Hi everyone, this week I’m giving you a booklist of tween reads all decked out in historical mysteries galore!! You’ll find elements of the supernatural, ancient curses, and even some espionage in the mix. I don’t plan on giving any more tips so if you’re interested, then head on down…
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty ( Disney-Hyperion, 2015) is the first of a series. Our main character, Serafina, has lived in Biltmore Estate her whole life and has never once disobeyed her pa and ventured beyond the large grounds. There’s plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care never to be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs knows that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember. But when children on the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity… before all of the children vanish one by one. Serafina’s search leads her into the depths of the forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic, one that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of the past. If you enjoy Gothic fantasy stories, then this is perfect for you!! Evil forces that lurk in dark mystical forests intertwined with magical legacies make this a captivating read. Plus, you get a brave and courageous heroine in Serafina and her friends who make for a fascinating read!! Hope you find the others in the series!!
The edition of Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner (Vintage Classic, 2012) I read was translated from its original German by Eileen Hall and had some lovely illustrations by Walter Trier, but this title was originally published in the late 1920’s. It is one of those classic mystery reads that popped up when I went searching for historical mysteries. We meet young Emil as he takes a train to Berlin on his own to stay with his grandmother for the summer holidays. Although Emil is excited to be taking the train on his own, he’s not that keen on his fellow passenger, the man in the bowler hat. Emil will just have to keep his wits about him and his money in his pocket. But Emil falls asleep and when he wakes up the man in the bowler hat is gone – and so is the money: Emil is determined to get it back. He teams up with a gang of young detectives and so begins a hair-raising chase across Berlin to catch the dirty rotten thief. As I delved further into this gorgeous read I realised it had good old-fashioned sleuthing to satisfy my mystery-loving taste buds!! I learned from this adventure that it was first published in Germany in the late 1920’s and Emil and his friends were one the the first child detectives to appear in a book. They stick together and outwit the thief and accomplish something that even the police can’t do. Philip Pullman loves this because “it is a great political story: democracy in action.” And this is definitely true as Emil and his friends are super-organised, they share their money, cooperate and are extremely disciplined about a common cause – in this case bringing a thief to justice. A great read for amateur sleuths!!
In the next read, The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier (Red Fox, 2003) we travel across Europe during the Second World War years. Our main characters, siblings Ruth, Bronia, and Edek, have escaped from their home in Warsaw in Poland. Their mother was taken away by the Nazis and the children scramble across the rooftops towards safety. As they try to survive alone in the chaos of the city, they meet Jan, a ragged boy with a paper knife – the silver sword – that they recognize as belonging to their long-lost father. The sword becomes their symbol of hope as, with Jan, they begin the hazardous journey across the war-torn Europe to find their parents. When it comes to a classic mystery read, this sure ticked most of those boxes. The fact that it’s based during the World War years gives it another layer of intrigue to it. Originally published in 1956, this story has readers following the path taken by these brave youngsters across Europe from Poland to Switzerland!! I found that the pacing varies a bit but combining that with the exceptional writing by Serailler makes up for it. Although war stories tend to have a sadness to them, this one felt somewhat funnier and witty in comparison. I hope you enjoy this historical mystery as much as I did!!
My next read is The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore (Bloomsbury, 2014) which takes us to the Cold War, or just about. It’s the fall of 1953, and Hazel Kaplansky is ready for a mystery. She’s read every Nancy Drew story and is excellent when it comes to surveillance. When rumours of a Russian spy spreads through her sleepy town of Maple Hill, Vermont, Hazel accepts her mission to find the spy before any damage is done. When a quiet boy named Samuel Butler moves to town, Hazel finally has the perfect case. Hazel and Samuel are led through Maple Hill’s past and present, and even as neighbours point fingers at one another, Hazel is relentless in her search for the truth. But when secrets emerge about the people of the town and about Samuel himself, Hazel begins to wonder: what happens when the truth is not what it seems? In a richly layered story set against the backdrop of Cold War era America, readers will be rooting for the irresistibly precocious Hazel Kaplansky from her very first clue. I really think ‘precocious’ is the best way to describe this character. By far, she’s my favourite character that Blakemore has created. She comes across as a very intelligent, funny and loving young girl. I really loved this mystery. Although set in a time that’s not too far in the past, this also has reverberations in the present time, this story is just lovely. The language and rich dialogue used along with Blakemore’s attention to detailed descriptions captivated me from the beginning. Although the whole cemetery aspect is a bit creepy, it’s not that sinister. Hope I didn’t provide a spoiler there!!
This next read, Finding Grace by Becky Citra (Second Story Press, 2014) is told around the same time but is based in Canada. Our main character, Hope, grows up a loner with a wonderful imagination. She writes letters to her imaginary friend, Grace, to cope with the difficult times in her life; her mother’s sad days, their money worries, and the pressure of not fitting in with the Grade 5 girls at school. Then one day, on her eleventh birthday, she discovers a secret that both her mum and grandmother had been keeping from her. One that changed everything she knew about herself, and about Grace. Set in the post-war years in Vancouver, Canada, this interesting story tells a tale of twins, family secrets, and friendship. I found Hope’s character quite witty and filled with a sparkling personality. The storyline and how they eventually ‘find Grace’ was both suspenseful and moving in equal parts. Citra does a great job of detailing life for young girls during that era and how hard it was them to find their voice. This was an interesting tale that satisfied my love of stories with twins!!
This last title, Secrets of the Terracotta Soldier by Ying Chang Compestine & Vinson Compestine (Amulet Books, 2014) takes us across the world to China and advances a couple of decades. Our thirteen-year-old protagonist Ming lives his life in constant hunger and fear in Maoist China. His father, an archaeologist on the brink of losing his job, is convinced that Emperor Qin’s ancient lost tomb is located near their remote village. When Ming’s father leaves one day, the local farmers discover pieces of a statue, a soldier made of terracotta. Ming is astonished when its clay head begins to speak! Ming’s growing friendship with the terracotta soldier exposes the parallels between their lives under two ruthless rulers: Emperor Qin and Chairman Mao. He learns the terrible secret of his friend’s origins, and together they uncover the heinous plot devised by the village’s Political Officer. Ming struggles to keep his friend’s secret and save his father from the vicious Political Officer and his Communist cronies. This fascinating historical mystery read set in Maoist China has several fantasy and funny elements mixed in. I found the main character Ming portrayed really well and his adventures kept me captivated until the end. Although I had heard of the terracotta army, I never knew of the hardships the soldiers would have had to endure. Readers will enjoy this adventure read created by a mother and son writing duo, and have fun exploring this ancient Chinese mystery!!
Well, this booklist has six titles that I hadn’t reviewed before. I’m always on the look out for similar stories, so if you have read any others, I’d love to hear from you.
Stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 