The Case of the Girl in Grey (The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, Book 2) by Jordan Stratford, Kelly Murphy (Illustrated by)

The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency is a secret organization.  At least the girls think so...

Knopf Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published January 26th.

Mary is coming to visit Ada when the carriage stops quickly.  She sees a girl in grey run into the woods and tries to follow her.  When she finally sees her she asks if she's alright.  The girl says no, she needs help, but she disappears into the forest.  When her travelling companion cannot find the girl either, they must go on their way.  Mary is afraid she may never see her again.

While visiting Ada, a woman comes asking them to check on a young girl who is coming of age and getting married.  The girl has inherited a good sum of money and she's not sure that "love" is what is inspiring this marriage.  When they go to see her, Mary is astonished to see the young lady in grey standing there.  She tries to tell her they met before, but the girl doesn't recognize her.

This is a nice case of greed, fraud, attempted murder and the separation of twins at a young age.  There's a lot for the girls to sort through, it's dangerous work, and Ada gets very sick.  The girls are in great danger and it's a good thing that more people knew about the Agency than they thought.  They need their help!

Nancy Drew needs to move over; we have new detectives coming into their own.

Anton and Cecil, Book 2: Cats on Track by Lisa Martin, Valerie Martin, Kelly Murphy (Illustrated by)

Anton and Cecil are glad to be back home, enjoying the seaside and visiting with their Mom and more family.  But when a couple of mice search them out and give them a message from Hieronymus, Anton has no choice.  Hieronymus saved his life.  If he needs help, Anton must respond.  Cecil isn't excited until he finds out they need to get there by taking the train.  That's a new adventure!

Algonquin Young Readers and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 25th, so you can grab a copy then.

I really like this series.  The cats meet all kinds of animal friends on their journey and the warnings they get from them are what keep them safe during this journey.  Cecil gets separated from Anton again and both animals have big adventures trying to find each other.

They meet up with prairie dogs, ferrets, buffalo, a rattlesnake, coyotes and even a mountain lion.  They're having a hard time staying alive.  They even have to let some humans help them.  It's a fun read and I spent most of time rooting for Anton and Cecil.  After all, I want to read about their next adventure.

Behind the Bookcase by Mark Steensland

Sarah's parents have inherited Grandma's house; they intend to clean it out and then sell it.  The house looks haunted.  It's very old, not well maintained and it has doors into the attic.  It even has secret passageways.

Delacorte Press and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read an ebook of this story.  It will be published October 9th, so make a note to grab a copy at your local bookstore.

This story reminds me of an Alice in Wonderland and Labyrinth mix with a touch of Swiss Family Robinson.  When Sarah finds the bookcase opens and ventures in to see where it takes her, she finds secret passages, other worlds, and more danger than she can cope with.

There are ghosts, a boy with only half of his face, a river from the moon and a river from the sun, sentinels, a prisoner from the 1800's and a demon in this story.  It's written for young adults and they won't have time to get bored.  Sarah and her brother Billy have a big challenge to overcome if they want to survive.

There is a lesson here:  Be sure you know what's behind the door before you open it...

Happy reading.

Fiona's Luck by Teresa Bateman

Would you be lucky enough (or smart enough) to fool a leprechaun?

Charlesbridge sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you) and it's a lovely book. Kelly Murphy has created enchanting illustrations that will catch your eye and add to your reading pleasure.

This is an Irish folktale that talks about how much luck there was in Ireland until the big people arrived (humans). When they started using up the luck faster than the King of Leprechauns liked, he collected it all and hid it. Soon the hens didn't lay, the cows went dry, and the potatoes rotted in the field and things didn't look good for the Irish. But Fiona was not going to give up so easily...

This book is written for 6-9 year olds and is a treat to read even if you're an adult. If you would enjoy watching someone outwit the King of Leprechauns, this book is for you.

I highly recommend this children's picture book. The story and illustrations make it outstanding.