Skip to main content

Five Faves: Mysterious High-Low Intermediate Books

Intermediate Mystery books are a gold mine. High-low books refer to titles that are of high interest to readers, but contain low level vocabulary. These titles are clever, action-packed, and have several books in the series to keep the mystery alive. These intermediate mystery books are the first in their series and are sure to appease any mystery loving reader.

The Ghost Tree
Written by Natasha Deen
Illustrated by Lissy Marlin
New York: Random House Children's Books, 2022. Intermediate. 95 pages.

With a dash of paranormal mixed with mystery, this book introduces Asim, a Guyanese American fourth grader who moves to a new town. After a visit to a graveyard, an evil spirit is unleashed. Asim works with new friends, Rokshar and Max, to save their town. With scarily cool illustrations to accompany this text, this book is great for any amateur sleuths who love a touch of creepy.

Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash
Written by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Illustrated by Dan Santat
New York: Amulet Books, 2023. Intermediate. 67 pages.

Readers who enjoy humor, a little mystery, and a lot of animals will love this detective book featuring Willow Feathers McBeaver, aka Detective Duck. Along with other animals, Detective Duck solves mysteries caused by human disruptions to their home. With full color pictures, this mystery is perfect for readers just beginning to read chapter books.

Written by Kayla Whaley
Illustrated by Chloe Burgett
New York: Random House, 2023. Intermediate. 80 pages.

In this revitalization of the classic A to Z Mysteries series, three kids, along with a dog, solve animal related mysteries. In the first book, Abbi, Lydia, and Daniel discover that all of the alpacas are missing from the Maine State Fair, except for one. As they look for clues, they may realize that detective work is more complicated than they initially thought. 

The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole
Written by Mark David Smith
Illustrated by Kari Rust
Toronto, ON: Owlkids Books, 2022. Intermediate. 69 pages.

Three weird witch sisters, Hildegurp, Yuckmina, and Glubbifer set up a pet store. One day, a nine-year-old girl asks them for help in finding her lost pet goat. As the four of them set out to solve the mystery, they discover new friends, hilarious misunderstandings, and whimsical moments. This book highlights the conflicting hopes of wanting to fit in while desiring to be true to oneself. 

By Veronica Mang
New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021. Intermediate. 95 pages.

Three girls become super sleuths when they uncover a secret society of famous female spies in history. When one of the spies asks them for help in finding a missing cheetah, the girls must decide if they can become spies themselves.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

Five Faves: Witchy Intermediates

Hee hee hee! Hello, my pretties! Here are five short, illustrated chapter books for the season of the witch - some sweet, some spooky, all magical.  The Knitting Witch Written by Norma Kassirer Illustrated by Mark Richardson. Oakland, California : The Collective Book Studio, 2024. Intermediate. 88 pages. Outrageously spoiled Ivy Lou meets her match when a witch appears and tries to trick her into becoming her child. Ivy Lou must unravel the witch's dark magic and save her parents. A modern classic in the register of Roald Dahl, with mischief, humor and spookiness. Witchycakes: Sweet Magic  Written by Kara LaReau Illustrated by Ariane Moreira. New York : Random House Children's Books, 2025. Intermediate. 76 pages. Witchycakes  owes a lot to  Kiki's Delivery Service : a cute newbie witch making and delivering baked goods to the residents of their dreamy seaside town. It's cozy and sweet with lots of glowy illustrations. New Girl: Diary of an Accidental Witch Written by...

If You Like... Spooky Season Informational Books

It's that eerie time of year, and you may have started wondering about all the whys and hows behind our spookiest traditions. Well then, non-fiction readers, celebrate—because this is the list for you! Here are some of the latest publications covering everything from ghoulicious cooking to haunting locales to spooky global celebrations and stories for this bone-chilling season! Spooky Celebrations Around the World Written by Matt Ralphs Illustrated by Veronika Kotyk  New York; London: Phaidon, 2024. Informational. 47 pages.  Dive into a global tour of fascinating festivals in Spooky Celebrations Around the World . Beyond familiar favorites like Halloween and DĆ­a de Muertos, this vibrant book introduces young readers to 21 unique celebrations honoring spirits across every continent. With playful, yet respectful text and stunning artwork, it's a brilliant, year-round read that will spark curiosity about cultural traditions and the world. Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious ...