(4) YA A woman is murdered near Walden Pond, and teenage reporter Oliver Puckle needs Henry David Thoreau's insight to solve the case. Despite the cast of vibrant characters, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, and a mysterious lady from Boston, the story can be plodding. In this posthumously published work, Platt's research is obvious through fact-dense text and literary name-dropping.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(4) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Lynne Cravath. This is a convoluted but amusing story about Big Max--the "world's greatest detective"--flying off to a tropical country named Ah-Ah-Achoo. King Punchapillow's giraffe has escaped, and Max finds him happily playing soccer. The comic sketches are full of entertaining details including Max in a Sherlock Holmes-style hat and coat and the king in bright red robes and headdress.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt