Greetings from Somewhere, Book 10 - The Mystery of the Secret Society

Italy, France, China, Kenya, India, Peru, Australia, Alaska, and now Greece - these two young twins, Ethan and Ella Briar, have certainly traveled the globe with their parents, as their mother continues her assignment as a travel writer for their local hometown paper, the Brookeston Times.  And, since this an early readers' mystery series, it seems at every port, the twins stumble across a new mystery.  This last book in the series is certainly no different.

And yes, you read that correctly.  This tenth book in the "Greetings from Somewhere" series is the last book to be published, having come out in March 2016.  Not sure why the series ended - if it was because of poor sales, or perhaps the author just ran out of ideas, or what.  It's a shame, really, as these were great early reader books that could certainly have been a stepping stone into the world of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.  But, alas, the series is gone, and I haven't seen them on the shelves at Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million in quite a while.

Nevertheless, if the series was going to conclude, The Mystery of the Secret Society was certainly the way to do it.  The Briar family visits Athens, Greece this time around, and while the parents are helping Dr. Pappas with an archaeological dig, Ethan and Ella are pretty much left to their own devices (doesn't every pre-teen wish they had such freedom?!).  Before they can even leave the dig site, they stumble across a hint of the mystery to come - two images on one of the ancient walls - a hawk and a globe.  Ethan immediately recognizes them as the same images on the two sides of the coin their grandfather gave him wayyyyyyyy back in the first book of the series.

Is there a connection?  If so, what does it mean?

Enter: Dimitrios, a volunteer at the dig.  At first, he is gruff, but within moments, he warms to the children and leads them out of the cavern in which they had become lost.  The twins aren't sure what to think of him, but back at the hotel, they are more concerned about telling their grandfather about their find.  They e-mail him right away, hoping to get a response.

It soon becomes clear that there is more to the images than they first thought.  Dimitrios makes more and more appearances, leaving Ethan and Ella to wonder if he is following them.  Their grandfather is remaining unusually silent, with no e-mail responses, which is unusual for him.  Then, there is the strange crack in the wall with the two images.  And when Dimitrios volunteers to have the twins sit in on a Greek-language class he is teaching, they discover what type of person he really is, for instead he leads them back to the dig site, demanding they show him what they found!  The only problem is, they haven't found anything.  Or have they?

Author Harper Paris rounds out this series with a great little mystery that, in some ways, ties the books together in an unexpected way and a final farewell statement as the Briar family "headed out into the bright, sunny day.  A day full of mysterious possibilities."

As usual, Marcos Calo provides illustrations throughout the story, and as much as I hate to do it, I have to be nit-picky with one of the drawings.  On page 42, the text indicates that Greece is seven hours ahead of the Briar's hometown of Brookeston - yet, in the drawing of the two clocks at the top of the page, Greece shows the time as a little past 1:00, while Brookeston shows the time as a little past 8:00 - which is only five hours behind!  However, with 10 books and literally hundreds of illustrations, I suppose I can't blame him for one snafu!

I'll miss this little series, and it's a shame that young readers won't get to enjoy any more adventures of Ethan and Ella Briar as they travel 'round the world.  Bon Voyage, my little friends, and thanks for the mysteries you did share!

RATING:  8 broken statues of Greek gods out of 10 for making the fun of mysteries accessible even to the early readers!  (Greetings from Somewhere, you will be missed!)

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 9 - The Mystery of the Icy Paw Prints

The Briar family nears the end of the travels around the globe in the ninth book of this early reader mystery series.  It's rather a shame that the series ended with the 10th book - not sure if that was the author's intent all along, or if the books did not sell enough for the publisher to continue the series.  In either event, the series has been a fun jaunt around the world, and it is definitely something I would have thoroughly enjoyed when I was in first or second grade (heck, I usually have a smile now as an adult when I read them!).

The Mystery of the Icy Paw Prints finds the Briar family back in the United States, albeit far from the mainland in the snowy, freezing mountains of Alaska.  Author Harper Paris once again provides us with some great descriptions of the area, including Mt. McKinley and the surrounding volcanoes, icefalls, and glaciers.  They arrive in Anchorage, where they plan to stay, but a side trip to Nome finds the family stranded in an isolated forest area when their car breaks down.

This time, the mystery the twins find to solve does not come from their grandfather's e-mail; rather, they stumble across a mystery when a local woman and her daughter rescue them from their stranded vehicle and take them to the small village where they live to wait for a mechanic.  The fact that it will take two or three days for a mechanic to traverse the snow and ice covered land to get to them provides readers with a feel for the isolation some of these smaller villages in the outer parts of Alaska feel.

Paris provides a rather tame and obvious mystery - someone, or something, has been stealing fish from all of the locals, and no one knows who it is.  With nothing better to do while stuck in the small village, the twins, with the help of their newfound friend, Malina, investigate the area where the fish were stolen from Malina's mother.  They find some very unique tracks leading away from the empty container, and upon investigation, the tracks appear to be that of a polar bear - which Malina says is impossible, as polar bears do not come that far south.

As can be expected, the twins ultimately discover the culprit (by setting a trap), and the grown-ups are all thankful to have the "thief" exposed and happy to know their future fish finds will not be stolen.  Ethan and Ella's parents are somewhat concerned that their children got involved in yet another mystery (one that could have been dangerous considering he animals that roam the area), but they are proud of them nonetheless.

Leaving readers, as well as Ethan and Ella, to wonder what mystery the next book would have in store for them?

Again, this is a series that I highly recommend for parents who have beginning readers - the books are easy to read, they provide engaging stories with likable characters, and Marcos Calo illustrates the books with beautiful renditions of not only the characters, but the various exotic locales that the Briars visit.  Plus, the books provide a learning experience, since the author always includes various references to local vocabulary and history.

RATING:  7 grazing reindeer out of 10 for continuing to introduce young readers to the various wonders around the world!

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 8 - The Mystery at the Coral Reef

Is it sad to admit that I actually enjoy reading this early reader series more than I have some other books I've picked up recently (can anyone say SpacePops?)?  Greetings from Somewhere is a series meant for 1st thru 3rd graders, and while the vocabulary is fairly simple (although each book does carry some of its own vocabulary lessons, particularly of foreign languages), the stories are actually pretty fun, the characters are engaging, and the mysteries are well-plotted.  Author Harper Paris manages to place Ethan and Ella in just the right place and right time to stumble across a mystery in each country they visit, but never makes it so fantastic that it is beyond believability.

The Mystery at the Coral Reef takes the Briar clan to Australia, as Mrs. Briar's globe-trotting adventures as the travel writer for their hometown newspaper continue. On this trip, however, they will be staying with their mother's sister and her husband and son (the twins' cousin, Harry). And while the trip starts off rather inconspicuously (as all the trips do), the mysteries quickly start to appear - first, in an e-mail from their grandfather who encourages them to find the Redthroat Emperor; then, a rather expensive looking watch they find on their aunt and uncle's private beach; and finally, the questionable dealer at the market who is selling items made from coral that is supposed to be protected.

Paris keeps the pace moving as the twins are taken snorkeling at night by their cousin, only to come across a suspicious boat anchored just off short from their relatives' house.  They only catch a glimpse of the name of the boat, but when they put their heads together, it isn't long before the twins and their cousin are able to deduce what is going on and who is doing what.

While the mystery is not complicated, and for adult readers, it is relatively simple to solve, the story is engaging from the perspective of its intended readers.  Plus, the many illustrations by the very talented Marcos Calo add to the enjoyment of the story (as we see it brought to life page after page).

Sometimes you need a quick and easy read to help you escape and relax, and quite honestly, the Greetings from Somewhere series satisfies that need in each and every respect.  It's fun, it's engaging, and it's well-written.  A great series for early readers and a guilty pleasure for us older readers.

RATING:  9 cricket matches on the telly out of 10 for good, clean, easy-to-read fun!

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 7 - The Mystery Across the Secret Bridge

The Briar twins continue their journey around the world, and as fate would have it, they find another mystery when their parents bring them to Peru.  Author Harper Paris leads Ethan and Ella (and readers) on a journey through the salt mines of Maras, the natural hot springs of Aguas Calientes, and into the mountains at Machu Picchu.  As with their previous adventures, the twins receive a cryptic e-mail from their grandfather, who provides them with clues to another mystery to solve.

The Mystery Across the Secret Bridge provides young readers with not one, but two pretty simple, but fun, mysteries to solve.  The larger mystery involves something that is connected to a snake, a bird, and another animal that required a rope for the twins' grandfather to reach.  Armed with such few hints, the twins are unsure exactly what they are searching for when they reach the Temple of the Sun at Machu Picchu.  At the same time, the twins and their parents meet another family on the trip, and their young son loses his stuffed snake somewhere in the Temple.  Needless to say, it's Ethan and Ella to the rescue.

These books are certainly aimed for the early readers, what with the large font, the 100 page count, and the numerous illustrations.  And while it may only take an older reader such as myself less than half an hour to read it, that's not to say it's not a good read.  As with the prior books in the series, Paris provides readers with some knowledge about the customs and lives of the people in Peru, as well as some of the history of the country. She provides a few key words and phrases from the language, and does so in a manner that comes naturally - it flows as a part of the story, rather than beating the reader over the head with "Hey, I'm trying to teach you something here."

While not all of the books have real mysteries in them, those books in this series that do are a great way to get early readers who enjoy mysteries to start reading.  This would be what I would call a stepping stone to the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books, which, let's face it, every kid at some point reads.

RATING:  7 baby alpacas out of 10 for making reading fun and providing an easy to read story that is engaging and educational at the same time!

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 6 - The Mystery of the Suspicious Spices

Ethan and Ella Briar return in their sixth globe-trotting adventure, this time in the exotic land of India. In The Mystery of the Suspicious Spices, author Harper Paris takes her mystery-seeking siblings to the markets in Mumbai, where they stumble upon their latest mystery at the spice shop of their grandfather's friend, Deepak Singh.

This story has a bit more "mystery" to it than the previous two books, which makes for a nice change (since this is supposed to be a mystery series for young readers).  It seems that something strange is happening to Deepak's spices - - until just recently, his spices were known throughout the area as being the best there was. Lately, though, customers are returning with complaints that the spices they purchased are not just bad; they are ruining recipes and taste absolutely awful! On a fateful visit to the store, Ethan and Ella witness first hand the unhappy customers, who scare off future customers - - all of whom decide to take their spice-shopping to the new shop, Spice Palace, which just so happens to be owned by Deepak's brother (who was mighty upset when their father left Deepak the family business on his death).

Obviously, any reader over the age of 8 is going to see exactly where this is going (particularly readers of the recent Nancy Drew series, which seems to focus solely on sabotage as the premise for every mystery). I do have to give Paris credit, though - she manages to provide a rather creative mystery, and while older readers will find it somewhat simple, I think it hits the age mark of its intended readers rather nicely. Using color-dyed salt to change-up the spices in order to sabotage Deepak's business was pretty unique, I think, but not something so complicated that children Ethan and Ella's age would never be able to figure out.

Marcos Calo continues to provide his amazing illustrations on if not every page, then at least every other page (although I do admit that I noticed for the first time in this book - perhaps it was like this in previous books and I just didn't pay it any attention - but Ethan and Ella's heads are quite large, and their necks rather lengthy - no one else is drawn this way, so unsure why these two have these characteristics, unless it's simply to make them stand out).

RATING:  7 salty spices out of 10 for giving the young readers a taste of what fun mystery stories can be to read!

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 5 - The Mystery of the Lion's Tale

Another “guilty pleasure” series that I read when I want something quick and fun.  So far, Harper Paris (the author) has yet to disappoint with these books as the twins, Ethan and Ella, travel around the globe with their parents and discovery a mystery to be solved in each of the locales.  In The Mystery of the Lion’s Tale, however, the mystery is nearly as elusive as the lion the family is hoping to see.

Paris takes the Briar family to Kenya in Africa for this book, where the kids are treated to an exciting safari.  Their guide tells them they should keep an eye out for “The Big Five” while journeying across the plains – the African elephant, the Cape buffalo, the leopard, the rhinoceros, and the king of the jungle himself, the lion.  Ethan and Ella keep their eyes peeled, and manage to find the first four animals, but as their stay in Kenya is about to end, they are desperate to see a lion!

The search for the lion does not make for much of a mystery, even by early reader standards.  Sure, a “missing” will or emerald or painting or pretty much anything that has been stolen or secreted away somewhere makes for a fun mystery.  But simply searching for an animal that is there but hasn’t been seen yet is not quite as exciting.  In fact, it’s a bit of a let down, since the prior mysteries actually involved the twins finding clues, following up on leads, and actually “solving” a mystery.  Here, they see glimpses of what might be a lion’s tale and ultimately are shown the lion by a scientist that their grandfather once knew.

As with the prior books, Paris does provide plenty of details about Kenya’s wildlife and natives, and Ethan and Ella even meet a local brother and sister with whom they make friends and exchange gifts before leaving the country.  Whereas prior books used a number of foreign words, defined in the back of the book in the glossary, this book only provides one word and one phrase in Swahili.

Marcos Calo once again provides the art, with the black and white interior illustrations bringing to glorious life the story Paris tells.  The animals, the natives, the houses and plains are all shown in such detail, it’s likely that any young reader who picks up this book will take away with it a fairly good idea of what it would be like to actually see Africa.

With only five books remaining in the series, I’ve reached the mid-way point, and I hope the rest of the books go back to actual mysteries for Ethan and Ella to solve.  I’d hate to see the series end on a low note.

RATING:  5 beaded necklaces out of 10 for providing young readers with an enjoyable way of learning more about the world beyond the borders of the United States.

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 4 - The Mystery in the Forbidden City

Those ever-curious twins, Ethan and Ella, now find themselves in China, as their parents continue taking them on a world tour to allow their mother to write her travelogue.  Author Harper Paris opens the world of China to the twins (as well as readers) by taking a look at Beijing, one of China's popular tourist destinations.

Despite how simplistic the writing and stories are, these books for young readers are actually quite enjoyable (even if it takes less than 15 minutes to read them).  Paris captures the innocence and curiosity of second-graders with Ethan and Ella, and the awe and wonder that any 8-year old would have when visiting such magnificent cities as Venice, Paris, or Beijing.  Of course, the kids do act a bit older than they probably should when they get separated from their parents and neither one of them seem very worried (as they are more interested in solving the latest mystery that their grandfather has sent them) - but, that can be overlooked for the sake of simply enjoying the book.  After all, this is fiction.

The quest that the kids' grandfather sends them on is to find the three dragons, located somewhere within the mysterious Forbidden City, the former home of the great emperors.  The only clue provided is that the dragons could be found near the old pine tree.  Needless to say, Ethan and Ella are overjoyed at the chance to solve another "mystery" - but that mystery gets bigger when they stumble upon an old map they find on the floor.  They use the map as a means to try and locate the old pine tree, but somehow get separated from their parents and lost among the many trails and buildings within the Forbidden City.  They ultimately find the old pine tree, they find the three dragons, and they find that the old map they discovered is actually older than they thought and is a treasure that was to be placed on display in the Forbidden City.

Marcos Calo once again provides not only the cover art, but all of the interior illustrations. Since this is a young reader's book, the interior illustrations are numerous, pretty much every other page, and in some instances, spread across two pages.

I'm still disappointed that I never had this series when I was in first and second grade; however, it's great to know it's out there now for young readers as a stepping stone into the wonderful world of reading!

RATING:  9 fried scorpions out of 10 for providing kids with an easy to read mystery that is also educational and fun!

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 3 - The Mystery of the Stolen Painting

I returned to the world of those world-traveling twins, Ethan and Ella Briar, with the third book in the Greetings from Somewhere series, The Mystery of the Stolen Painting. In the last book, the twins were in Italy, where they helped find a stolen gondola.  Now, the author takes them to Paris, France, where the twins happen to be in the Louvre, when a famous painting is stolen.  And that isn't the only mystery they have to solve, since their grandfather sent them an e-mail with a cryptic message about finding a hidden creperie owned by friends of his.

In just 113 pages (or less, actually, considering there is art on every page, lessening the word count, and some pages are full page pictures with no words), Harper Paris provides another cute mystery that the younger generation is sure to enjoy.  By far, it is an easy read (honestly, it took me less than 10 minutes to read the entire book), with short sentences, simple vocabulary, and a not-so-complicated mystery to solve.  However, the twins are fun to read - each has their own distinct personality, and the author keeps them grounded, not taking their adventures too far outside the realm of possibility, so that even as an adult, I can have fun reading the books.

What's interesting about this book is the fact that what is supposed to be the main mystery (the stolen painting) sort of takes a back seat to the sub-plot of finding that secret creperie.  As with previous books, their grandfather gives them a couple of clues to start them off, and it's up to Ethan and Ella to figure out the rest.  I do get a kid-like sense of enjoyment following along as they put the clues together and solve the mysteries (and in this one, so very Nancy Drew-like, they stumble upon the solution to one mystery while following the clues to the other mystery!).

Harper Paris has a good grasp on writing for young readers, and the art by Marcos Calo fits so perfectly with the tone of the series.  (And what's funny is that, as I'm sitting here writing this, looking down at the cover of the book, I just noticed for the first time that down in the bottom right corner, far below the terrace where Ethan and Ella are standing, looking out at Paris, there is a man running with a painting under his arm!)

I've said it before, and I'll gladly say it again - I would highly recommend this series to any parent who has children that are just beginning to get into chapter books.  It is the perfect level for beginning readers, and it will definitely hold their interest and leave them wanting for more!

RATING:  9 lemon and powdered sugar crepes out of 10 for a good, clean, fun mystery that pretty much anyone can enjoy!

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 2 - The Mystery of the Mosiac

Those inquisitive twins, Ethan and Ella, are back to solve another mystery in the next Greetings from Somewhere book for early readers!

The twins begin their journey around the world as their mother starts her new job, researching and writing about her travels to various countries.  While in the first book, Ethan and Ella had not been happy to be uprooted from their home, their friends, and their grandfather, their arrival in Venice, Italy opens their eyes to a brand new world to experience.  And they aren't in Venice very long before their grandfather, via e-mail, presents them with a brand new mystery to solve - find a 500-year old mosaic.  Their only clues are "Calle Farnese" and "look up."  So begins The Mystery of the Mosaic.

Now, keep in mind - this book (and this series) is aimed at readers, age 5 - 7.  This means that (a) there are pictures on pretty much every other page, if not every page; (b) the font is quite large; (c) the language and words are simple, with any new words clearly defined; and (d) the story is short and the mystery fairly easy.  What this does not mean is that the book is not good.  Quite frankly, I wish this series had been around back when I was in first grade. I have no doubt in my mind that I would have thoroughly enjoyed it (probably more so than I do now, as an adult reading it with a child's perspective in mind).

In some ways, this series of books would be a great precursor for Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries (the original series of books, not the ones currently being published).  For example, in this mystery, the twins begin their search for the mosaic that their grandfather sends them searching for, but along the way, they happen to see someone steal their new friend's gondola. They rush to their friend's aid and help him recover the stolen gondola, and it is Ethan's keen observations that prove the gondola belongs to their friend.  By helping their friend, they get to take their very first ride through the canals of Venice on the gondola, which, inadvertently, leads them to the discovery regarding the mosaic.  Throughout the story, readers are introduced to various facts about Venice and Italy, including some Italian words (with a two-page glossary in the back, listing the words from the story and their meanings).

For those of you with children who are just beginning to read - this is the series of books for you!

RATING:  9 pieces of colored glass out of 10 for introducing younger audiences to not only reading, but the joys that are mysteries.

Greetings from Somewhere, Book 1 - The Mystery of the Gold Coin

I happened to be in Barnes & Noble some months ago, and as I was perusing the children's books, looking for any new mystery series, I happened to glance through the Chapter Books area, looking to see if they had the new Nancy Drew Clue Book series.  As I was looking over the shelves, I saw some titles that jumped out at me.  Mystery at the Coral Reef.  Mystery of the Lion's Tail.  Mystery in the Forbidden City.  Of course, loving this throwback to the old days of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew titles, I pulled out some of the books and gave them a quick flip-through.

The series, "Greetings from Somewhere," is about twins, Ethan and Ella Briar, whose parents take them traveling around the world.  Everywhere they go, the twins stumble upon a mystery they must solve.  Definitely a concept for a great mystery series, so, being the adventurous reader that I am, I picked up the few titles they had there (and ordered the rest from Amazon).  And after months of sitting on my shelves, I've finally started to read the series, beginning, of course, with the first book.

The Mystery of the Gold Coin.

Now, first off, I have to say - this is definitely a book for beginning readers.  At 118 pages (which, sadly, is pretty close to the same length as the Hardy Boys books these days), the font is quite large, and there are numerous internal illustrations, pretty much on every other page. Thus, it makes for a short story and a quick read.  The sentences are short, and the vocabulary are easy-to-read words that would be easily understood by 6 to 9 year olds.  Obviously, this  ended up only taking me about 15 minutes to read - yet, surprisingly enough, it was a cute little story, and I can imagine that had this series been around back when I was in first or second grade, I would have enjoyed it.

This first story is relatively tame - Ethan and Ella are told by their parents that their mother has accepted a new position at the newspaper where she works - she is going to be a travel writer, meaning the family will be traveling the globe as Mrs. Briar writes her stories about the various countries and places.  The twins are unhappy at first, not wanting to leave their friends and hometown - but after a visit from their grandfather, who gives them each a gift, they begin to warm to the idea.

The mystery focuses on a gold coin that Ethan is given by his grandfather.  They morning they are ready to leave, Ethan finds that he has lost his coin.  Ella (who enjoys writing mystery stories herself - her latest one is "The Case of the Missing Diamond" [p 24]) convinces her brother that they can play detective and solve this mystery of the missing coin.  They set off through town to retrace their steps from the previous day to find the coin.  At the bookstore, when they mention what they are doing, the owner comments, "A mystery?  You mean like something from a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys story?" [p 76].  It seems any more, you can't read any mystery without some sort of reference to Nancy Drew.

Ultimately, they find the coin and the mystery is solved.  It's a cute story, and for parents whose children are just reaching the stage where they can read, I would highly recommend this series, based on this first book alone.

RATING:  8 globe-trotting detectives out of 10 for good clean family fun and easy reading!