THREE TIMES LUCKY by Sheila Turnage

Mystery and Detective Stories

From the Publisher:

Newbery honor winner, New York Times bestseller, Edgar Award Finalist, and E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor book.

"A hilarious Southern debut with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee." Dial Books for Young Readers & Titlewave

It took me a few pages to settle into this story, but I was soon swept into the murder mystery and the colorful characters inhabiting this small town and local cafe. Good sixth grade mystery or Newbery choice.

THEODORE BOONE: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

Fiction; Mystery and Detective stories; Trials; Murders

Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone, who knows every judge, police officer, and court clerk in the small town of Strattenburg, finds himself involved in a murder trial because of knowledge he might have about a cold-blooded killer. "(image and description from titlewave.com)

This is an engaging page-turner choice for middle school students. It portrays a motivated kid with loving but distracted parents who allow Theo to pursue his passion for law. The story conveys values of compassion, communication, trust, and justice.

WOLF RIDER by Avi

Mysteries and Detective Stories, Horror, Suspense

202 pages

Book Description

"After receiving an apparent crank call from a man claiming to have committed murder, fifteen-year-old Andy finds his close relationship with his father crumbling as he struggles to make everyone believe him." Reading Level: Young Adult" (Follett)

My Comments
This is a terrifying story of a boy's increasing involvement with a killer as he tries to protect a girl from murder. You feel his frustration, isolation and desperation build when no one will listen. He becomes obsessed with stopping what he believes is inevitable and is himself accused of stalking. A great recommendation for students who are looking for a really scary book. Just make sure they can handle it!