Mystery of the Crying Ghost

Title: Mystery of the Crying Ghost
Author: Rita Hsu Syers
Published by Bronwen Publishing, 2006
ISBN: 0-9779267-1-0
Reviewed for Readerviewkids.com

"The Mystery of the Crying Ghost" is a book about Chloe Wendleton. She is a young girl who is having difficulty adjusting to a different school. She just fells like she doesn't fit in at all. She has her two dependable pets to keep her company. Killian is her golden retriever and Isis is a Himalayan cat. Her family tells her that she is just hearing things when she says that she hears a child crying.

Is it all in her imagination? Isis and Killian seem to hear the same crying. Chloe goes up into the attic with her grandfather and discovers an old newspaper. It shows that the Van Hise children, Sarah Jane and Thomas somehow disappeared from the house without a trace. She shares the information with two of her classmates. Will Reed tells Chloe that he had heard that the house she is living in is haunted. Will is what one would call a "brain" so he gets picked on alot. He is defended by Maya Roubideaux and her karate skills. Will is suffering from a major crush on Chloe, but his knowledge is key to solving the case. Just when Chloe, Will and Maya can't seem to put a hand on any clues, the animals lend a paw and make discoveries of their own.

"The Mystery of the Crying Ghost" will capture the attention of any sleuth who enjoys a good story, adorable animals and friends working together towards a goal. With more books like this one, Rita Hsu Syers could easily have created another "Nancy Drew." I'm happy that she is planning her next mystery and can't wait to read it!

The Ant In the Cellar

Title: The Ant in the Cellar
Author: Danielle Rosenblatt
Publisher: A Better Be Write Publisher, 2006
ISBN: 0-9788985-3-2

"The Ant in the Cellar" is a very fun treasury of poems. If you are looking for humorous poems about everyday objects and places, this is definitely the book for you. The objects like toasters, triangles, thumbs all seem to come to life and you learn just how they would feel if they could talk. There are poems about places like the bathroom, living room, and the basement. Oh no, the shower has growing from its drain a flower!

There are poems about many animals like a mouse, dino and ant. I really liked the one about the llama who was wearing purple pajamas not thinking that she would start a new trend.

I'm hoping to use one of these poems like "Harry the Couch Potato" or "Grumpy the Grumpster" as a possible forensics poem next year. There is such a wide variety of poems in this book that I'm sure every one who reads it would find something that would make them laugh.