Mysteries and Make Believe
Echo and the Bat Pack: Treasure in the Graveyard
By Robert Pavanello
Illustrated by Blasco Pisapia and Pamela Brughera
Best for: Ages 6-9
Think “Goosebumps” without as much edge or “Scooby Doo” with a little less wackiness and you’ll get a good idea what the “Echo and the Bat Pack” series is like. These are easy chapter books for young readers that are just beginning to stretch themselves.
Echo is a talking, mystery-writing bat that grew up in a library and currently lives in an abandoned crypt in the Fogville cemetery. His companions are siblings, Becca, Michael and Tyler. In Treasure in the Graveyard, Echo is disturbed by a hooded figure with a skeletal mask doing some late night digging in the graveyard. Then he is chased by a bothersome raven. Thankfully, the Bat Pack really are not afraid of anything—even when they discover a real ghost—so they set out to solve the strange mystery.
Written by Italian children’s author Pavenello, these not-so-scary mysteries run into a few quirks of translation. But most young emerging readers will have little trouble with the language and story structure. Plus the full color illustrations that appear sporadically throughout the book should keep their attention. The back of the book includes writing prompts, discussion questions and a little fun.
What’s good: Good introduction to mysteries for children graduating from easy readers.
What’s bad: A few language quirks developed in the translation from Italian to English.
Cinderelephant
By Emma Dodd
Best for: Ages 5-8
More fractured/twisted/updated fairytales! Emma Dodd takes on one of the biggest fairy tales with this foray into the genre, and she has mighty big shoes to fill when you look at Jon Scieszka’s and Lane Smith’s The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Maybe that’s why Dodd chose an elephant to be her star in this retelling of Cinderella, appropriately titled, Cinderelephant.
Although the illustrations are flashy and offer moments of humor, the story is exactly what you expect it to be—full of puns, word play and numerous synonyms for “big.” Cinderelephant gets Prince Trunky in the end, and they live happily ever after. However, I was left wondering whether this was a fun attempt to use animals in a retelling of Cinderella or a statement on big’s being beautiful. Probably neither.
What’s good: The glittery and colorful illustrations will keep the attention of young girls.
What’s bad: It doesn’t hold up to several of the other fractured fairy tale-style stories on the shelves.
Pip and the Wood Witch Curse: A Spindlewood Tale
By Chris Mould
Best for: Ages 8-12
In the vein of Lemony Snicket, Mould tries to craft a quirky tale of unfortunate events and supernatural elements. Set in a town surrounded by a forest that seems filled with childhood nightmares, we follow Pip, an unremarkable 10-year-old orphan, on his misadventures.
None of the events really make sense, but I couldn’t seem to put the book down. I guess the idea of this town where children were outlawed intrigued me. Parents risk begin shipped off to prison to have and hide their kids. Kids risk being captured by the wood witches or by the city child catchers if they wander from their hidey holes. When Pip arrives in town, he not only has to fight for his life but the lives of two other children. It makes for a quick read and a suspense filled tale. I think this planned trilogy would make an excellent graphic novel, so long as Mould did the entire series with his fantastic black and white illustrations.
What’s good: High suspense and fantastic illustrations.
What’s bad: Shallow character and plot development.