Did you ever dream of becoming a detective? My daughter and I have been readingNate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Craig Sharmat.We kept the experience going all weekend with more books, activities and detective apps.

This funny series features the adventures of a pancake-loving kid detective and his kooky friends. I always wanted to grow up to be a detective, and love watching my daughter discover her first mysteries. The ending of this book always makes...