Capital Mysteries Series
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ron Roy’s Capital Mysteries series, set at the White House, monuments, and other famous places in Washington, D.C., is full of fun sleuthing for readers who enjoy chapter books. The stories are detailed, with enough clues to keep readers engaged but not so many that the mysteries are easy to solve halfway through a book. KC, the president's stepdaughter, and her best friend, Marshall, live fairly normal lives even though they walk in and out of the Oval Office -- something most kids (and adults) can't imagine. The way the two kids travel by taxi and train and wander unsupervised through D.C. and beyond is unrealistic, but it makes for a better story than the kids trying to solve mysteries while surrounded by Secret Service agents.
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What's the Story?
In the CAPITAL MYSTERIES series, KC and her best friend, Marshall, have a front-row seat to the strange things that happen around the White House. When KC's mom, Lois, marries the president of the United States, KC puts her sleuthing skills to good use in her new home. From figuring out who was spying on them to get wedding details, to why fireworks were shot near the president and what the story is on a broken thumb on the Lincoln Memorial, the two kids find and analyze clues, solving mysteries and navigating the nation's capital.
Is It Any Good?
In this excellent series for young mystery buffs, Ron Roy keeps the pacing fast and the clues cryptic so readers have to earn the solution. The Capital Mysteries are light and funny; there’s no hint of dirty politics or real danger to the head of state here. These books are fun for kids, set in a famous place they’ve read and studied about but now see from an entirely different perspective: their peers. KC and Marshall ask questions, observe situations, and come up with possible answers, and for young readers, it seems completely realistic -- the hallmark of a great book.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how KC and Marshall solve the Capital Mysteries. When the kids talked through each clue, did you solve the mystery before they did, or were you surprised at the end?
What mysteries have you encountered in the past week? Were you able to solve them, and did you ask for help?
What are your favorite mystery books?
Book Details
- Author: Ron Roy
- Illustrator: Liza Woodruff
- Genre: Mystery
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Random House
- Publication date: October 7, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 6 - 9
- Number of pages: 80
- Available on: Paperback, Hardback, iBooks
- Last updated: July 24, 2017
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For kids who love mysteries and books for early readers
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