The Fairy Ring or Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure

The Fairy Ring or Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure is the true story of Frances and Elsie, the two girls who took photos of "fairies" to prove their existence.  While Frances always claimed to see fairies, in order to show the disbelieving adults, the two girls created elaborate cutouts of fairies (and other mythical creatures) to put in their photos.  It was an innocent idea which they never knew would get so blown out of proportion!  See, there was a movement amongst some people in the early part of the 1900s to identify and classify fairies and other creatures, just as real animals are classified by genus and species. Some adults truly believed in the existence of fairies.  When these adults got hold of the girls' photos, they were convinced this was all the proof they needed to show the world!  So, the girls kept their secret... 

This was an amazing story!  I can see how the girls got so caught up in their story that it became difficult, even impossible, to tell the truth.  The book is filled with the girls' photos, as well as pictures of the girls and people trying to prove the existence of fairies.  It is a short and engaging book, perfect for any curious reader!

 

The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson

The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson is about Ellsworth Smith, one of the youngest heirs to John Matthew and Elizabeth Smith's last treasures. John and Elizabeth had 13 children in the mid-1800s and their biggest dream was for their family to always be together. They even built special houses for the family around a square block, each facing the "Sward" in the center where a beautiful pond and oak and pine trees stood. Through a series of events through the years, many of the children (and the children's children) moved away and the Square started to decline... the remaining family members had to close up some of the houses and even sell some of Elizabeth's lovely paintings to have enough money to live! Before he died, John Matthew hid treasure in each of three houses on the south side of the Square. Up to now, only two of the treasures had been found. The one remaining in "Richard's" house (one of the John Matthew and Elizabeth's children) was still a mystery. Desperate to solve the mystery and hopefully earn some money to keep the Square in decent shape, Elizabeth writes a letter to Ellsworth (Zee) inviting him to come and stay with her. His father, Ben Robert, was initially against the idea because he was holding a grudge against his father (who still lives on the Square) as a result of his father's feelings about Ellsworth's mother. He finally gives in, though, and Zee arrives at the Square. He and his cousin Jess are certain they can find the treasure in Richard's house if they can just get into the mind of John Matthew. When the solve the mystery and figure out the secret of the final treasure, they realize just how important keeping the family together really is.

This was a great mystery! I was so glad the author included a map and a family tree in the beginning of the book. At times I was a little confused about who each of the characters were and how they were related, but it all made sense in the end. I really liked the message behind the mystery and they way the search for the treasure came together at the end.

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn is about Ali, a 13 year old girl who was hired by her aunt to spend the summer at a cottage in Maine and babysit her 4 year old cousin, Emma, while Aunt Dulcie works on her painting. Just before heading up to the family cottage, Ali stumbles upon a ripped photo of her mother and aunt. She can tell it was taken at the cottage in Maine, even though no one in their family has been there for 30 years. The strange things is, someone has been torn out of the photo and a name on the back, beginning with 'T' has been scratched out. When she asks her mother about it, she starts acting strangely and refuses to admit she knows anything about the other girl in the photo. Ali's mother doesn't want anyone going to the cottage for the summer, convinced it's too dangerous, but she won't say why. Once at the cottage, Ali and Emma meet Sissy, a young girl who seems to follow her own rules. She's not very nice, but Emma insists upon spending time with her. As Ali comes closer to discovering the secret about the girl in the photo, Sissy continues her erratic behavior, turning Emma against both Ali and Aunt Dulcie. Things come to a head on a foggy, stormy day when the mystery of what happened 30 years ago at the lake finally unravels for Ali, putting her and her family in a deep and dark and dangerous situation.

This was a great mystery! As a reader, the events unfold more quickly than they do for the characters in the book. This is one of those stories where you're practically shouting at the characters to, "Watch out!" and "Just go home and forget about the lake!". It was certainly eerie and definitely suspenseful. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a horror/mystery story that isn't too scary.

If You're Reading This, It's Too Late by Pseudonymous Bosch

If You're Reading This, It's Too Late by Pseudonymous Bosch is the sequel to The Name of this Book is Secret. In this one, Cass and Max Ernest are desperately trying to prove that they have what it takes to be members of the Terces (secret spelled backwards) Society. Through their adventures, they find a mysterious ball that allows them to hear sounds clearly, even if they are being made far, far away. Cass is able to use this ball to call the homunculus, a strange little creature that was created over 500 years ago. A mean old guy named Lord Pharaoh grew the homunculus in dung! When Lord Pharaoh died, the homunculus buried him with all of his his secrets. So, of course, the evil members of the Midnight Sun are after them! The only way to the secrets is through the homunculus, and the only way to him is through Cass and Max Ernest!

This book, just like its prequel, was hilarious! The author is REALLY funny!! There is a little mystery and a little adventure - enough to make a fun and interesting story. I highly recommend both books to anyone!