The Mystery of the Octagon House

Rating:
Summary: Great story for kids!
Review: Alison Powers is tired of being an only child. Her biggest wish is for her parents to adopt a big brother so that her schoolmate, Lobita Smythe, will stop picking on her. Alison's best friend is Miss Octagon, an eight- sided house to whom she confides her deepest secrets. Alison hopes to someday get the opportunity to go inside of The Octagon House.

Mr. Donohue, a friend of Alison's parents, arrives for dinner. He has heard that Alison is interested in the house, so he shares his knowledge and draws her a picture of the interior. Later she receives a packet of information in the mail, including floor plans and a newspaper article on the house's history, and is more determined than ever to see all of Miss Octagon. She devises a plan to convince Mr. Waterbury, the house's agorophobic owner, to allow her entrance. When she arrives at the house, all of the curtains are closed and there is a mysterious thumping echoing from within. What is going on in The Octagon House? Is something wrong with Mr. Waterbury? Who are the strange men hanging around?

THE MYSTERY OF THE OCTAGON HOUSE is a short, engaging mystery for young readers. Alison is a smart young lady with spunk and determination. She has an inquisitive mind and readers will be interested to see how she solves problems and acts quickly to stay out of trouble. Alison is a character that will appeal to boys and girls alike. The book is written in simple enough language for children to understand, but definitely does not talk down to them. Some larger words are included and are defined as part of the story.

I would like to see a sketch of the inside of the house included. The text descriptions are clear, but since the house itself is such a main part of the plot it would be helpful to see it rather than attempt to visualize.

THE MYSTERY OF THE OCTAGON HOUSE is good, clean fun for young readers. It won an Eppie award in 2002 for Children's Fiction. It might be a bit scary for some, but mystery lovers should definitely pick this up. The second book in the series featuring Alison, THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MINIATURE BOOKS, is due out in September 2003. Experience the fun for yourself! (The book is being re-released by Amber Quill Publishers)

Rating:
Summary: Great story for kids!
Review: This book is going to be re-released under a different publisher, I highly recommend it as a wonderful book for younger mystery lovers.