flurry of action!

I recommend this book to any 9+ kid as murder might be a little hard to handle.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s one of the best mysteries I’ve ever read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

P.S. The murder happens before the book even starts, so there's nothing to be afraid of. You can safely read this book.

 

Amy's Book Review: 

The Mystery of the Wooden Box

-by Cyrena Shows

‘The Mystery of the Wooden Box’ is a chapter book. This story’s main character is Gracie, whose father sometimes calls her Amazing Gracie. Gracie is at Mimi’s house. When a new neighbor moves in, Gracie goes to the neighbor’s house with her cousin Beckett. They wanted to make a new friend. They meet Cassidy and her pet dog, Hugo.

Hugo finds a box that contains a key. The three friends were curious to know more about the key, so they start looking for clues.

Will they find out where the key would lead them to? Or will it remain a mystery forever? Read this amazing mystery book to find out!

The themes of this book include friendship and family importance.

I liked the illustrations in this book. I loved how the mystery kept me hooked till the end, and I read the whole book in one sitting! 😊

I recommend this book for children five years and above. 

I give ‘The Mystery of the Wooden Box’ 5/5 stars as it is very engaging and interesting. And I would love to read more books by the author, Cyrena Shows.

- Amy

 

Ayan's Book Review
The Go-KartAstrophe

-by Caron Pescatore

Do you know what happens in a courtroom? I didn't know. But I learned a lot about the courtroom and legal proceedings in this fun middle-grade fiction.

In 'The Go-KartAstrophe,' Greg Foster has been arguing with his friend Declan Mathias for days over who made Greg’s go-kart crash. Greg points out that Declan was at the wheel during the accident. However, Declan insists that the steering mechanism was defective. But then, their friend Phoebe suggests that they send the case to the Kids’ Court—a court made and run by kids. Greg and Declan accept the offer—and so this engaging book begins. And you, too, can join the Kids’ Court as they reveal clues and unravel the mystery.

I especially like this book because it taught me many legal terminologies like a bailiff, court reporter, plaintiff, defendant, and attorney. These are cleverly woven into the story instead of stuck in like a teacher making a lesson about the law. Besides, it even showed me how a judge conducts a case. Pretty good for a children’s book!

I recommend this book as a read-aloud to children 3+ years and as a reader for 5+ years.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a great book with many twists and turns, and it’ll keep you engaged till the end. I read this entire book in one sitting. Well, that says something. 😊

-Ayan

P.S. I found the court system a lot like chess—both have two opponents using strategy to defeat each other (and there are many other similarities I don’t want to go into detail right now😊).