Kids! Clues! Possibly treasure!
April 27, 2023 10:44 AM Subscribe
I'm in the mood to read some Middle Grade or YA novels in which the protagonist must follow a series of riddles or puzzles in the hope of finding treasure or otherwise getting a reward. Some examples: Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's LIbrary; Book Scavenger; and The Westing Game. Can you suggest others?
And just to be clear, I'm not looking for traditional mystery novels where criminals accidentally leave clues behind. I'm looking for books where somebody has deliberately set forth clues, riddles, or puzzles as a challenge (even if there's a more traditional mystery running alongside the clues, as with The Westing Game).
Although I'm looking for children's books, they are for my middle-aged self to read. So don't worry if you're recommending an older book with potentially problematic content. No impressionable youngsters will be harmed in the answering of this question.
And just to be clear, I'm not looking for traditional mystery novels where criminals accidentally leave clues behind. I'm looking for books where somebody has deliberately set forth clues, riddles, or puzzles as a challenge (even if there's a more traditional mystery running alongside the clues, as with The Westing Game).
Although I'm looking for children's books, they are for my middle-aged self to read. So don't worry if you're recommending an older book with potentially problematic content. No impressionable youngsters will be harmed in the answering of this question.
Maybe The Black Hand Gang by Hans Juergen Press. It’s a story and has pictures with clues in them. It was one of my favorites as a kid/middle school.
posted by Sassyfras at 10:52 AM on April 27, 2023
posted by Sassyfras at 10:52 AM on April 27, 2023
Not for kids, but in the same spirit: Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts
posted by tangosnail at 10:53 AM on April 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by tangosnail at 10:53 AM on April 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
When You Reach Me
posted by phunniemee at 11:02 AM on April 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 11:02 AM on April 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
Over Sea, Under Stone, perhaps? I loved it as a kid. The rest of the books in the series aren't in quite the same mold, though delightful in their own way.
posted by Alensin at 11:04 AM on April 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Alensin at 11:04 AM on April 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
Greenglass House by Kate Milford -- maybe, I can't remember how much the clues are intentional
posted by wsquared at 11:10 AM on April 27, 2023
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
Greenglass House by Kate Milford -- maybe, I can't remember how much the clues are intentional
posted by wsquared at 11:10 AM on April 27, 2023
Well, the classic is From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Twelve-year-old Claudia Kincaid runs away from home, secretly lives at The Met, does research and looks for clues because she thinks a newly acquired statue, the sculptor unknown, is Michelangelo. She sets out to prove it.
posted by cda at 11:36 AM on April 27, 2023 [7 favorites]
Twelve-year-old Claudia Kincaid runs away from home, secretly lives at The Met, does research and looks for clues because she thinks a newly acquired statue, the sculptor unknown, is Michelangelo. She sets out to prove it.
posted by cda at 11:36 AM on April 27, 2023 [7 favorites]
Chasing Vermeer and The Wright Three!
posted by Charity Garfein at 12:00 PM on April 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Charity Garfein at 12:00 PM on April 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Gonna recommend Gideon the Ninth even though it's more of an adult read, but it has kind of a goofy YA quality to it and definitely meets your request for puzzle set pieces.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is an obvious candidate here as well.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 12:30 PM on April 27, 2023
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is an obvious candidate here as well.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 12:30 PM on April 27, 2023
When I was ?13 or so I devoured many of the Ellery Queen books, they encouraged deep thought re problem solving, and were fun.
posted by unearthed at 1:43 PM on April 27, 2023
posted by unearthed at 1:43 PM on April 27, 2023
The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
https://www.goodreads.com/series/282828-the-inheritance-games
posted by Ftsqg at 1:49 PM on April 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
https://www.goodreads.com/series/282828-the-inheritance-games
posted by Ftsqg at 1:49 PM on April 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I came to recommend the Inheritance Games as well!
posted by raccoon409 at 1:58 PM on April 27, 2023
posted by raccoon409 at 1:58 PM on April 27, 2023
Spiderweb for two by Elizabeth Enright is exactly this. The other books in the Melendy family series are also wonderful, but don't have the same kind of clue/puzzle plot.
I would say all of the Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper is like this, not just the first. They do get more serious and mythical as the series progresses.
posted by Athanassiel at 2:05 PM on April 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
I would say all of the Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper is like this, not just the first. They do get more serious and mythical as the series progresses.
posted by Athanassiel at 2:05 PM on April 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Jamie and the Mystery Quilt may qualify. There's an inheritance to which clues have been left (one of them is a quilt, natch.)
posted by Horkus at 2:25 PM on April 27, 2023
posted by Horkus at 2:25 PM on April 27, 2023
Amy Snow by Tracy Rees. It was recommended here at some point and I put it on a to-read list, lol. It was about a woman sent on a quest by her childhood..friend? Savior? It was an enjoyable story!
posted by annieb at 3:58 PM on April 27, 2023
posted by annieb at 3:58 PM on April 27, 2023
My tween and I really enjoyed the Green Glass House books.
They also really liked the Case Closed books. These are choose-your-own adventure puzzle books, where you hop around from page to page by figuring out clues that point you to the next section to read. There are multiple paths through. I haven't read them, so I can't speak to the story quality, but the tween really liked them.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 5:59 PM on April 27, 2023
They also really liked the Case Closed books. These are choose-your-own adventure puzzle books, where you hop around from page to page by figuring out clues that point you to the next section to read. There are multiple paths through. I haven't read them, so I can't speak to the story quality, but the tween really liked them.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 5:59 PM on April 27, 2023
Response by poster: As you open your great-grandfather's journal, a yellowed slip of paper falls out. Written on it is a cryptic message:
Tahnks fro lal het geart oobk sugstegonis! I'm loiknog foawarrd to riendag tehm.
You're not yet sure what it means-- but you know you have an adventure ahead of you.
posted by yankeefog at 2:48 AM on April 29, 2023 [4 favorites]
Tahnks fro lal het geart oobk sugstegonis! I'm loiknog foawarrd to riendag tehm.
You're not yet sure what it means-- but you know you have an adventure ahead of you.
posted by yankeefog at 2:48 AM on April 29, 2023 [4 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by babelfish at 10:48 AM on April 27, 2023 [4 favorites]