What would you do if someone you knew disappeared right before your eyes?

Dowd, Siobhan (2008). The London Eye Mystery. 322 pages. Grades 5-8.

During his visit to London, Salim's cousins, Ted and Kat take him to ride on the London Eye. While waiting in line, they are approached by a stranger who offers them one ticket for the ride. Ted and Kat suggest that Salim take the ticket, which turns out to be a mistake. They watch as Salim walks into the pod that will carry him around the wheel, but when it opens again Salim has vanished! Ted and Kat must work together to solve the mystery of Salim's disappearance.

Fairy Tale Fans

Rodda, Emily (2008). The Key to Rondo. 342 pages. Grades 4-6.

If you enjoy books with fairy tale tie-ins, such as Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner, then this is a book for you!

Leo is given a family heirloom, a music box, which has magic powers. When his cousin, Mimi and her dog, arrive for a visit, she winds the music box four times and opens the door to a magical place called Rondo. The adventure begins when the magic is released. The Blue Queen kidnaps Mimi's dog, which causes Mimi and a reluctant Leo to follow her into Rondo. They must travel through this new place and encounter characters from well-known nursery rhymes and fairy tales in order to rescue Mimi's pet. This is an action-packed adventure with a fast paced story line.

Great ghost story for summer nights.

Hahn, Mary Downing (2007). Deep and Dark and Dangerous. 187 pages. Grades 4-7.


While searching through the attic, thirteen year-old Ali finds an old photograph of her mother and aunt at their lake house in Maine. She notices that the photo is torn away where a third figure would have been next to her mother and aunt. The only clue to the person's name is the letter 'T' on the back. Who could it be and why did someone tear them out of the picture?

Ali's aunt, Dulcie, invites her to go back to the Maine lake house for the summer and babysit her daughter Emma while she works on her paintings. Ali agrees hoping that she will learn more about the person who was once in the old photograph. When they arrive, Emma and Ali meet a girl named Sissy, who is not very nice to girls, but won't leave them alone. She tells them about a girl named Teresa who drowned during the summer while their mothers were at the lake house. Could Teresa be the mysterious girl from the photograph?