Mystery on Magnolia Circle - by Kate Klise (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Rear Window meets Nancy Drew in this middle-grade novel by Kate Klise about a girl who believes she has witnessed a crime

What happens when two best friends take on the world's worst summer?

On the first day of vacation, ten-year-old Ivy Crowden falls down the stairs and breaks her leg. Stuck in a plaster cast, she's certain her summer is doomed. Not even Teddy, her neighbor and best friend, can cheer her up because he's dealing with his own pain: the loss of a beloved dog.

But when Ivy witnesses a possible burglary from her living room window, her summer takes a sudden turn from meh to mysterious. Who are the criminals? Might a classmate be involved? And . . . uh-oh. A second mystery is nipping at Ivy's heels. Cue the best friends, the best dog, and the best chance that summer can be saved!

Review Quotes

Stay: A Girl, A Dog, A Bucket List:

2018 ALSC/ALA Notable Children's Book
An Iowa Public Radio Best Book of 2017

"Evocative acrylics amplify the matter-of-fact narrative, showing Astrid growing taller and more active as Eli slows down. ...The Klises close with an image of girl and dog watching the sunset over the water, a moment that--like the book as a whole--is both emotionally restrained and full of feeling."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Quirky and delightful on its surface, this poignant picture book opens the door to deeper considerations of eventual loss. A tender tension between the author's ebullient text and her illustrator sister's touching acrylic paintings--particularly the exquisite portrayals of the two protagonists--delicately suggests the inevitable without any overt occurrence."--The Horn Book, starred review

"The full-page, warm, pastel-colored illustrations perfectly match the text and make the book all the more wonderful. This is a story about making the best of and appreciating the (brief) time we have with our loved ones--in this case our pets, though the title easily applies to grandparents and other aging loved ones."--School Library Journal

About the Author