I didn't read much of the Jigsaw Jones series when I was young--my preference was anything by R.L. Stein--but I always did enjoy a good mystery. I wasn't always the best at following or understanding the clues, but I was always so amazed and excited to see the solution. For young readers just getting into chapter books these types of mysteries and ghost stories work great. It gives an exciting atmosphere where the kids are taking charge. The clues aren't too hard for kids to figure out but still challenge their minds. The writing is also age appropriate and helps young readers to expand their minds. Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Marshmallow Monster is a great example of this constructive learning-to-read type book.
Jigsaw is a little boy who is also a detective. For a dollar a day he will take on any client and try to solve their mystery. Well, in this book he has decided to take a vacation. He is excited to get outdoors, tell some ghost stories, and to eat some s'mores. Little does he know that the ghost stories they tell will cause him to stumble into another mystery.
Mr. Hitchcock--that is after the great Alfred Hitchcock--is great at telling ghost stories. So he tells the kids about the lake monster that likes to eat human food. All the kids wonder if the story is true about the lake monster. So to test to see if the monster is real the kids leave out a bag of marshmallows just outside camp to see if the monster will take it.
In the morning the kids are all shocked to see the bag is gone. It falls to Jigsaw to solve the case and find out the truth about the Marshmallow Monster!
This story manages to be fun, exciting, and engaging all at the same time. It is also very age appropriate. The scary story Mr. Hitchcock tells is very mild and will not scare most children. The clues for the mystery are well placed and will be accessible to children reading the book.
The pictures in the book itself are fun and well drawn. They take up much of the space on some of the pages and may make it less daunting to look at or read for some children.
Jigsaw is a little boy who is also a detective. For a dollar a day he will take on any client and try to solve their mystery. Well, in this book he has decided to take a vacation. He is excited to get outdoors, tell some ghost stories, and to eat some s'mores. Little does he know that the ghost stories they tell will cause him to stumble into another mystery.
Mr. Hitchcock--that is after the great Alfred Hitchcock--is great at telling ghost stories. So he tells the kids about the lake monster that likes to eat human food. All the kids wonder if the story is true about the lake monster. So to test to see if the monster is real the kids leave out a bag of marshmallows just outside camp to see if the monster will take it.
In the morning the kids are all shocked to see the bag is gone. It falls to Jigsaw to solve the case and find out the truth about the Marshmallow Monster!
This story manages to be fun, exciting, and engaging all at the same time. It is also very age appropriate. The scary story Mr. Hitchcock tells is very mild and will not scare most children. The clues for the mystery are well placed and will be accessible to children reading the book.
The pictures in the book itself are fun and well drawn. They take up much of the space on some of the pages and may make it less daunting to look at or read for some children.
Summing it Up
I am a huge advocate for young readers. The reason I love reading and writing today is because I read so much growing up. And I always loved a good mystery. This book is a fun and relatively easy read for the age it is meant for. The story is simple and the main character is entertaining. And I always love a good camping story. For any kid trying to get into chapter books this is a good choice.
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 0
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 1
Fun Factor: 3
Overall Rating: 3
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 0
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 1
Fun Factor: 3
Overall Rating: 3