(2) 4-6 Swallowtail Legacy series. Lark Heron-Finch is back at her family's house on Lake Erie's Swallowtail Island for the first time since her mother's death. With her younger sister, stepfather, and three stepbrothers also there, the limits of Lark's temper are tested on a regular basis. She finds a purpose for the summer by becoming a research assistant to family friend Nadine, who is working on a book about the island's history. Nadine introduces Lark to Dinah, a ninety-three-year-old woman who is one of the island's oldest residents, and to the story of Nadine's grandfather's death, decades earlier, in a boat wreck that might not have been an accident after all. As Lark dives into investigating the mystery, her impulsiveness continues to present problems, but it also allows her to save the day. While some of the mystery's twists may not be that surprising, the overall execution is a success. The evolution of Lark's relationship with her stepfather and siblings is well done, giving the book's fully realized secondary characters a chance to develop along with the protagonist. Even Lark's soccer-field nemesis turns out to be more complex than the classic bully he'd seemed at first. The book concludes with revelations about another island-related mystery, leaving readers eager for the next installment.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(4) 4-6 Agents of the Glass series. A secret organization dedicated to stopping evil humans called Syngians recruits seventh grader Andy to observe a charismatic, manipulative girl named Winter. He discovers she is part of a Syngian plot to brainwash people into giving up their morality and virtues. The secret-organization angle feels somewhat tired, but the villains' chilling plan and Andy's altruism should keep readers invested in this new series.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) 4-6 On a New-York-to-Chicago train ride, eleven-year-old Henry Shipley meets rich girl Ellie; Clarence the conductor; and Lantern Sam, a talking cat. When Ellie is kidnapped for ransom, Henry, Clarence, and Sam take on the case. Alternating with chapters of accident-prone Sam's autobiography, this Depression-era mystery captures the flavor of vintage boy-detective stories, with Sam's hard-boiled voice adding a touch of noir.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Nicholas and his younger sisters leave New York City and head to small-town Ohio. Sailing (their great-uncle teaches them how), friendship (with Charlie, a girl with an amazing curveball), a mystery involving an old reel of film about the "Seaweed Strangler," and an old love letter from Charlie's mom to Nicholas's dad add up to a satisfying summertime story.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 4-6 The feisty foursome from Manhattan's St. Veronica's School are back, solving yet another well-plotted mystery for tweens. This time, the girls are led to a secret cellar after finding a message hidden in a fountain pen. Fans of the series will devour this smart, fast-paced, multilayered detective story with its usual witty dialogue and intriguing puzzles to solve.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 4-6 Lookalikes--artwork imitations, canine doppelgangers, and girls with similar appearances--are the connecting thread in this third Red Blazer Girls installment. The feisty foursome from Manhattan's St. Veronica's School discover multiple copies of a painting, hang out with a Hollywood hottie (and his dog), and mend fences with an archrival. Beil has penned yet another engaging, well-plotted mystery that tween readers will devour.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 The Upper East Side's "crime-fighting tweens" from St. Veronica's School are back. This time, Sophie and her pals--a.k.a. the Red Blazer Girls--are on the hunt for a stolen violin and a neatnik who's been sneaking into their school to tidy it up. Loads of puzzles will keep mystery fans turning pages.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 A twenty-year-old birthday card leads seventh grader Sophie St. Pierre and her friends on a hunt for puzzles hidden in the church next to their all-girls' parochial school. As the sleuths solve each puzzle (tied to math, literature, or religion), they close in on a legendary ruby ring. Beil mixes light romance, family issues, and Great Expectations into this engaging mystery.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger