(4) 1-3 Ghost and Max Monroe series. Illustrated by Kim Smith. Mystery writer Rhoda Remington receives an ominous note. Once again it's up to Max and his bumbling, ghostly great-uncle Larry to save the day. Short chapters divided by subheadings propel the simple mystery plot filled with alliteratively titled characters and obvious clues. New chapter-book readers will appreciate the illustrations and easy-to-follow design, even if some outdated references fly over their heads.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 1-3 Ghost and Max Monroe series. Illustrated by Kim Smith. Max and his bumbling great-uncle Larry, a ghost, are back for another case--this one involving a giant veggie stolen from the fair. Chapters are subdivided with headings, and cartoonish black-and-white illustrations and large-font text are laid out nicely for new readers. Larry's frantic, easily distracted nature provides lots of laughs but sometimes interrupts the narrative flow of this accessible mystery.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 1-3 Ghost and Max Monroe series. Illustrated by Kim Smith. During a stay with his grandpa Harry, Max Monroe discovers that Great-Uncle Larry was a detective who died having never solved a case. When a birthday girl disappears in the magician's box at her party, Max and ghost Larry step up to solve the case. Slow pacing hinders the quirky supernatural detective story, but silly black-and-white illustrations complement the text.

Reviewer: Susan Graham

(4) 4-6 When his great-uncle dies, a peculiar curse is passed on to Charlie: he must sleep in water every night or he'll shrivel to death. With his twin, Lacey, Charlie battles this disturbing legacy. The twins' frantic pursuit of a cure introduces kooky, creepy, and downright scary supporting characters, but the storytelling stalls with slapstick and forced thrills.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(4) 4-6 Alex has his hands full, scrounging up five bucks each week to pay off the local bully. His life is further complicated when he takes charge of leading an ancient lost soul across the River Styx to the Underworld. Alex's run-ins with Hades, the Minotaur, Medusa, and other characters from Greek mythology make for an educational but overcrowded plot.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 Joey travels to Newfoundland to spend Christmas with Aunt Corinne, who is mourning the recent death of her husband. When a disguised "mummer" shows up at Aunt Corinne's house, the thirteen-year-old narrator finds himself in a life-or-death struggle with the supernatural. The story begins promisingly but becomes increasingly surreal before reaching an abrupt conclusion. The concept of mummery may not be sufficiently explained for many readers.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta