Category: Mystery

The Fifth Beethoven by Melanie Jackson

May 23, 2024

The writing in Melanie Jackson’s The Fifth Beethoven reflects its target age-range well. The book tackles some tricky topics, and I appreciated how the nuanced the approach was to the wealth imbalance and housing crisis in Vancouver. Another highlight of the book for me was Zandi’s character and personality throughout. She seems to be one of the main constants in the book. She is steady, knows what she wants, and is determined to get it. She is the real hero of the book, and while she is only meant to be the love interest to Nate, she does so much more. … More The Fifth Beethoven by Melanie Jackson

Don’t Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton

February 20, 2024

What truly stands out is the inclusiveness of the book as a host of under-represented communities find a place in the story. Moulton truly provides a rich tapestry of gender, sexuality, race, religion and culture without tokenizing or stereotyping these characters. Deeper questions about familial bonds, the historical Othering of marginalized groups, and the difficulty of ‘doing the right thing’ are also addressed, making it a more rewarding and layered experience. … More Don’t Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton

The Big Sting by Rachelle Delaney

August 29, 2023

Have you ever taken a personality test and felt dissatisfied with the result? According to a website called Fatefinder.com, eleven-year-old Leo is an Auditor. This means he is curious and cautious, but he’s tired of being labelled so. His dad is a Problem Solver, his mom is a Counselor, and his younger sister, Lizzie, is an Adventurer, which Leo wishes he could be. Luckily, his wary ways are tested on a trip to visit his Grandpa on Heron Island in Western British Columbia. When the beehives that Leo’s Grandma cared for before her passing away are stolen late at night, Leo, Lizzie, and Grandpa undertake a bold mission of getting the hives back—they call it their big sting. … More The Big Sting by Rachelle Delaney

Butt Sandwich and Tree by Wesley King

July 13, 2023

Cheese sandwiches, Crocs, and PlayStation. These are eleven-year-old Green Bennett’s favourite things. Green is excellent at math, reads a lot of books such as The Hardy Boys, and is happy with who he is. Oh, and he has autism spectrum disorder, also known as Asperger’s Syndrome, but that is his least defining quality of all. However, when Coach Nelson’s necklace holding his late wife’s ring goes missing, Green is the first person everyone suspects because he’s different. His older brother, Cedar, is the thirteen-year-old star player on the basketball team and the only one who believes Green’s innocence. … More Butt Sandwich and Tree by Wesley King

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

June 8, 2023

What if you weren’t at all who you thought you were?

Iris Hollow and her two sisters Vivi and Grey went missing mysteriously ten years ago. When they returned home one month later, their dark hair turned white, their eyes went black, and strange, magical things started happening around them. No one knows what happened to them during the month they were gone, and neither do the three girls. One day, Grey disappears again, leaving her sisters a cryptic note. Iris and Vivi set out in search of her, but the clues reveal that Grey and their parents have been keeping a much more dark and ominous secret from them. … More House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Below the Surface by Allison Finley

June 6, 2023

A buried treasure has the potential to refresh a town’s understanding of its own history. In Below the Surface, thirteen-year-old, curly-haired Theo is on summer break uncovering Cedarbrook’s most puzzling mysteries. The river under Sawyer’s Bridge is Theo’s favourite place in the town, but the bridge is said to be haunted by the ghost of an old traveller. He isn’t convinced, and instead visits regularly to search for treasure. That is, until he finds a pocket watch linked to the ghost, and the rumours begin to feel more possible. … More Below the Surface by Allison Finley