First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery, suspense and thriller books (including series titles) scheduled for publication during August 2013, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens and young adults.
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September Sneakers
Ron Roy
Calendar Mysteries
These two Calendar Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy have taken care of the first-grade class hamster, Goldi, for the summer. But on the first day of school, when they plan to bring her back, Goldi is missing! In place of her cage is a green-and-orange sneaker key chain. Soon, the kids spot green-and-orange sneakers all over Green Lawn. And they find out other things have been disappearing around town, too. Can the four friends track down the sneaker sneak and get Goldi back?
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October Ogre
Ron Roy
Calendar Mysteries
There's a haunted house in Green Lawn! It's Halloween, and the Shangri-la Hotel has been transformed into a haunted house, complete with an ogre out front. Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy are ready for some scary fun, but then they notice that none of the kids who have gone in the hotel have come back out. What's happening to them? Ghosts and witches and ogres aren't real … right?
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The Case of the Locked Box
Lewis B. Montgomery
Milo & Jazz Mysteries
This series of mysteries featuring the best friends Milo and Jazz are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
Someone stole 100 dollars from a locked cashbox … and almost everyone in school thinks the culprit is Jazz! When Jazz is put on trial in student court, it's up to Milo to prove her not guilty!
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Lights, Camera … Zombies!
Franklin W. Dixon
The Hardy Boys: Secret Files
This series of mysteries featuring a younger Frank and Joe Hardy are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
Bayport is buzzing with excitement when a film crew sets up shop to film the latest zombie flick. Frank, Joe, and their friends are really psyched that there will be fake zombies running around town—not to mention a famous director and some of their favorite actors. They are hoping for a sighting or two, and maybe even an autograph, if they're lucky!
But things get a little too real when one of the boys' friends claims he saw an actual zombie in Bayport—nowhere near the shoot. Is someone just pulling a crazy prank? Or is the movie starting to take on a life of its own?
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Thea Stilton and the Spanish Dance Mission
Geronimo Stilton
Geronimo Stilton
The books in these series, both the regular and graphic, are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
The Thea Sisters are visiting friends at a lively festival in Spain. But the theft of a precious fan turns their trip into an investigation! They end up hot on the trail of a secret treasure … but they're not the only ones searching for it. Can the mouselets solve the mystery in time? It's a mission full of flamenco dance!
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Revenge of the Lizard Club
Thea Stilton
Thea Stilton Graphic
It's election time at Ratford College and the candidates from the Lizard and Gecko student clubs face some challenges if they want to get elected president. Certainly not helping matters is the arrival of a mysterious black ship off the shores of the island … and it's trying to pollute the beach! The girls must use all their investigative skills to root out the connection between the ship and the campaign. The fates of the election and their beautiful island home is at stake!
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Who Stole New Year's Eve?
Martha Freeman
Chickadee Court Mysteries
The Chickadee Court mysteries are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, College Springs has a winter carnival, complete with ice sculptures; however, this year someone has stolen all thirty-seven of them, including one on Chickadee Court. Unfortunately, the twelve-year-old sleuths, Yasmeen and Alex, are having friendship issues — Yasmeen thinks that she's being replaced by a new girl who has come to Chickadee Court. Then, the whole gang comes together to solve the frosty mystery. Believe it or not, the clues lead to a fracking operation and the laboratory of a professor who is racing to invent a new alternative fuel before his competitors do.
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The Case of the Bug on the Run
Martha Freeman
First Kids Mysteries
These mysteres set in Washington DC are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
On a visit to the National Zoo, First Kids Cammie and Tessa find themselves taking home an unwanted Madagascan hissing cockroach. They name her Maddie, but before long Maddie goes missing! Once she is returned, the FBI realizes that the bug has been bugged. Someone wants access to top secret White House business. As always, suspects are plentiful. With First Dog Hooligan's help, the First Kids are on the case.
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Cooper and Packrat: Mystery on Pine Lake
Tamra Wight
This stand-alone, which could also be the first in a new series, is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
Cooper thought living at a campground would be cool. But ever since his parents bought the lakeside campground, he's had more chores and less time to explore. And as if babysitting his little sister and cleaning the bathrooms weren't bad enough, his ex-friend Roy has chosen him as this summer's bullying target. Cooper's only bright spot this summer is his new friend, Packrat, a guy who carries the world in his coat pockets and leaves his troubles behind.
But trouble has come to the Wilder Family Campground and Pine Lake, where a family of loons is building a nest. First, someone dams up the lake and floods the nest. Then, when Cooper and Packrat build a raft where the loons can make a new nest, it gets destroyed — by someone with big footprints. Someone is out to harm the loons. Is it the bully with a chip on his shoulder? The irritable camper with a shady past? Or the publicity-seeking reporter? It's up to the boys to figure out who, why, and how to stop the culprit — before it's too late.
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The Crook that Made Kids Cry
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries
These four mysteries set in various "field trip" locations are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
Sam Archer and her friends are always ready to solve a mystery. When a trip to the children's museum with their Kindergarten Buddies is riddled with vandalism, the gang and their buddies are on the case.
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The Bowling Lane Without Any Strikes
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries
Cat Duran and her friends are suspicious when their classmate, a champion bowler, only bowls gutter balls during a bowling field trip.
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The Ballgame with No One at Bat
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries
Egg Garrison looks forward to taking some great action shots at a minor league baseball game. But when a cash register is stolen, the game shuts down and the kids have a mystery to solve.
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The Dinosaur That Disappeared
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries
A trip to the natural history museum quickly turns into a case for Gum Shoo and friends when a dinosaur among other things go missing.
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First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is your source for information on over 200 mystery series for children and young adults, where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Junior Sleuths, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older).
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