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Mini Mysteries: 20 Tricky Tales to Untangle
Girls who love to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and crack cases will love Mini Mysteries. Along with Marie and her best friend, Noelle, girls must figure out which clues in the story will help solve the mystery and which ones are red herrings those false leads that can send a reader in the wrong direction. A repeating cast of characters and real-life girl situations allow readers to connect with the stories they're reading. Once the reader solves the mystery, she can tear open a case folder in the back of the book to check her answer!
80 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
26 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Rick Walton
110 books50 followersBorn and raised in Utah, Walton is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormon Church. He served as a missionary to Brazil from 1976 to 1978, soon after he graduated from high school. Later, at Brigham Young University, he became president of the Brazil Club. In 1980, he graduated from Brigham Young with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a minor in Portuguese, the language spoken in Brazil.
Walton's education continued after he obtained his degree. In 1980, he went back to Brigham Young for one semester of graduate work in business, but chose not to follow that career path. Deciding to become a teacher, he earned certification in elementary education from Brigham Young in 1987, as well as certification to teach gifted and talented students. Up to that point, he had held a number of jobs, including a year with the parks and recreation department of Provo, Utah. In 1987, he began teaching sixth grade at a local public school, then switched to a private school.
Also interested in computers, Walton would later publish several items of software. He left teaching to accept a position as software designer for IBM in 1989. In 1994, he turned to freelance software design and writing. He also returned to Brigham Young University once again, this time to earn his master's degree in English, with an emphasis on creative writing.
Walton's wife, Ann, with whom he has written many of his books, is a computer programmer. They were married in 1983, and have five children. With Dumb Clucks! and Something's Fishy! in 1987, the Waltons began writing books.
Walton's education continued after he obtained his degree. In 1980, he went back to Brigham Young for one semester of graduate work in business, but chose not to follow that career path. Deciding to become a teacher, he earned certification in elementary education from Brigham Young in 1987, as well as certification to teach gifted and talented students. Up to that point, he had held a number of jobs, including a year with the parks and recreation department of Provo, Utah. In 1987, he began teaching sixth grade at a local public school, then switched to a private school.
Also interested in computers, Walton would later publish several items of software. He left teaching to accept a position as software designer for IBM in 1989. In 1994, he turned to freelance software design and writing. He also returned to Brigham Young University once again, this time to earn his master's degree in English, with an emphasis on creative writing.
Walton's wife, Ann, with whom he has written many of his books, is a computer programmer. They were married in 1983, and have five children. With Dumb Clucks! and Something's Fishy! in 1987, the Waltons began writing books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 9, 2019
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this.
June 24, 2019
The mysteries and riddle in this book really kept me busy throughout the day! I brought this book everywhere today because I was so interested. I even brought it to the movie theater! LOL
December 8, 2017
It is a really interesting book. It has different stories but all them with a mystery behind.
December 8, 2025
Published by the illustrious American Girl, Mini Mysteries is made up of twenty individual mysteries, riddles, and logic puzzles that I was obsessed with when I was little. Rick Walton’s miniature tales are cute, entertaining, and perfect for elementary or middle schoolers. Kids who love mysteries will enjoy seeing the logical, clever solutions to the mysteries, and it’s a great way for them to practice their observational, critical reading skills.
Mini Mysteries introduces us to nine young girls, all with different personalities, appearances, and quirks. Marie Cantu is the protagonist and primary detective who is a bit of a know-it-all but who always solves the mysteries with tact and cleverness; her best friend and next-door neighbor Noelle Dee assists her in each chapter. Appearing more sporadically are their seven friends — Hailey Ferris, Brooke Pinnock, Hope Harrison, Megan Brown, Sage Matthews, Faith Peterson, and Rose James — all of whom seem strangely given to lying about weird trivialities. Marie and Noelle navigate twenty short mysteries (none spanning more than four pages in length) throughout their spring semester, summer vacation, fall semester, and winter break (plus Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day) at Lincoln Middle School in the fictional town of Liberty.
There is no single cohesive narrative to tie all the stories together, though a few plot points are referenced in various chapters — sleepovers, school plays, office campaigns, crushes, beach trips, new neighbors, summer camps, and after-school jobs make up the bulk of these everyday scenarios. Each chapter (or case file) features a catchy little title and some cute, colorful cartoonish illustrations (complete with some very early-2000s-influenced fashion) by Lauren Scheuer. Besides the nine main girls, Walton introduces us to a few other recurring characters, including the girls’ family members, guy friends, and teacher Ms. Toone. The dialogue between characters can be a tad unrealistic and formal, but sometimes it’s necessary to support the clue-hunting. Walton inserts a few bits of clever wordplay as well; catch Camp Veronica Lake and the Harriet Putter book series, for example.
Mini Mysteries is a great way to introduce younger kids who love mysteries to some of the classic mystery components: clues, suspects, whodunits, red herrings, and good old-fashioned observational skills. All the mysteries can be easily solved as long as you’re reading carefully, though a few require prior knowledge about things like coin machines, page numbering systems, and the Four Corners region. Some of the mysteries are really easy, while some require a second or third read-through to catch the subtle clues. The solutions to each chapter are located at the back of the book with some cute pop-out doors, so kids can try to solve the mysteries on their own before they flip to see the answers. These resolutions often conclude the plot of their chapter, and they also provide some positive examples of honesty, friendship, and conflict resolution.
Mini Mysteries is aimed at elementary school girls, but it would be a fun read for anyone who enjoys a bite-sized mystery. I loved rereading these chapters over and over when I was little, just to make sure I was catching all the clues. Walton’s narratives are fun and educational for mini sleuths who are still honing their powers of observation.
The stories included in this selection are as follows:
• “Wishing for Change”
• “Behind the Door”
• “Play with Your Feud”
• “An Elephant for President?”
• “Rock and Rumors”
• “Up, Up, and A-What?”
• “The Original Boston Brooke”
• “Wave Good-Bye”
• “Garden Party Pooper”
• “Sticks and Stones”
• “My Summer Vacation”
• “Chalk One Up”
• “Cream Puff Day”
• “Love Letters”
• “Easy as Pie”
• “Lost in the Library”
• “Win, Lose, or Draw”
• “Sweet Rose”
• “The Governor Is Calling”
• “Who Hearts Who”
Mini Mysteries introduces us to nine young girls, all with different personalities, appearances, and quirks. Marie Cantu is the protagonist and primary detective who is a bit of a know-it-all but who always solves the mysteries with tact and cleverness; her best friend and next-door neighbor Noelle Dee assists her in each chapter. Appearing more sporadically are their seven friends — Hailey Ferris, Brooke Pinnock, Hope Harrison, Megan Brown, Sage Matthews, Faith Peterson, and Rose James — all of whom seem strangely given to lying about weird trivialities. Marie and Noelle navigate twenty short mysteries (none spanning more than four pages in length) throughout their spring semester, summer vacation, fall semester, and winter break (plus Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day) at Lincoln Middle School in the fictional town of Liberty.
There is no single cohesive narrative to tie all the stories together, though a few plot points are referenced in various chapters — sleepovers, school plays, office campaigns, crushes, beach trips, new neighbors, summer camps, and after-school jobs make up the bulk of these everyday scenarios. Each chapter (or case file) features a catchy little title and some cute, colorful cartoonish illustrations (complete with some very early-2000s-influenced fashion) by Lauren Scheuer. Besides the nine main girls, Walton introduces us to a few other recurring characters, including the girls’ family members, guy friends, and teacher Ms. Toone. The dialogue between characters can be a tad unrealistic and formal, but sometimes it’s necessary to support the clue-hunting. Walton inserts a few bits of clever wordplay as well; catch Camp Veronica Lake and the Harriet Putter book series, for example.
Mini Mysteries is a great way to introduce younger kids who love mysteries to some of the classic mystery components: clues, suspects, whodunits, red herrings, and good old-fashioned observational skills. All the mysteries can be easily solved as long as you’re reading carefully, though a few require prior knowledge about things like coin machines, page numbering systems, and the Four Corners region. Some of the mysteries are really easy, while some require a second or third read-through to catch the subtle clues. The solutions to each chapter are located at the back of the book with some cute pop-out doors, so kids can try to solve the mysteries on their own before they flip to see the answers. These resolutions often conclude the plot of their chapter, and they also provide some positive examples of honesty, friendship, and conflict resolution.
Mini Mysteries is aimed at elementary school girls, but it would be a fun read for anyone who enjoys a bite-sized mystery. I loved rereading these chapters over and over when I was little, just to make sure I was catching all the clues. Walton’s narratives are fun and educational for mini sleuths who are still honing their powers of observation.
The stories included in this selection are as follows:
• “Wishing for Change”
• “Behind the Door”
• “Play with Your Feud”
• “An Elephant for President?”
• “Rock and Rumors”
• “Up, Up, and A-What?”
• “The Original Boston Brooke”
• “Wave Good-Bye”
• “Garden Party Pooper”
• “Sticks and Stones”
• “My Summer Vacation”
• “Chalk One Up”
• “Cream Puff Day”
• “Love Letters”
• “Easy as Pie”
• “Lost in the Library”
• “Win, Lose, or Draw”
• “Sweet Rose”
• “The Governor Is Calling”
• “Who Hearts Who”
July 2, 2023
I really liked this mystery collection when I was a child, and I enjoyed reading it again as an adult. Each mystery is a few pages long and ends with a question, and you can flip to the back of the book and lift a flap to read the solution. These are all pretty basic, and some of the mysteries have overly similar resolutions, but these are much easier for kids to solve than the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, which often involve specialized knowledge. Only two of these twenty stories require prior knowledge, and the rest just require basic attention and logical thinking skills.
August 4, 2017
Loved it😋
This book is about six girls who find themselves finding out little mysteries. The person who mostly find is Marie the Leader who is every mystery. Would like to see a sequel
This book is about six girls who find themselves finding out little mysteries. The person who mostly find is Marie the Leader who is every mystery. Would like to see a sequel
November 13, 2021
Pretty good, mysteries are very simple. Ages 6-10. Perfect fun for super sleuths! There's a mystery lurking in all 34 bite-sized stories. Once you crack the cases, you can open the ?Detective's Doors" inside the front and book covers of the book to check your answers.
October 27, 2017
2 1/2 stars
December 30, 2017
I like this book when I have nothing else to read because it is a easy read
October 24, 2018
really cute
November 19, 2020
I adored this book. It was my distraction during a plane flight to Florida when I was seven years old. :)
March 7, 2021
Some mysteries are more obvious than others, but still a cute read!
July 4, 2021
I had never read a Rick Walton novel but definitely will in the future.
Read
October 30, 2021Be aware: There is an original version and an updated version with 14 more mysteries from Mini Mysteries 2 & 3. I didn't realize this when I first got it!
February 1, 2022
It was so fun to slove!
May 18, 2022
This book has some really fun mysteries to solve.
August 7, 2022
I liked the last mystery and the I did not like the first!!!
September 5, 2022
Daughter read
November 5, 2025
A fun little book of two minute mysteries.
November 20, 2025
3 stars
Good mini mysteries with girl characters - most easy enough to puzzle out
Good mini mysteries with girl characters - most easy enough to puzzle out
November 28, 2025
I remember loving these as a child!
March 14, 2017
*First read when I was a kid*
I was super into the American Girl franchise as a kid, and I definitely remember reading this one at least a few times when I was younger. Like with most of the Encyclopedia Brown series, I remembered all of the answers, even though some took a few minutes to come up with.
That being said, I liked how there was a wide (and fairly racially diverse) cast of characters that continued throughout the entire book - there was a continuity throughout all of the stories, it wasn't just one-and-done for each story. The pictures were really cute, and for first-time readers, the puzzles are good for some quick brain-teasers. I'd definitely recommend it for younger readers.
3.5 stars.
I was super into the American Girl franchise as a kid, and I definitely remember reading this one at least a few times when I was younger. Like with most of the Encyclopedia Brown series, I remembered all of the answers, even though some took a few minutes to come up with.
That being said, I liked how there was a wide (and fairly racially diverse) cast of characters that continued throughout the entire book - there was a continuity throughout all of the stories, it wasn't just one-and-done for each story. The pictures were really cute, and for first-time readers, the puzzles are good for some quick brain-teasers. I'd definitely recommend it for younger readers.
3.5 stars.
July 8, 2014
Tash read a few to me last night while I wast resting my eyes. Good little brain puzzles: Poirot for Beginners.
***
The girls have had these forever, and I've read some aloud, and had some read-aloud to me. Finally, I got around to filling in the ones that had been skipped. I correctly solved most of them, but not all. Fortunately for me ego, I did not keep score, either, lest I be tempted to cheat or lie.
The format consists of short short stories, illustrated, and answers at the back behind flaps. Not really any fun for repeated reading, although I suppose it is fun to pose the stumpers to other people, and see if they can solve them. Potentially a good idea for a car trip with tweens, but only if they haven't already read the book.
Girls' copy
***
The girls have had these forever, and I've read some aloud, and had some read-aloud to me. Finally, I got around to filling in the ones that had been skipped. I correctly solved most of them, but not all. Fortunately for me ego, I did not keep score, either, lest I be tempted to cheat or lie.
The format consists of short short stories, illustrated, and answers at the back behind flaps. Not really any fun for repeated reading, although I suppose it is fun to pose the stumpers to other people, and see if they can solve them. Potentially a good idea for a car trip with tweens, but only if they haven't already read the book.
Girls' copy
September 5, 2015
I should preface this by saying that I haven't read very many of the American Girl books. And yet, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My unfamiliarity with the characters did not in any way take away from my enjoyment of the stories, or from the challenge of discovering the answers before I peeked in the back. I would compare this most closely to the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries of my childhood, and for that reason I am eager to share the book with my middle-school age daughters.
March 18, 2013
This is super cute - little envelopes at the back of the book reveal the answers to the mysteries. SO perfect for my third graders; some were easy enough that any of them could get the answers, but there were plenty of tricky mysteries that made the kids think. Very age-appropriate and quick, too! 20 mysteries, and 20 more in the sequel... I'm ordering the second book as we speak. :)
November 9, 2013
If you like to test your thinking and problem-solving skills you should read this book. In this book there are 20 mind testing little tiny stories for you to solve. I really enjoyed finding all the clues and hints hidden within the text in the stories. But my favorite part was seeing if my answer was right or not. Mini mysteries is a great book by Rick Walton and totally worth your time to read!
February 3, 2009
i like mysteries so this was good
April 13, 2010
YA!!!!!!!12 years old and love this book!!!!! I've read it like 5 times.... Totally true
April 27, 2011
An updated Encyclopedia Brown type of short, solve it yourself mysteries published by American Girl. Definately for girls.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews