The Mysterious Moonstone (Key Hunters #1)

by Eric Luper

Overview

Getting lost in a good book has never been this dangerous!

Cleo and Evan have a secret. A collection of books so dangerous they are locked up tight. A friend has vanished inside the pages of one of them. It's up to them to find the key that will set her free. A PRICELESS DIAMOND...STOLEN!When Cleo and Evan go undercover to help a rookie detective interview a mansion full of suspects, nothing is as it seems. They must catch the crook — and find the right key — or they could be trapped inside this mystery forever...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545822046
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/26/2016
Series:	Key Hunters , #1
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	119,421
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Eric Luper has written books for kids of all ages, including the YA novel Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto. He loves excitement and is always looking for his next adventure. Eric has fibbed his way into a tour of the ultra-secret PEZ headquarters, rebuilt a castle in France, explored the tunnels under Paris and Istanbul, escaped hungry crocodiles in Costa Rica, and rafted down the Colorado River. He lives with his family in Albany, New York.

Read an Excerpt

If you have found this note, I am trapped somewhere between the covers of these enchanted books.To find me, travel through these stories and help give each one the ending it deserves. Fail and you will meet the same fate as me. Succeed and you will discover wonders beyond your dreams. Always look for the key that will move you forward on your journey. I've left clues along the way. Just look for my favorite color!Signed,Ms. Sandie Hilliard, librarianP.S. If this is Evan, go get help. The perils are too great, the challenges are too risky. And you are too fragile."I'm not fragile," Evan said.Cleo held back her laughter. "You kinda are," she said. "But do you think Ms. Hilliard is really trapped inside one of these books?"Evan righted Ms. Hilliard's book cart. It wobbled on its bent leg. "Maybe The Case of the Mysterious Moonstone has some answers.""I don't see how a book can offer us answers," Cleo said."Do you realize what you just said?" Evan asked.Cleo shrugged. "I look up everything on the Internet.""Are you ready to open the book?" Evan said."What kind of question is that?" Cleo said. "It's just a book." She reached across the table and opened The Case of the Mysterious Moonstone. Letters burst from the pages of the book like a thousand crazy spiders. They tumbled in the air around them and began to spell words. The words became sentences, the sentences paragraphs. Before long, they could barely see, and then everything went black.

Editorial Reviews

02/29/2016
After discovering a secret library at their elementary school, friends Evan and Cleo are transported into a mystery novel, where they come to the aid of the detective trying to solve the case. Beyond being an entertaining time-travel adventure (the caper is a Holmesian affair set in 19th-century England), Luper’s story is an enlightening introduction to the tricks and tropes of the mystery genre, from red herrings and falling chandeliers to butlers who may or may not have done it. Art not seen by PW. Available simultaneously: The Spy’s Secret. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

04/01/2016
Gr 2–5—After the mysterious exit of everyone's favorite librarian, Mrs. Hillard, Cleo and Evan discover an antique book that may lead them to her. Upon opening the book, a secret door appears, leading them to a massive underground library. From there, the students find a letter from the beloved Mrs. Hillard imploring them to aid her by entering books and helping finish the stories. If they succeed, Cleo and Evan will find Mrs. Hillard and restore her to her rightful place at school. If they fail, they will meet the same fate as she—locked inside the books forever. The pair soon find themselves in 19th-century England, where they become assistants to Detective Artie Baker and go on a hunt for a priceless stolen gem. The detectives enter into a pursuit to find the culprit and end the story. Though this title is a bit slow to start, once the adventure begins in earnest, it is exciting, with just enough mysteries and clues to please readers. Luper's delectable humor is appropriate for the intended age group, and the plot will keep readers' attention to the end. Comparable to "Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew" and "A to Z Mysteries," this is a satisfying read for beginning independent readers. VERDICT A great selection for chapter book readers who've exhausted series like "A to Z Mysteries" and are looking for something new.—Brittney Kosev, Terra Vista Middle School, Wolforth, TX

School Library Journal

2016-01-20
In this series opener, Cleo and Evan find themselves transported back in time to Victorian England to solve the crime of a stolen diamond. In investigating the odd behavior of their new school librarian, Ms. Crowley, schoolmates Cleo and Evan discover a secret underground library. Lying on the table is an ornate book called The Case of the Mysterious Moonstone, with a key sticking out of its open, diarylike lock. They also find a note from their previous librarian, the beloved Ms. Hilliard, telling them, "If you have found this note, I am trapped somewhere between the covers of these enchanted books." Opening the book, they suddenly find themselves in 19th-century London, where they realize they must help the bumbling young detective Artie Baker solve the case of a stolen diamond. Although the text has no physical descriptions of the young friends, the illustrations show Evan as black and Cleo as white. The mystery is set up much like a classic Agatha Christie (or a game of Clue): the suspects are all at the home of Col. Musgrave, and they must be questioned quickly. One of the suspects is Kumar, the bearded, turbaned butler; he speaks perfect English, but the illustration smacks of 19th-century exoticism. With the emphasis on mystery and action rather than history, à la Magic Tree House, this new chapter-book series will appeal to junior detectives. (Mystery. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews