Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

I just picked up Chasing Vermeer from the library, after it was nominated on our BOTM thread because it sounded like a lot of fun. It promises to be a really fun mystery where the reader is challenged to put the pieces together along with the characters.

I'm wondering what other books out there might fall into this category.

Obviously the 39 Clues Series.

There is the classic The Westing Game. .

Just wondering if anyone else loves this MG genre and what you'd recommend.

The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson

I have somewhat of an idea on what puzzle mysteries are, though I'm not sure how many are out there to figure out what puzzle mystery is.

Can puzzle mystery also be somewhat related to Techno Mysteries? (Where the mystery is derived from errors of technology in an otherwise non apocalyptic story.)

The only mg books I can think of that resemble the oh-so-excellent The Westing Game are The Egypt Game and Holes. Until you're old enough for Dame Christie, of course!

The Mysterious Benedict Society is another title that would probably fit in here.

Brenda wrote: "The Mysterious Benedict Society is another title that would probably fit in here."

Good suggestion!

That's quite a hefty book, by all accounts!

I haven't come across a huge glut of puzzle books in the children's section of my library, but I know Adam Blade's Beast Quest books are very popular - especially with boys.

(an example of one of many)

They are not so much puzzle books as fantasy stories where challenges are set.

Is it appropriate to mention that one of my own books, Mandrake's Plot (old cover shown!), set at a mysterious Scottish boarding school, involves the solving of a code?

I liked Chasing Vermeer, but not as much as I expected. It had a cast of characters that had great potential, but I felt like they were talking heads for most of the book -- there wasn't much action. Not that it needed explosions on every street corners, but it just felt like there wasn't enough going on to justify the page count. The mystery involved some clever codes and clues, but then a lot of the mystery was solved by facts and ideas that came to them in a more mystical sort of way -- after such a great setup that had me working on the mystery along with the characters, the mystical elements made me feel a little cheated. Maybe I missed the point?

Two books that might fall under that category are and . There are three books in the Breen series.

Brenda wrote: "The Mysterious Benedict Society is another title that would probably fit in here."

My youngest is now reading The Mysterious Benedict Society -- we all love it! Lots of puzzles to solve, a great storyline, fun characters.

Lemony Snicket The Bad Beginning and all the books in 'A Series of Unfortunate Events'.

Rebecca wrote: "Two books that might fall under that category are and . There are three books in the..."

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a great suggestion, loved that book.

M.G. wrote: "Brenda wrote: "The Mysterious Benedict Society is another title that would probably fit in here."

My youngest is now reading The Mysterious Benedict Society -- we all love it! Lots of..."

I still need to read it, but I heard that it was really good.

I'm not sure if we're allowed to mention our own books but as I read this thread, I realized that's exactly what I've written. I love the term 'puzzle mystery'. Much better than 'children's detective novel. *disappears to alter blurb*
The Case of the Exploding Loo