Millions of kids have read the A to Z Mysteries series and it’s easy to see why. Children’s author Ron Roy has filled his books with enough mystery and adventure to keep kids on the edge of their seats. And parents love that the books engage their kids’ attention while helping to turn them into enthusiastic readers.
What Are A to Z Mysteries?
The A to Z Mysteries series takes readers to Green Lawn, Connecticut, and introduces them to three neighborhood friends: Josh, Donald David Duncan (aka “Dink”), and Ruth Rose. In each book, the three pals find themselves in the middle of a mystery. As you and your children work your way through this series, the camaraderie between Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose will begin to make you feel like part of the team!
As you might have guessed, each book relates to a letter of the alphabet. You’ll discover titles such as The White Wolf, The Goose’s Gold, and The Talking T. Rex. But Ron Roy’s use of alliteration doesn’t stop at the titles. Throughout each book, your child will learn to “play” with language through the use of alliteration and other literary techniques.
Take our free A to Z Mysteries Series Checklist to your local library!
About the Author and the Series
During his time as a fourth-grade teacher, American author Ron Roy wrote many children’s stories that were consistently rejected by publishers. But Roy didn’t give up, and in 1978 he sold his first children’s book. Now Roy is well known for the A to Z Mysteries series, as well as a number of other series.
If you’ve been trying to find chapter books that will entice your less-than-enthusiastic reader, Ron Roy’s popular series may be just what you’re looking for. Each book is 90-100 pages long and sprinkled with plenty of engaging illustrations. Short chapters and high action content keep young readers turning pages, book after book.
Of course your child doesn’t have to be a reluctant reader to enjoy traveling around the United States solving mysteries. There’s something here for everyone!
About the Books
Each book in the series presents a new mystery to solve. Will your child solve each mystery before the team does?
In The Absent Author, Dink and his friends excitedly wait to meet author Wallis Wallace at a local book signing. However, when the author fails to show up, Dink begins to wonder why. The trio travels through town looking for clues and a way to find the absent author.
In The Bald Bandit the trio of kid detectives hunts for a thief. A bank robber is on the loose and a detective asks the kids to help him find the culprit, offering them a $300 reward for the recovery of a video recording of the heist. But who can be trusted—a redheaded teen or the burly detective?
In The Canary Caper, the pets of Green Lawn are disappearing, including Ruth Rose’s cat, Tiger. Get ready to follow Ruth Rose, Josh, and Dink around town (and to the circus!) as they try to determine where the missing animals have gone. Will your child spot the thief before he gets away?
In The Deadly Dungeon, Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose visit Wallis Wallace, the “absent author” featured in the first book. While the children are staying at the writer’s seaside castle in Maine, they encounter strange noises and some mysterious green feathers. Enter a smuggler and a possible sibling suspect, and they’ve got a real mystery on their hands!
Don’t these books sound exciting? I hope so, because there are twenty-two more mysteries just waiting to be solved!
If you’re looking for a page-turner series to get your child hooked on reading, check out a few A to Z Mysteries on your next visit to the library. In fact, you can take our library checklist with you and get ready to join Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose on their adventures!
A to Z Mysteries at a Glance
Author: Ron Roy
Genre: juvenile fiction, mystery
Interests: sleuthing, adventure
Suggested age range: 8 and up
Gender preference: boys and girls
In the series: 26 books (one for each letter of the alphabet), 90-100 pages each
Series Extras:
- Calendar Mysteries (8 mysteries featuring the younger siblings of the A to Z Mysteries kids)
- Capital Mysteries (13 mysteries set in Washington, D.C.)
- A to Z Mysteries: Super Editions (slightly longer books featuring the A to Z Mysteries kids)
A to Z Mysteries Library Checklist
Do your kids need a little extra encouragement to read? Take our A to Z Mysteries checklist to your local library and have your child check off books as he reads them.
You can find more great chapter books here!
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