CLUBHOUSE MYSTERIES series by Sharon Draper. Illustrated by Jesse Watson.  New York: Aladdin Books.  94p. Gr. 3-6

This series started with THE BURIED BONES MYSTERY in 2011, a mystery that began when the main characters left school for the summer only to find that someone had cut down the basketball hoops around town.  How would you spend your summer?  They started a club with the mission of solving mysteries and haven't stopped since. The series continues with LOST IN THE TUNNEL OF TIME, SHADOWS OF CAESAR's CREEK, THE SPACE CAMP ADVENTURE, THE BACKYARD ANIMAL SHOW.

Draper's newest title in 2014, STARS AND SPARKS ON STAGE, features Ziggy and his friends, the Black Dinosaurs, as they enter a talent show at school.  They notice a new girl in class who doesn't seem to have a home.  You can guess that the hidden messages in this story deal with homelessness and the value of the arts in school curriculum, as well as a well-crafted mystery.
Laurie LaHaie, Ontonagon Township Library, Ontonagon, MI