(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. Cousins Mike and Kate are in Toronto, Ontario, investigating strange "ghost lights" in the Blue Jays' dugout. Taking advantage of their stadium access (Kate's mom is a sports journalist), the sleuths attempt to solve the mystery. There's not much character development, but this tenth installment will appeal to young baseball fans who have enjoyed the previous books.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. When Kate's mother, a sports writer, takes Kate and cousin Mike to Wrigley Field in Chicago, they go behind the scenes and discover patches of the famous ivy have been torn away. Using their sleuthing skills, the children expose the culprit and learn about the Cubs' historic ballpark. Occasional black-and-white illustrations and endnotes about the park help make this insubstantial mystery enjoyable.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mark Meyers. Victricia falls short in the pirate life to which she was born, gravitating toward dry land and books. The rhyming text is lengthy but makes each punch line feel earned. Plentiful daylight in the humorous illustrations tells readers these aren't sinister pirates. Close observers may enjoy some cleverly titled books in Victricia's collection, including Don't Let the Pigeon Steer the Ship.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. Cousins Mike and Kate are at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City for the All-Star Game, where they meet Andy, son of a star catcher. But someone is pulling disruptive pranks--and framing Andy's dad for them. Facts about the ballpark's peculiarities are woven into the kids' sleuthing. It's fairly pedestrian stuff, but this lightweight mystery installment will appeal to young baseball junkies.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. Lightweight mysteries for newly proficient readers, these titles feature boy and girl cousins who visit Major League ballparks uncovering malfeasance. The mysteries are wholly improbable, but the significant amount of baseball lore woven into the books makes them entertaining reads for sports fans. Review covers these Ballpark Mysteries titles: The Astro Outlaw and The L.A. Dodger.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone: Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. These lightweight mysteries distinguish themselves by the amount of baseball trivia Kelly manages to insert--quite naturally--into the repartee between the boy and girl protagonists. Kate's mother is a sportswriter, giving her and the kids access to the inner reaches of Major League ballparks. Even if the solutions to the mysteries are glaringly obvious, the baseball lore makes for entertaining reading. Review covers these Stepping Stone: Ballpark Mysteries titles: The Fenway Foul-Up and The Pinstripe Ghost.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin