Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Page-turner of a mystery has orphans solving crimes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Pippa, Sam, Thomas, and now Max all live in the Dumfrey Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. Max's knife-throwing skills are a perfect complement to the other children's skills, such as the strongest boy and the mentalist. But when a shrunken head goes missing, and along with it a string of unsolved murders, the children must band together to figure out who did it before they're hauled off to school and work -- or before the crime is pinned on one of them.
Is It Any Good?
This captivating whodunnit blends murder, creepy oddities, relics, and the eerie indifference of city life with tales of friendship, fitting in, and survival. With ominous black-and-white sketches throughout, the story and vibe are skillfully woven for a meaty mystery with a human touch.
Though CURIOSITY HOUSE: SHRUNKEN HEAD has a slew of murders and a brooding, macabre tone, the children are relatably strange, believably resilient, and, ultimately, survivors who learn to trust each other and navigate a complicated, indifferent world by banding together. The result is a creepy page-turner that has a lot of heart and lessons about the way our differences are often our strengths.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about mysteries. Why are they so popular?
Have you ever felt you were different? If so, why?
How are these orphans able to trust one another?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : H. C. Chester
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date : October 29, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate