The Butler Did It

A good mystery is sure to lure children to the library. A few years ago, I started a monthly mystery book club for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders at the Brick Branch of the Ocean County (NJ) Public Library. Most of our school-aged programming efforts at the time concentrated on kindergarten through third graders, and we had difficulty attracting older children. So when 25 kids signed up, we were thrilled. My group especially enjoyed reading The Ghost in the Third Row (Bantam Books, 1987) by Bruce Coville, The Dollhouse Murders (Scholastic, 1983) by Betty Ren Wright, and Letters from Camp (Avon Books, 1999) by Kate Klise. While these titles might not seem intellectually stimulating or discussion worthy, the children enjoyed reading them and came back for more.

Since then, I've held numerous mystery book discussions, and there's been a steady stream of interest from kids—particularly boys who, at this age, are often reluctant to read and share their feelings about books in a group setting. The club was publicized in our monthly calendar and our graphics department created some wonderfully eerie posters, which were hung throughout the children's area and the juvenile mystery section. We also placed ads in the local newspaper, and fliers were distributed in nearby schools.

The first part of each meeting is devoted to discussing books; I encourage kids to talk amongst themselves and to share any good titles they may have read. Our mysteries are chosen based on the quality of the story and the number of copies available in the library system. Kids are mostly attracted to books that are exciting and include an element of danger; ghost stories are quite popular. One club member, Jack, who joined at his grandmother's urging, was a young horror fan who was ready to move beyond the Goosebumps series. Jack only enjoyed reading horror, but our eye-catching posters lured him into the group and got him reading outside the horror genre (much to his grandmother's delight!). He eventually became one of the club's most outspoken members.

Once the discussion period ends, we engage in activities that teach kids about research skills, collaboration, observation, concentration, and creativity. Our invisible-ink demonstration involves writing a message on a piece of paper using lemon juice and a toothpick. After the paper dries, a hot iron is pressed on the paper, which then reveals the secret message. A decoder crafts project involves getting a book about codes at your local library and using symbols to substitute the alphabet. After kids put their decoders together, they're given a code to decipher a message. We also play a game called STARE, in which each player is given 20 seconds to examine a card with a picture on it. When time expires, the player puts the card down and tries to answer questions about it. Scavenger hunts are especially popular. To create a scavenger hunt mystery, you'll need to devise a crime scenario. For example, a very important and expensive library book has been stolen. Then, make up a 10-question quiz in which kids can find the answers by using basic library reference sources. Correct answers lead the players to helpful hints in solving the crime. This activity is a fun way to familiarize children with basic reference sources, and since they're encouraged to work together, it works well with Cub Scouts and other groups that visit the library.

I suggest limiting book club meetings to about four months because kids won't feel like they have to commit themselves forever (and you'll only need to find four titles and plan four activities). The fall is a better time than the spring, when sports take precedence over most other activities. A three-month series over the summer also works well. Assess your group and make sure they have sufficient time to read the assigned books. Keep in mind that they'll probably have more time to read over the summer.

In March 2001, I was transferred to our library system's smaller Point Pleasant Beach Branch. I'm not currently hosting a book club, but I'm still planning mystery-related activities. These activities encourage teamwork, and in the case of the book discussion group, it encourages kids who may not ordinarily be interested in traditional book discussion groups to read and talk about books. So don't wait. Take advantage of the fact that kids really do love a good mystery!