A little girl's bad day takes a series of turns for the better as she stumbles on mysterious clue after clue, leading her in a mad dash from attic to porch to outdoors to a very happy solution.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Jonas ( Round Trip ) provides several unusual twists and turns in this visually engaging mystery, once again displaying her penchant for unorthodox formats. An ignored birthday girl's disappointed diary entry is interrupted--"That's funny. The light just went on!"--setting into motion a string of clues that require the reader to spin the book into a variety of positions. Inanimate objects (extension cords, mown grass, garments on a clothesline) form letters and words when viewed from a particular angle. No characters appear in this virtually textless book until its surprise ending; but the protagonist's shadow falling across each spread reveals the proper perspective from which to view the clues. Scrambled letters, mirror writing and rebus add to the sleuthing fun. Jonas's large-scale, full-toned watercolors function as both word and image, cleverly couching hints amid the scenery. In this mystery-adventure, the hunt is more enjoyable than the (somewhat predictable) treasure. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-- From the large magnifying glass on the front cover to the collage cutouts on the back, Jonas's latest work is an open invitation for young mystery fans. Beginning with a diary entry of a child complaining about her terrible day, the book leads the protagonist (and readers) on a merry chase from the attic to the backyard, across the pond, through the woods and up a hill where a surprise birthday party awaits her. Although the foreshadowing of the surprise in the opening diary entry seems a bit obvious, children will be immediately captivated by the clever clues that form the main part of the text. As she did with animals in The Trek (Greenwillow, 1985) , Jonas has worked the messages inventively into the motif of each scene; in a particularly brilliant stroke, the words of one clue are created by the laundry hanging on the line. To entice readers even further, some hints are written backwards, others upside down, and still others as a rebus. The strong natural tones used in portraying the lush woods, the craggy stone wall, and the mossy pond form a definite contrast to the bright primary colors found in the party scene and in the closing diary entry. It is also interesting to watch the protagonist evolve from a mere hint of a shadow to a full portrait of a young girl as the story progresses. Although the book could be shared with small groups, it will work best one-on-one since some of the clues are rather difficult to decipher from a distance. In any case, it will have wide appeal for would-be detectives who will be inspired to try their hand at designing their own clues, and it should also be an effective choice for reluctant readers. A guaranteed-to-please selection that deserves a spot in any collection.
- Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, Wheeler School, Providence, RI
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, Wheeler School, Providence, RI
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read-A-Loud,
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This review is from: The 13Th Clue (A Picture Yearling Book) (Paperback)
Except...let your child or student read the book to you. This is one of the best rebus stories that I have come across and use it every year with my students. Can't recommend it enough.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Clue Book!,
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This review is from: The 13th Clue (Hardcover)
I have been searching for this book for about six months, and finally found it! I used to read this when I was a little girl, and loved the mystery, and couldn't wait to turn the next page! Great pictures, loaded with color. Fun for any age!
3.0 out of 5 stars
Clever, but Confusing,
This review is from: The 13th Clue (Hardcover)
This book is very clever. As a little girl writes in her diary about a very bad day, the lights in her attic come on, and she finds directions (a clue) to follow. Each page after that has more instructions for the girl to decipher and follow to the happy ending surprise that turns her bad day good. Some of the clues, however, were hidden so well, they were almost too hard to read. The book might be too challenging for young children. With a parent's help, however, children will enjoy the challenge and surprise.
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