Adventure,+Sports,+Mysteries,+and+the+Supernatural

Feinstein, J. (2009). //Change – up. Mystery at the world series.// New York: Alfred A. Knoff.


 * Genre:** Mystery


 * Ages:** Ages 14 and above

land themselves at the World Series. While they are there to cover the game, they must also solve a mystery. In order to solve the mystery surrounding Norbert Doyle and the death of his wife, the two writers/detectives must use several techniques. First of all, they use good old fashioned research. In order to figure out whose story is true, they go back to newspaper articles to find the facts. Then, they go back and interview the people involved in the accident.
 * Personal Reaction:** In //Change - Up, //  Stevie and Susan Carol, teenage newspaper writers,

Finally, they use some "good luck" which seems to put them in the right spot at the right time. Some common elements that this sport mystery has are the fact that the detectives are "bright and energetic, not yet cynical about the world." These detectives must have been smart to be allowed to travel with a newspaper to cover different sporting events. I would say this mystery falls into the "amateur detective" because Stevie and Susan Carol are bright and see what others do not. In fact, they are the first to jump on the fact that there is a mystery in the first place.

Overall, I found this mystery extremely unbelievable. The two detectives were able talk to famous athletes and hear the true facts. I find it hard to believe that famous athletes would talk to them kid reports and divulge as much information as they did. Stevie and Susan Carol are only fourteen, but the dialogue makes them seem much older. The amount of baseball dialogue overshadowed the mystery and was often hard to stay interested in the story.


 * Author Facts: ** John Feinstein has written 24 books. Feinstein graduated from Duke University. Two of his books are the top selling non-fiction sports books in history.


 * Websites: ** http://www.feinsteinonthebrink.com/

Cooney, C. (2009). //If the witness lied.// New York: Delacorte Press.


 * Genre:** Mystery


 * Ages:** Ages 13 and above

Aunt Cheryl moves in and the family breaks apart. Only when the children come back home, does Jack realize that Aunt Cheryl isn’t telling the truth. The children use cell phone pictures and financial records on the computer to prove that their Aunt Cheryl actually killed their dad. While the four kids can’t get their parents back, they can bring what’s left of their family back together.
 * Personal Reaction:** Caroline Cooney’s book is a mystery that intrigues the reader from the very beginning. The story is about the four Fountain children, Madison, Jack, Smithy, and Tris. They watch their mother give birth to their youngest brother, and within weeks, watch her die from cancer. To top it off, they have had to deal with the media making a huge deal about their mom’s sacrifice. When they think it can’t get any worse, their little brother Tris moves the parking break and the family Jeep kills their dad.


 * Author Facts:** Caroline Cooney played the piano in her church by the time she was ten. Cooney began writing in college. Her book //Driver’s Ed// won ALA Best Book for Young Adults.


 * Websites:** http://carolinecooney.tripod.com/

Sinykin, S. (2007). //Giving up the ghost.// Atlanta: Peach Tree Publishing.


 * Genre:** Mystery/Fantasy


 * Ages:** Ages 14 and above

Davia soon realizes that her aunt’s house is haunted by a ghost named Emelie. Emelie died around the same age as Davia. Her Aunt Mari has spent most of her life trying to find out what Emelie wants so the ghost can rest in peace. Davia has already seen death up close with her mother, and doesn't know if she is up to the challenge for a second time. Through her conversations with her aunt and Emelie, Davia realizes that everyone dies at some point, but it’s important to enjoy the life you’ve been given. You won’t get a second chance.
 * Personal Reaction:** Sinykin’s novel takes place at Belle Foret in Louissiana. Davia, a 13 year old is afraid of everything. Her mother has been given a clean bill of health from stage 4 Ovarian Cancer, so Davia doesn’t want to leave her side. So when her great-aunt Mari is dying of cancer, the family makes the trip during the summer to care of her.

I really enjoyed this book because it dealt with how a family is dealing with the death of a loved one. While Aunt Mari was often cranky, the emotions that her caretakers feel are the same. Throughout this book, the reader faces death straight on, and comes out realizing one’s own strength comes from within. Having lost my own mother to cancer, and watching her die, I found comfort in this young character who had the courage to take one step forward at a time, while not living in fear of the future.


 * Author Facts:** Sheri was born in Chicago, but grew up in California. During one Rose Bowl, Sheri was on a float during the parade. She graduated from Stanford University.


 * Websites:** http://www.sherisinykin.com/