Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 9th Read Harder task.

I'm going to read Three Times Lucky. I teach fifth grade and just got it for my classroom so I think it will be a great choice to share with my students.

Two of Rebecca Stead's books would fit this task; I enjoyed them both: When You Reach Me and Liar & Spy.

I read The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd last year.

Might read the sequel The Guggenheim Mystery by Robin Stevens. Might read something else.

What grade level are the Enola Holmes books?

I want to read High Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson for this one, but my library system doesn't have it. I may have to bite the bullet and actually buy it.

I love this prompt! Mary Anne and the Library Mystery or any other BSC mysteries would he perfect for this one (Ann is also a lesbian for those of you looking for diverse authors - although I’m not so sure about the ghostwriters!).

There are also some main-series mysteries: Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls comes to mind.

Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys would also work for this prompt - so would any of the Sweet Valley mysteries.

How about something old school like the Encyclopedia Brown series?

I really enjoyed the Gilda Joyce series when I was young! Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator

Potkin and Stubbs or A Place Called Perfect both seem like fun!

Any of the Enola Holmes books would work for this. And they’re so good!

I already have Greenglass House so I'll read this as part of the challenge!

I wonder whether a Flavia De Luce book would work here, since the protagonist is about the right age.

I was thinking of Flavia DeLuce. My mum's a big fan of the series

I think I'll continue the Sisters Grimm series. The first one was so good! So I think I'll read The Unusual Suspects for this prompt.

I actually currently am on the waitlist for the first Enola Holmes novel at the library, and I'm sure it won't be in before 2020 is out, so I fully intend to make it my pick for this task.

Going to try this one: Pepper's Rules for Secret Sleuthing

Author is LGBTQ+ if you are trying for the bonus challenge!

I don’t know if I’d consider Flavia middle grade. Cozy mystery, yeah, but I don’t think they were specifically written for young teens.

Here are some books my daughter read in middle school that I feel fit, even if some lean toward adventure/mystery
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Wildwood
The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid
Small Spaces
Eventown
The Strangers
Watch Hollow

Katherine Woodfine has several middle grade mystery books. Her first in the Sinclair's quartet is The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow, they're set in Edwardian England in the Sinclair's Department store. Sophie Taylor is a young girl working in the store and together with friends tries to solve some mysteries.

I loved the series and read the first book Peril in Paris in the follow up series (same characters), so I might read the follow up Spies in St. Petersburg

Has anyone read Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling and think this would fit the prompt?

Chrissy wrote: "I wonder whether a Flavia De Luce book would work here, since the protagonist is about the right age."

The Flavia de Luce books are actually adult with a child protagonist. They are not middle grade.

Eglė wrote: "Has anyone read Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling and think this would fit the prompt?"

I have read that one. While there is a mystery in the book, it is not the main focus of the book. I picked it for my middle school son because it was listed on a bunch of "best mystery for middle schoolers" lists (he is a mystery lover), so I would count it. I really liked it and so did my son.

Cora wrote: "Eglė wrote: "Has anyone read Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling and think this would fit the prompt?"

I have read that one. While there is a mystery in t..."

I was thinking of using this one for #21 "Read a children’s book that centers a disabled character but not their disability". Glad to hear it was good. I no longer have littles, so I don't know what is new in children's and middle grade.

when you reach me by rebecca stead

My kids are big fans of The Mysterious Howling so I'm going to go with that one.

Tanvi wrote: "I love this prompt! Mary Anne and the Library Mystery or any other BSC mysteries would he perfect for this one (Ann is also a lesbian for those of you looking for diverse authors - al..."

I’m planning to use a bsc book here too

I might consider re-reading Howliday Inn which terrifed me as a child - I recently re-read Bunnicula in the same series.

The Parker Inheritance

Patrick wrote: "The Parker Inheritance"

I read that this year and absolutely loved it!

This prompt lead me to realize that a eries I adored in 8th grade has a sequel I never read! The book is The Calder Game, and if you haven't read Chasing Vermeer or The Wright 3 I really recommend them, lots of little easter eggs and there is even a code hidden in the illustrations!

Cora wrote: "Eglė wrote: "Has anyone read Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling and think this would fit the prompt?"

I have read that one. While there is a mystery in t..."

Oh that's great, thank you so much. I think I'll go with it as I'm trying to put together the list from books I already own / can get for free and this is available from the library.

Might see if it could also fit the children's disabled book prompt as Bonnie suggested.

Trying The Strangers

I think I might just go for some good old Enid Blyton. Read tons of them as a kid.

Or From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, after watching Dash&Lily on Netflix I have gotten curious about it.

I was just going to start The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin but I think I'll save it for this prompt!

Don't know if it's been mentioned yet but I'll be reading A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro.

Kassidy wrote: "Don't know if it's been mentioned yet but I'll be reading A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro."

I do not want to discourage you from reading Brittany's AMAZING series. But, Study in Charlotte is high school age

oh thanks for letting me know! I have heard it called middle grade though so now I'm confused

Kassidy wrote: "oh thanks for letting me know! I have heard it called middle grade though so now I'm confused"

I understand the confusion. I'm a teen services librarian. I and the youth librarian have deep discussions about where to put middle grade books: teen section or children's. Brittany's series landed squarely in teen without hesitation.

We rely a lot on library review journals for age help. So, I double-checked before I posted here: School Library Journal says grade 9-up; Kirkus says age 14-18.

Do read the books ... they truly are wonderful!

I think I might read Chirp by Kate Messner. It's been on my TBR list.

I'm definitely picking up The Case of the Missing Marquess

superawesomekt wrote: "I already have Greenglass House so I'll read this as part of the challenge!"

Loved this book. I'm reading the second in the series for my challenge pick!

Down the Rabbit Hole, the first installment in the Echo Falls series by Peter Abrahams (aka Spencer Quinn, author of the Chet and Bernie series). Just had a copy of this placed on hold in my favorite local used bookstore for just $2.99! :)

My SinC-Colorado book club is reading Midnight at the Barclay Hotel in February, so that makes this one easy!

superawesomekt wrote: "I already have Greenglass House so I'll read this as part of the challenge!"

Same!

I'm seriously considering busting out an old school Nancy Drew book for this.

I will probably read Skinny-Dipping at Monster Lake by Bill Wallace for this challenge. Another possibility would be a Hardy Boys mystery.

Jennifer wrote: "Kassidy wrote: "oh thanks for letting me know! I have heard it called middle grade though so now I'm confused"

I understand the confusion. I'm a teen services librarian. I and the youth librarian ..."

If you have a Half Price Books where you live, you will go nuts in there with their interpretation of young adult vs teen. They have basically killed "juvenile books" and named them young adult. It makes me nuts to see Magic Tree House in Young Adult!

Melissa wrote: "I'm seriously considering busting out an old school Nancy Drew book for this."

Me too.

Enola Holmes is taking quite a while to get to me (the library has pretty limited copies and a waitlist because of the movie), so I may end up reading The Case of Windy Lake and its sequel first. I'm probably going to end up doing both of those plus all the Enola Holmes books this year anyway, so it'll be whatever I get to first.

Murder Is Bad Manners
From the Desk of Zoe Washington
Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy
The Harlem Charade
The Amelia Six
The Emperor's Riddle
Goldie Vance Vol. 1
The Secret Key
Liar & Spy
The Goldfish Boy