Observe, Deduce, and Solve: 10+ Mystery Titles for Ages 3-7

Summer is here! And that means loads of time for kids to experience books in all their glory. This is also a great time to encourage kids to read the books they choose (without having to worry about school assignments) and to try out new genres that they might be interested in learning more about. This series will offer titles for toddlers to teens and include a variety of formats. Each week will focus on a different genre and will follow the same format:

• Mondays – Titles for Ages 3-7
• Tuesdays – Middle Grade Titles for Ages 8-12
• Wednesdays – Young Adult Titles for Ages 13+
• Thursdays – Nonfiction pairings
• Friday – Recap of the Week

Picture Books
7 Ate 9: The Untold Story by Tara Lazar
Filled with puns, this laugh-out-loud story will get to the bottom of the age old question – why is 6 afraid of 7?

The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming
Cow has lost her moo and spends the day asking other farmyard animals if they have it.

Detective LaRue by Mark Teague
Ike LaRue has been wrongly accused of terrorizing the neighbor cat and eating treats, but he’s innocent and he’s going to prove it!

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
A bear has lost his hat and asks the woodland animals if they have seen it. Keep your eyes open while reading this one and you may just spot Bear’s hat!

Secret Agent Splat! by Rob Scotton
Toys keep going missing, but have no fear – Secret Agent Splat the Cat is on the case and will find the culprit before it’s too late!

The Web Files by Margie Palatini
Because this description is too goo not to use – “Someone has pilfered a peck of perfectly pickled peppers. Ducktective Web and his partner Bill are hot on the trail, but this could be a hard case to quack as vegetables are vanishing all over the farm.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? by Karen Beaumont
Kanga was ready to make cookies, but someone has eaten all the cookie dough in this whodunit mystery – can you figure out the culprit?

Easy Readers
King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats by Dori Hillestad Butler
Kayla made peanut butter treats for her friend’s puppy, but they’ve gone missing! Can you figure out who has taken them? A perfect easy reader/early chapter book for beginning readers.

What Is Chasing Duck? by Jan Thomas
Duck is running for his life as his friends try to interpret his quack’s to figure out what is chasing him – this laugh-out-loud story from Jan Thomas is sure to be a hit!

Chapter Books
The Case of the Snack Snatcher by Liam O’Donnell
Myron and his friends in Resource Room 15 have all the skills needed to figure out who stole the morning snacks from the cafeteria! Creative problem solving and a diverse group of characters makes this a sure-fire win.

The Case of the Stolen Sixpence by Holly Webb
Maisie, with the help of her rescue pup, Eddie are on the case in historic England in a historical fiction mystery for early chapter book readers.

The Haunted Library by Dori Hillestad Butler
Kaz (a ghost) gets blown away from his family and ends up befriending a girl who lives in a library, together they join forces to find the ghost who’s haunting the library and scaring away the patrons.

J. J. Tully: The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin
If you like mystery with a little bit of humor, then you’ll love this book – a retired search-and-rescue dog is on the case to find a few of Dirt and Sugar (baby chicks) missing siblings.