The Amelia Six

It's hard to resist mysteries, even more so when they are real. Such is the case with the famous mystery surrounding aviatrix Amelia Earhart. Combine that with six middle grade schoolgirls—strangers specially invited to spend a night at Earhart's historic Gothic Revival home in Atchison, Kansas, during a Midwestern plains blizzard—and you have the makings of a closed-circle mystery. Each of the six girls arrives with a set of high expectations, plenty of attitude, plus the standard middle grade angst and insecurities. After their parents leave, the girls are shepherded into the house to choose bedrooms for the night and to look around (this is where site managers and caretakers of historical sites will cringe). Comprising the strange mix of adults in the house is gruff housekeeper Edna, who doesn't seem to know anything about housekeeping, tattooed gourmet chef Perry, who does know how to cook, and frail-looking Birdy, who is a resident of the house. Excitement mounts until the girls are told they are here to find out what happened to Earhart's flying goggles, an important artifact and significant visitor draw. The story is characterized by clever plot twists, chapter cliff hangers, and camaraderie between the girls, who, mere strangers just a few hours ago, must now rely on one another and buoy each other up when courage flags. The last few chapters give details on the girls' role in apprehending the thief as well as what is in store for them next. A winner on all counts, this title features a vivid setting, interesting characters, great descriptions, vocabulary, pacing, and realistic adult characters who are encouraging yet sufficiently relegated to the background to allow the girls to work out the mystery on their own. Comparisons with Nancy Drew and Sammy Keyes come to mind, but this satisfying mystery seems more like the works of Ellen Raskin, E.L. Konigsburg, and Gennifer Choldenko wherein readers have to really think and keep track of all the people, events, and clues before arriving at the solution.