The Crystal Ball

American Girl Mysteries

by Jacqueline Dembar Greene

Rebecca and her neighbor, Mr. Rossi, seem to be having bad luck. When Mr. Rossi sprains his wrist, Rebecca takes over the care and feeding of his pigeons--and discovers a strange black pigeon with an eerie message warning Mr. Rossi of danger. Where did the pigeon come from, and what sort of danger is lurking? Is Rebecca herself now in danger as well? Only a visit to a fortune teller will reveal the truth!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens, Jewish, Historical, Fiction

151 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 2012

About the author

Ms. Greene is an American author of more than 30 books and stories for young readers. In addition to her American Girl series, some of her notable books of fiction include: Out of Many Waters, a historical novel about the first Jewish settlement in America.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A familiar voice whispered in her ear. 'Don't make a sound, or you'll regret it.' "

Strange things have been happening ever since the famous escape artist Houdini came to town.

Fortune tellers and crystal ball readers are abound and while it was initially quite fun to talk to or about the seers, Rebecca is beginning to worry.

"Was she just making a guess, or did she really see visions of the future in her crystal ball?"

Mr. Rossi is worried about his future, especially with the war amping up across the sea. He has family still in Italy and he doesn't know whether he should travel home or not.

But then someone from Mr. Rossi's past - someone who was very close to him - reaches out from beyond the grave and begins to make demands of her neighbor. It's going to be up to Rebecca to figure out the truth.

Whew. So. I liked nearly everything but the mystery.

On the plus side, this mystery was written by the original author to the Rebecca series - that's not something that always happens with the American Girl books - and as a result, the characters and lore consistency was fairly spot on.

I liked catching up with the Rubins and seeing how everyone is doing. Sadie and Sophie were quite fun in this mystery and I liked seeing Josef once again...though his arc confused me.

In Rebecca and Ana, Josef is injured and Uncle Jacob talks about potentially having to pull Michael out of school to support the family. In Russia, none of the children were able to go to school and learned what they could at home.

In Changes for Rebecca, both Uncle Jacob and Josef work at the garment factory full time and are shown collapsing into bed and leaving early the next morning. They strike in that book and both lose their jobs before Uncle Jacob is granted a new job at the end of that story.

And yet, there's this quote that happens in the mystery book.

"Rebecca knew that Josef and Uncle Jacob had been at odds ever since Josef dropped out of school. Rebecca had heard her uncle complaining. 'America offers a free education,' he would say, 'and this boy turns it down!'

To which I want to ask, when did Josef go to school? I definitely think the author should've put "Michael" instead of "Josef" in this book. Especially when I read this quote.

Josef tensed. "My father is only going to be happy if I finish high school," he said to Papa. "He doesn't want his son to be a carpenter like him. But I'm too old to be in school. I want to build my own carpentry business.

Which, as I remind you... Josef never went to school!

In all fairness, in book 6 Changes for Rebecca, there's a single throwaway line when Uncle Jacob mentions that with his new job, Josef COULD go to school.

Given this book is set in summer 1916, it is possible for Josef to begin his education for a single school year after the events of book 6, but that still isn't what is mentioned in this book.

Character inconsistency aside, the mystery of this book felt very...telegraphed. I don't want to give it away but essentially, the characters who make you go, "hmm, they seem suspicious" are the suspicious ones.

As soon as they were introduced, I figured out who was doing what and it just took a while for the characters to catch up.

So, I enjoyed this one because we got to spend more time with Rebecca and family...but not for the plot.

More reviews in the Rebecca-verse

Main Series:
Meet Rebecca - ★★★☆☆
Rebecca and Ana - ★★★★☆
Candlelight for Rebecca - ★★★★★
Rebecca and the Movies - ★★★★☆
Rebecca to the Rescue - ★★★☆☆
Changes for Rebecca - ★★★☆☆
Rebecca's Boxed Set - ★★★★☆

Mystery Books:
Secrets at Camp Nokomis - ★★★☆☆
A Bundle of Trouble - ★★★☆☆
The Crystal Ball - ★★★☆☆
A Growing Suspicion - ★★★★☆
The Showstopper - ★★☆☆☆

Beforever (Re-Release of Main Series in 2014):
The Sound of Applause - ★★★☆☆
Lights, Camera, Rebecca! - ★★★☆☆

Abridged Version (Re-Release of Main Series in 2019):
Rebecca: The Sound of Applause - ★★☆☆☆
Rebecca: Lights, Camera, Rebecca - ★★★★☆

Additional Historical and Activity Books Featuring Rebecca:
American Girl Cross-Stitch - ★★☆☆☆
American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook - ★☆☆☆☆
The Official American Girl Cookbook - ★★★★☆

Picture Books:
Grandmas are the Best! (Little Golden Book) - ★★★★☆
Happy Birthday! (Little Golden Book) - ★★★★☆
Happy Holidays! (Little Golden Book) - ★★★★★
Time for School! (Little Golden Book) - ★★★★☆

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise, because even though aspects of the plot were predictable, the author did an excellent job pulling all of the subplots and themes together into a satisfying whole. I enjoyed the further character development that happened in this book, and the historically accurate inclusion of Houdini shows, fortune tellers, and immigrant experiences. When this book first came out, I wasn't interested in it, but even though the Rebecca series is still one of my least favorites, this book makes the most of the historical setting and cast of characters while also being a satisfying mystery. I enjoyed this very much, and plan to add it to my American Girl collection.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The great AG marathon continues. Again, reading for the first time as an adult, inspired by the American Girls podcast.

This one was frustrating to me because it was so blindingly obvious that Don Silver was up to no good. And that of course Sadie and Josef would not be guilty because family and recurring characters are never the culprit. But unlike A Bundle of Trouble, there was no unwinding of why the suspicious-looking newcomers are totally innocent and the real culprit is *handwaving* over here!

The side plot about Sadie and Rebecca's bet wasn't any better. Greene could not convince me that AG author would allow the protagonist to lose possession of a prized piece from her original accessories set, making the tension here feel entirely forced.

Even the crystal ball of the title, and the fortune teller who owns it, drop out of sight for most of the story. If that's the element that enticed you to pick up the book, uh, that's not great.

I might overlook some of these shortcomings if we saw character growth for our main character, but we pretty much tread water on that front, too.

Maybe this would work for an eight-year-old, but it's not doing anything for me.

[RaspberryRoses]

if i had read this as a kid, i think i would have really liked it - with the focus on scams and magic tricks and such. but as an adult, it really doesn't do much for me. and of course this is a Book For 9 Year Olds, but i've always found something to appreciate in the other books that i just didnt find here.

[Shayla Salazar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so glad they focused on this subject and the inclusion of Harry Houdini and his true background was a nice contrast!

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best American Girl mystery so far. The pace is on target, from beginning to end. I guessed the ending very early on, but I'm not exactly the intended audience and Rebecca's chain of deductions made sense at her age. Huge bonus points for a children's book that encourages critical thinking about supernatural claims.

Re-read 2022: This book held up on a second read. And this time, I was able to recognize that the story is built around a form of psychic con that is still unfortunately common. It also feels more specific to Rebecca and her time period than some of her other mysteries had been.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started extremely slow. Got better. Still not great. Was very easy to solve.

[Kylie Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my review at www.thespellboundreadersbookshelf.blo...

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was too easy to guess what was going to happen.

[Lacy Dohner · Rating 2 out of 5]

After going to a traveling show in Times Square, Rebecca and her family are fascinated by both escape artists and fortune tellers. But a rash of bad luck in their apartment building– robberies, accidents, and suspicious characters– lead Rebecca to wonder if they are under a curse, or if something more sinister is going on. She follows her friend and neighbor Mr. Rossi to a fortune teller, and stumbles on a heist just in time to save her family from scandal.

I really enjoy the early American Girl books and have used them in my classroom, so I decided to try this newer addition. I was disappointed. There were too many characters for such a short story and none of them got much development. The writing style was bland. The "twists" were very predictable, and everything was tied up far too neatly in the end. Even as a children's book, there are options with much more interesting characters and believable plot lines.

[Ezra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortune-telling and spiritualism was having a heyday in the early 1900s, and this short mystery brought that compelling aspect of history into Rebecca's world. I especially enjoyed the Houdini subplot!

This is the first Rebecca mystery I've picked up (in fact, the first of the American Girl Historical Collection Mysteries I've picked up), and I'll admit I was pretty tentative at first, recollecting my disappointment with the final three books Dembar Greene had penned for the primary Rebecca series - but I genuinely thought this was a pretty good middle grade mystery. Sharp readers of any age will be able to solve the mystery themselves fairly early into the book, but there were still some twists added at the end that surprised me.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This was fun. I thought the mystery was interesting but I really liked how Houdini was used in this. Rebecca and her family go to see one of his escape acts and it makes Rebecca and her sister want to learn some tricks. That was super entertaining to me and I love how it came in handy at the end. Good read.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute, like all the American Girl mysteries I've read so far. This one had a pretty substantial plot and I was genuinely unsure how it would turn out for most of it. Loved the historical detail and connections woven in. Needed something fun and slightly fluffy and this fit the bill!

[Pala Mepaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually pretty decent except in the back of my head I was thinking with that bet that Rebecca and Sadie may have had a bit of a bondage fetish because they spent an awful amount of time tying each other up when realistically they could have chosen or changed the trick they referenced real fast

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned lots about Harry Houdini. And a lot about fortune telling.

[Caity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a fun mystery. It had great foreshadowing and pacing. If you like Rebecca this is a great continuation of her story.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. There wasn’t anything wrong with this book… it was just so silly and also felt derivative of the other Rebecca mystery.

[Sue Ann Dashnaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it
love all the stories of American girl
recommended all for young readers

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know fortune telling was ever illegal

[Xyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Rebecca Rubin as a character. Her family dynamic is interesting and comfortable at the same time. I must read more of her books. In fact, I highly suggest you read all of Rebecca's stories before getting into the mystery...there are characters, events, and information that make sense to someone who has read the series, but are spoilers (and points of minor confusion) for those who have not (waves hand).

Mystery has been my favorite genre since before I could read (my mom and dad read Hardy Boys books to me before bed) with Franklin W Dixon and Carolyn Keene leading me to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. I lean toward the "cozy" mysteries; this doesn't reach cozy - it is a nice sweet story.

The reader gets to follow the Rubin family and their neighbors as events unfold after seeing a performance by Harry Houdini. I think this could have been titled "Rebecca Saves the Day."

Rebecca is a friendly, helpful, generous, and sometimes boastful/selfish girl. In this mystery we see her make some good and bad decisions. The mystery is very basic - who is stealing from the families in the apartment building? Sadly, the "red herring" is a member of Rebecca's family and she must do her best to find the true villain(s).

The side story is a bet Rebecca makes with one of her sisters. She makes and takes the challenge out of hubris/pride/ego.

As an adult who loves mystery novels, this is an easy read where none of the story lines seems to take primary control, but all contribute from beginning to end. However, thinking back to when I was the target age reading mysteries...this is a good place to start. Not too easy nor too hard. Definitely not too scary. I really liked it.

Happy reading!

[Renee Slawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to put this book on my favorites shelf because it really captured my mind. I began to read the book and fell in love with the story line, fortune tellers and magic, along with the wordage. This book would catch the eye of a reader that loves a good mystery and anything that involves the use of magic. The reading level can range from 3rd through 7th grade, although there are many words that I even stumbled over, so I believe that this book would be best for someone in middle school.

Genre: Mystery/Chapter Book

I would love to incorporate this book into my classroom, as a book that the class would would read all together. I think it would be best as a read aloud by the teacher yet if they were required to have one book that the whole class read, then this book is the right one for that! Throughout the book, like I mentioned above, some words I didn't understand. With that in mind, I would create an assignment out if it. First, I would like students to read two chapters a week, write down the words that they stumble over, and words that they found in another language, find the meaning of that word in the book (Usually explained right after the word) and then we will have a discussion about the words that we found.

[Amanda Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Rebecca mystery was really a jack of all trades. Houdini, a fortune teller scandal, and a nice little bet. Great developments for Rebecca, who has won me over as one of the most well-rounded additions to the AG line. I have not read Julie, making Marie-Grace and Cecile the only "new" AG girls I've read since the spark of new releases in the last 5 or so years. I found the New Orleans girls flat, but Rebecca is vibrant and fun to read!

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter has discovered American Girl Mysteries and she insisted I read this book. I'm rating it 4 stars for it's intended audience age. As a parent, I like my daughter learning about different time periods, cultures, and historical figures. Plus, all those things were wound into a fun mystery with a sweet main character.

[Whitney 'Thompson' Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaylyn and I read this together. It was really cute, I hope she ends up liking this series.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast read. I enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery and the historical character of Houdini.

[Cairn · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

its about this fortune teller is bribing Rebecca's janitor to give her his wife's candles.so he does but Rebecca stops her janitor from giving her his candlesticks

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was alright. It was clear who was the thief from the beginning though.

[V. Arrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, these Rebecca mysteries are fun. Honestly they're unrealistically fun for life in the LES in 1915, but whatever. I loved this.

[Christy Eanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book, even for a more mature reader. An exciting mystery indeed!