Must-Read Mystery Books for Kids

These mystery books all come highly recommended by the Pirfly review team. Grab them for your young Sherlock’s today.

Julian, Secret Agent by Ann Cameron (Grades 2-5)

Julian and his buddies Huey and Gloria consider themselves some pretty sweet secret agents. They have, after all, rescued a neighborhood dog, saved a small child from drowning… but these kids have their sights set on solving some severe crime. They decide they’re going to capture themselves, a bank robber but get in the way of the police. When they find themselves in some hot water, they’ll need to use their super sleuthing and spy skills to save themselves!

Malcolm at Midnight by W. H. Beck, Illustrated by Brian Lies (Grades 2-5)

Malcolm is jazzed to be the new fifth-grade class pet at school: he’s well-fed, well-loved and has some comfy digs. Even better: he finds out that the rest of the classroom pets are part of a secret society called The Academy, whose charge keeps the students of the school safe. When Aggy the iguana goes missing, the rest of the class pets accuse Malcolm of the crime. See, he chose to hide the fact that he’s not so much a mouse as a rat, and rats are not to be trusted—or are they? This is a delightful mystery with some valuable lessons on acceptance and inclusion.

The Geronimo Stilton series by Geronimo Stilton (Grades 2-5)

I went back and forth as to whether this originally Italian series should be labelled as mystery or adventure, and I think it’s a little bit of both! The books are about globetrotting mouse Geronimo Stilton, a best-selling author, investigative reporter and editor for the Rodent Gazette in New Mouse City, Mouse Island. Stilton embarks on all sorts of wild adventures with his sister Thea, cousin Trap, and nephew Benjamin, keeping a diary of his travels as inspiration for his books. Start with The Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye, where Geronimo and Thea find a mysterious map that leads the pair on a treasure hunt.

The Sherlock Sam series by A.J. Low (Grades 2-5)

Yep. Another Sherlock book, but with a few twists! It’s set in Singapore, our sleuth Samuel Tan Cher Lock (aka Sherlock Sam) is a 10-year-old foodie, and his sidekick is a robot named Watson. Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong, Sherlock & friends set out to find his auntie’s stolen cookbook. Fun fact: A.J. Low is a husband and wife duo! Adam Jimenez is a Mexican-American author who grew up in California and later moved to Singapore, where he met his wife Felicia Low. A.J. Jimenez plus Felicia Low = A.J. Low.

For plenty more great mystery reads and reviews, check out Pirfly.