Linda D. Labbo
Reviews Section Editor
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia, USA
For a list of postings related to this review column, click here.
Editor's Note: The series of five short mystery novels reviewed in this column was published by California-based High Noon Books in 1992. In many middle and high school classrooms these books have become old favorites, used consistently over the last seven years; others have only recently discovered them as an instructional resource.
Marlene Willis, a seventh grade teacher at Thomson Middle School in Thomson, Georgia, USA, is one of those new to the series. She notes that the books, written with controlled vocabulary at a second grade readability level and recommended for readers aged 10 and up, “would make a nice addition to a classroom library. They could be used to invite reluctant readers to engage in reading interesting, but readable books. They could also be used to supplement social studies units. These are the kind of books that can support both students' search for a good read and programs' goals.”
Ms. Willis invited three of her students, Christie Perry, Hillary Murphey, and Sunnie Brennemin, to read the series and write reviews for this column. The students began by reading all five mysteries. They told their teacher that they appreciated each of the novel's table of contents, which they said helped them understand how the chapters were organized. One of the reviewers noted that the contents looked just like those included in the longer books her mother reads. Each student then selected the one or two books she was most interested in reviewing. Next, they typed summaries and critiques of the stories they had selected. They worked on this project outside of regular class time, but they were also given a few minutes each day for two weeks to discuss the books and work together in class. After they had written rough drafts, the students peer edited and revised their reviews. The remainder of this column is theirs.
The books reviewed, all from the Postcards from America series, are as follows:
High Time in New York. Written by Penn Mullin, with illustrations by Damon Rarey. ISBN 0-87879-960-5. 44 pages.
This book is about a class and their adventurous field trip in New York City. They go up to the top of the World Trade Center and look at everything around them. They are able to see the Hudson River, the East River, and New York Bay. Lisa, one of the students, starts to get dizzy so they leave. After the World Trade Center, it's off to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. They ride up to the top of the base of the statue in an elevator and from there they walk. There are two people who are there whom the kids start talking to. Then the wind starts to pick up until they begin to feel the statue sway. They are told to stay put until they are given permission to leave. Will they survive?
Readers of this book will really want to keep reading in order to find out the answer to this and many other questions. The book is organized into the following chapter headings: (1) Welcome to Manhattan; (2) Liberty Island; (3) Up to the Crown; (4) A Warning; (5) High Winds; and (6) The Door to America.
I think High Time in New York is a good book that kids of all ages will enjoy. It is full of adventure and surprise. Penn Mullin packed it full of mystery and suspense. This is a good book, it is easy to read, and it is filled with fun facts and interesting information about New York and the Statue of Liberty. Did you know that over seven million people live in New York? Did you know that it only takes 58 seconds to ride the elevator all the way to the top of the World Trade Center? Because this book is written from the perspective of students, it is easy to begin to understand what it is like to actually be in the middle of New York!
San Francisco Adventure. Written by Penn Mullin, with illustrations by Damon Rarey. ISBN 0-87879-963-X. 44 pages.
San Francisco Adventure is about a class that goes on a field trip to San Francisco. They go to Amy's aunt's house. Her aunt lives in a house that started out as a cable car, but rooms were added on over the years. The class learns about the 1906 earthquake that caused a fire in Chinatown and left 500 people dead and 25,000 people homeless. That's a lot more people than live in the town where I live. Many of the homeless people had to go to Golden Gate Park to survive. Almost every victim was Chinese, just like Amy's great grandmother. Amy's great grandmother wrote a diary (in Chinese) about the fire that resulted from the earthquakes almost a century ago. The children are fascinated as some of the diary selections are read aloud. Later, they ride in a cable car to a place where they board a tour boat. The clear sky becomes foggy soon after the class boards the boat. As they approach the Golden Gate Bridge, the coast guard has to be called in because their boat engine stalls. Just as the last person is pulled aboard the rescue vessel, the tour boat is caught in a current and crashes into a tower.
The book is divided into six chapters: (1) A Cable Car House; (2) The Diary; (3) Off to Chinatown; (4) The Steep Way Down; (5) Danger on the Bay; and (6) Bridge to Safety. The author uses vivid language which keeps the reader in suspense. When I was reading it, I felt as if I was walking down a street in Chinatown. I think others will enjoy reading this wonderful book because, to be honest with you, I just couldn't put it down!
Trouble in the Black Hills. Written by Penn Mullin, with illustrations by Damon Rarey. ISBN 0-87879-962-1. 44 pages.
The author of this book creates an intriguing tale full of suspense and mystery. This story will not only entertain young readers, but it will also teach them some astounding facts. This book leads the reader on a class trip with four students, Juan, Mike, Amy, and Lisa, and their teacher, Miss Lake. These children entered the See American the Beautiful contest and to their surprise, they won the contest. They were invited to go on a three week, all expense paid trip with their teacher. The story begins with the four students, Miss Lake, and Mike, the van driver, heading into the Ghost Village Ranch -- the selected destination for their class trip. Once they get unpacked and settled in, John Rising Hawk, the ranch owner and direct descendant of the Sioux Indian tribe, greets them and starts informing them on the history and background of the ranch and the surrounding land. After telling them about how the Sioux Indians mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind some very important items, John feels it is time to show them a very special object -- the sacred pipe. The pipe is extremely valuable and many museums are trying to get John to sell it to them. John becomes distressed when he discovers that one of his new ranch hands has been spying on him while he had his pipe on display.
The next day, the group heads out into the mountains of South Dakota and they see the famous landmark -- Mount Rushmore. While they are on the mount, a suspicious man in a ranger's suit approaches them and asks if they are leaving the mountain soon. The children notice him slink off into the woods and try to call someone on his cellular phone. While the group visits the gift shop, Justin and Amy notice that the same ranger is hanging around and he's on his cell phone again. This time they happen to overhear his part of the conversation: “You've got about 45 minutes,” said the man. “Keep looking.”
The kids realize that the man is planning to steal the scared pipe and they waste no time telling John. From then on, it's a race to catch the crooks and save the pipe. I won't give away the ending, but you can be sure this is a story that readers of all ages will delight in!
White House Mystery. Written by Penn Mullin, with illustrations by Damon Rarey. ISBN 0-87879-959-1. 44 pages.
Miss Lake and her students, Amy, Justin, Juan, and Lisa, are on their way to Washington, D.C., for a field trip. They find out a lot of facts about monuments, special buildings, and rooms, and have lots of fun. Lisa is the most excited in the group. They are going to get to tour the White House. The guide says they will not be able to tour the upstairs rooms because of old legends about ghosts who live in that part of the old, historic house. Lisa, who is feeling adventurous and curious, sneaks off from the tour group and finds Lincoln's bedroom. She hears the guards coming so she rushes off to hide in a different room. The guards look for her but she is in a closet. She overhears the guard saying that it is probably just ghosts who are hiding in Lincoln's sitting room. After the guards leave, she goes up to a podium and looks at each of the chairs in the sitting room. She sees Lincoln's ghost come out of the wall and then go back in! Excited, she leaves the room to find her class, but she bumps into a very important person -- the president of the United States! When she finds her class, she decides not to tell them about the things she has seen and experienced. She has had enough excitement for one day.
This is a wonderful book that young people can enjoy. If you like mysteries, this is the book for you. It's filled with fun, facts, mystery, and excitement!
Windy City Whirl. Written by Penn Mullin, with illustrations by Damon Rarey. ISBN 0-87879-961-3. 44 pages.
This book is about a group of kids' field trip to Chicago, where they stay in the O'Leary Inn. That is where the great fire of 1871 began. People believe that the fire started in the bar where there is now a cellar. The owner of the inn, Ella, shows the kids and their teacher pictures of the great fire that her great-grandmother took. She tells them that there have been ghosts at the inn every since the great fire. While the kids are exploring the cellar, the lights go out and the children get an unexpected surprise.
This book is full of surprises, twists and turns, and adventure. It's fun to read about kids who share adventures together. Miss Lake seems to be just like a teacher everyone would like to have, and the kids are all delightful. Vivid details included in the story create images in your mind while you read. If you want to learn more about Chicago, then you'll be into this book!
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