CURIOUS CASES: TRUE CRIME FOR KIDS: Hijinks, Heists, Mysteries, and More, by Rebecca Valley, Bloom Books for Young Readers an imprint of Ulysses Press, Sept. 17, 2022, Paperback, $9.95 (ages 9 and up)
Introduce middle-grade readers to the intriguing and exciting history of true crime, including capers, stories, unsolved crimes, daring escapes, famous art heists, and much more, in this first-ever true crime book specifically for kids.
True crime is a genre that captures readers of all ages, but oftentimes the stories are too intense—even for kids who love spooky books and movies. Curious Cases: True Crime for Kids presents a slew of fascinating stories that are all age-appropriate, including:
-The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft
-The cold case of D. B. Cooper
-The disappearance of Masterpiece the poodle
-Two brothers’ cunning escape from Alcatraz
-Sherlock Holmes and the Fairy Photographs
-Real-life Ghostbusters
Also included are breakdowns of some of the most iconic pop culture detectives and mystery writers like Agatha Christie. The book even includes some fun forensic science activities that kids can do at home to help them better understand how evidence is found and how mysteries can be solved. —Synopsis provided by Bloom Books for Young Readers an imprint of Ulysses Press
Curious Cases: True Crime for Kids is exactly the type of book that mystery fans will be drawn to. In fact, my 11-year-old Agatha Christie fan (she’s making her way through the Poirot books) immediately picked up Curious Cases and didn’t want to give it back.
The title of Curious Cases is apt, as it’s curious kids who love this sort of stuff, but I think most 9- to 12-year-olds would find this book fascinating. I enjoyed it as an adult. Author Rebecca Valley’s writing is inviting and the way she presents the cases is clear and succinct. And the Detective’s Handbook section brings investigative techniques right into your home. This is a lot of fun.
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