REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
Maisy and the Money Marauder
(The Maisy Files Volume 2)
(The Maisy Files Volume 2)
by Elizabeth Woodrum
Maisy and the Money Marauder is the second book in The Maisy Files mystery series for children ages 6 to 12. Also available: Maisy and the Missing Mice (FREE 17-18 February; read my blog post).
Description
Maisy is back!
Lunch money has been stolen at West Valley Elementary, and everyone’s favorite fourth-grade detective in on the case. With a cherry lollipop in hand, her fedora, and her trusty notebook, Maisy steps into her black-and-white mystery world to search for clues. Join Maisy on her quest to unmask a thief in Maisy and the Money Marauder.
Book Video
Praise for the Book
"If you enjoyed Maisy and the Missing Mice, you will find that Maisy and the Money Marauder continues along in the same vein with lovable Maisy who is known throughout the school as a great detective who literally works for cherry-flavored lollipops; an age-appropriate mystery with simple clues children can piece together along the way; and terrific writing that will easily maintain children’s attention throughout the wonderful story. I highly recommend The Maisy Files mysteries by Elizabeth Woodrum as read-aloud books or for independent readers looking for a quick read. Ages 5 to 12." ~ Renee @ Mother Daughter Book Reviews
"Maisy is a highly imaginative child. While solving a case she often sees the world around her as if she’s in an old black and white detective movie. She wears a fedora and is rarely without her favorite cherry lollipops. She’s a heroine brimming with character, and Woodrum writes her incredibly well. As an adult I thoroughly enjoyed getting to the bottom of the missing lunch money at West Valley Elementary School. I have no doubt Woodrum will easily capture and hold the interest of her target audience. Way to go, Maisy! I can’t wait to read about your next case." ~ J.C. Wing
"I highly recommend this book for any young readers in your life! My 8-year-old has already read it through from cover to cover five times in our first week of having it." ~ Tina Chen on Goodreads
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
Maisy Sawyer is a fourth grader who loves solving mysteries. When she's on a case she literally sees things in black and white, like an old movie. And her fee? Why, cherry lollipops, of course!
This book follows straight on from Maisy's previous adventure. It's the following Monday and Maisy returns to school expecting a reward of her favorite cherry lollipops for solving the case of the missing mice. She learns a new word in class - "marauder" (someone who steals) - and decides to use it in her next case, which just happens to come up at lunch time when the lunch money of a few third graders goes missing. When Maisy starts seeing things in black and white she knows she's got a case! Then some money goes missing from Maisy's own fourth grade classroom. Could the money marauder be one of her own classmates? There are a few clues and a few suspects for Maisy to consider. But could there possibly be more than one marauder involved?
This time, Maisy's friend Veronica gives her a hand, providing some comic relief and being of vital assistance to Maisy because she can see in color! The story is full of unimportant (or are they?) details that flesh out Maisy as a character. On the down side, the writing is a bit stilted, and there is a bit of repetition and rehashing of the previous case. It's too much for those who have read the previous book and probably not enough for those who haven't. I feel the series would work better as totally independent stories (although I can already see the next installment coming - Maisy and the Missing Meat perhaps?). I was also a bit concerned about the resolution of this case; Maisy has a good opportunity of coming up with an altruistic reward rather than accepting more cherry lollipops when she already has a locker full of them.
Still, this is an entertaining read for its intended audience, with a nice blend of comedy and mystery.
About the Author
Elizabeth Woodrum is an elementary teacher in Ohio. She came to love writing when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children’s series, is the first series that she has published. The series currently consists of two books, Maisy and the Missing Mice and Maisy and the Money Marauder.
As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include J. K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks. Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently resides near Dayton, Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup.
Giveaway
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