The Amelia Six: An Amelia Earhart Mystery

by Kristin L. Gray

“A cozy whodunit that cheerfully affirms girls’ and women’s contributions to aerospace.” — Kirkus Reviews

Amelia Earhart’s famous aviator goggles go missing and eleven-year-old Millie has to find them before the night is over in this girl-powered middle grade mystery.

Eleven-year-old Amelia Ashford— Millie to her friends (if she had any, that is)—doesn’t realize just how much adventure awaits her when she’s given the opportunity of a to spend the night in Amelia Earhart’s childhood home with five other girls. Make that five strangers. But Millie’s mom is a pilot like the famous Amelia, and Millie would love to have something to write to her about…if only she had her address.

Once at Amelia’s house in Atchison, Kansas, Millie stumbles upon a display of Amelia’s famous flight goggles. She can’t believe her good luck, since they’re about to be relocated to a fancy museum in Washington, DC. But her luck changes quickly when the goggles disappear, and Millie was the last to see them. Soon, fingers are pointing in all directions, and someone falls strangely ill. Suddenly, a fun night of scavenger hunts and sweets takes a nosedive and the girls aren’t sure who to trust. With a blizzard raging outside and a house full of suspects, the girls have no choice but to band together. It’s up to the Amelia Six to find the culprit and return the goggles to their rightful place. Or the next body to collapse could be one of theirs.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Adventure, Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile, Realistic Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2020

About the author

Kristin L. Gray writes picture books and novels for children including: The Amelia Six: an Amelia Earhart Mystery, an Amazon editors’ pick, William Allen White Award nominee, and Junior Library Guild selection; and the forthcoming polar whodunit Murder at Penguin Ranch. A student pilot, Kristin adores science, aviation, and ghosts. She is rarely seen without her most favorite book, her passport.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

High marks for the concept and that cover, but the execution was a bit lacking. Millie and the five other girls spending the night in Amelia Earhart's home stumble onto a mystery and must work together to solve it and stay ahead of the unknown villain in the house. It is a locked room mystery with some history, humor, and a bit of horror thrown in. I'm not sure all ingredients were added in the right proportions. I sometimes struggled to follow the action. All in all, though, this would be a book I would recommend for the information on Earhart and the setting in Atchison which is not far from my home in KC.

Thank you to Simon Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Millie Ashford arrives at Amelia Earhart's birth home in the middle of a snow storm in a turkey truck after her father's car ends up in a ditch. It doesn't seem like an auspicious start. The other five girls who have been invited to stay the night leave her feeling a bit out of place and anxious. Wren and Robin, the twins run their own YouTube channel that's made them famous. Thea loves science and comes from a family of engineers. Nathalie loves animals and her mother is a scientist in Antarctica. Cassie's mother works for NASA and Cassie is a foodie herself. Millie loves Rubik's cube and has won contests but struggles with anxiety. The girls have come to Earhart's house at the invitation of the Ninety-Nines, the female pilot's organization that Earhart helped found.

What the girls didn't expect was for a mystery to rear its head leaving them at the mercy of four strangers. A famous pair of Amelia's goggles disappear leaving everyone in the house under suspicion. Who could have taken them? Is is one of the girls or one of the adults? Could Birdie the docent, Collin, her nephew and taxidermist, Edna, the housekeeper, or Chef Perry have a reason to take them? While suspicious of each other at first, the girls come together to solve the mystery. But some surprising bits of information, a secret passage, a lost pet rat, and lights that keep going off complicate things. And it turns out someone is willing to make threats to get his/her way.

The Amelia Six is a fabulous STEM-oriented mystery full of great characters and interesting twists and turns. I wasn't sure if the mystery would last the whole book, after all the number of suspects is limited to the people in the house. But I found the mystery kept my interest all the way to the end. The girl's ingenuity was great with each girl contributing her strengths. Millie, surprisingly even to herself, takes a leading role. The adults keep trying to stop the girls from investigating but they persist. Gray does a great job spacing out the reveals and twists and turns with some real surprises along the way. I was left wondering who was guilty all the way to the end, which for me is always a sign of a well-constructed mystery. I highly recommend this very well done mystery. With intriguing well-developed characters, an interesting setting and mystery, and some great science concepts integrated, The Amelia Six is a winner of a book.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

First impressions - great cover, catchy title
A fun mystery story with a dash of nonfiction. Amelia and five other girls from around the United States are invited to stay overnight at the birthplace of Amelia Earhart in Atchison, Kansas. Shortly after they arrive, a pair of her flight goggles disappear. Can six girls who just met team together to solve this mystery?
Give this one to fans of mystery stories; classic ones like Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys or more modern ones like Chasing Vermeer or Under the Egg.

[Jessica *The Lovely Books* · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amelia Six has a main character whose basically my spirit animal. A young lady that finds adventure and friends in the least likely of places. If you haven’t already read the blurb or know what this book’s about, it’s about Millie, and five other girls, who’ve won a contest to stay the night at Amelia Earhart’s house. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and Millie couldn’t be more excited.

Maybe by doing this, she’ll be able to write something interesting to her mother about her adventures. The momma is a pilot, just like Earhart. It’s all fun and games until the famous goggles that belonged to Amelia turn up missing. And Millie was the last to see them. Here goes a wonderful and well thought out mystery that will keep you guessing until the end!

I had way too much fun reading this book. I loved Millie and the side characters all hold a special place in my heart. Nancy Drew who? We got Millie and gang.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Skye Elder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read!!
At first, it wasn’t to interesting but the more I read, the better it got!
And the plot twist!!!!
I definitely did not expect it to end the way it did!
This is definitely 4 stars!🌟⭐️🌟⭐️

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Amelia Six is a clever, girl-powered mystery that is perfect for Amelia Earhart fans (and non-fans alike). Featuring a band of six whip-smart, witty girls; a pair of missing aviator goggles; one pet rat; and a cat, among others, this middle-grade story will keep any reader glued to its pages. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery featuring strong female protagonists, a scavenger hunt, and plenty of action, this is the one for you!

Read my full review on my blog

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously awesome 3-5 grade read for fans of Amelia Earhart, or maybe bios or mysteries. Does a great job of introducing the girls to each other and describing their characters. Love all the history, I didn't know a LOT of that, I remember being mildly interested an Amelia Earhart when I was younger. I by no means had the mystery solved either. Great references at the end.

[Dana (dana_reads_books13) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first of the fifteen SSYRA!

I know my students will love this one. It has the perfect amount of adventure and fun, while having a brief history lesson on Amelia Earhart!

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s just something about a great opening line that really draws readers in. Especially when it, at first glance, doesn’t have anything to do with the book you’re about to read: “Imagine the worst smell you can think of, multiply it by rotten fish, and I promise you a turkey truck stinks worse.”

How could you not want to read more?

While you find out pretty quickly what this sentence has to do with The Amelia Six, it’s not just a great opening line. It also gives you a glimpse at the descriptive and intriguing writing you’re about to experience. The whole book is like that.

Millie is a shy girl with an affinity for solving Rubik’s Cube. She’s bright but doesn’t want to assert herself. She has a quick mind, and when given the chance, she shines. The quirks of her character are perfectly matched by the other girls, who each have something of their own to prove.

The Amelia Six is a caper that feels very cinematic. I could see the whole thing play out on a small or large screen or even on stage. Gray’s writing has a warmth and familiarity to it that immediately draws you in and almost pushes you into the action.

The Amelia Six is just the sort of book I would have loved as a child, and I know it would have inspired me to learn more about Earhart. This is one I’ll definitely be saving for my own daughter to read when she’s old enough.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really fun! I loved the setting, the Amelia Earhart museum. I loved the idea of brilliant girls coming together for a cool opportunity but also connecting. I would read more about Millie, her friends and their adventures. A fun mystery that didn't involve art theft (interestingly common in middle grade) had enough thrills to keep it exciting and cool historical detail too. The girls were all complex and quirky with some diversity indicated in descriptions.

[Moira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely smitten with this book. It’s geared to a younger audience but readers of all ages and genders will enjoy it. It’s a perfect combination of Nancy Drew sleuthing with Scooby Doo outcomes. It’s a great introduction to Amelia Earhart too.

ARC provided by #NetGalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not have loved this book more! Smart, talented girls forming a friendship (despite first impressions) and working together to solve a mystery. Lots of red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end!

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a classic whodunit wrapped in kid friendly packaging and served up with a healthy dose of girl power! I loved the fact that the mostly female cast showed the roles women have in society and how even now, there are differences sometimes in how they are treated, respected, and/or looked to, while reinforcing that the JUST BE YOU philosophy is truly the only way to go. If you like cubing, like cubing. If you like scientific exploration, then like it. If you want to breach the new frontier, grow the most beautiful flowers, tinker with gizmos and gadgets, do it! The world is your oyster and no one can tell you what you can or cannot be. It's a great message for any age, but especially the youngsters this Middle Grade release is intended for, and quite honestly, it's done rather well!

Really...it sneaks in while you're busy getting to know the characters, for better or worse. It makes itself at home as the mystery starts to unfold and skills are put to the test from problem solving to engineering. It reveals itself slowly as all the clues start to come together and the moment of truth arrives...even as the BIG TWIST happens and it looks like lights out (again!) for the whole crew...keeping you on your toes and those brain cells firing! It's a great combination of story, skills, and heart that'll leave you with the warm fuzzies, but also a curiosity that might need to be slaked about SO MANY things, and that invitation to explore more, never hurt anyone.

[Sara Spicer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super fun to read with my daughter. Classic case of who done it. We decided to stop reading so many times so we could discuss what happened in the chapters and to share our theories about who we thought was the bad guy. She rated it 5 stars. I hope this is her gateway to more mystery books because it really was cool trying to solve them together. I didn’t know a whole lot about Amelia Earhart prior and I think the author did a great job incorporating facts about her life in story form. Because this book was 250 pages long I’m definitely counting this as a book read for me too 😂

[Easton Burgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was good

[Amelia Venjoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could I not love this cute overnight mystery involving the main character Amelia (who goes by Milly)…. And at the end is called Mills (my childhood nickname).

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a jaw dropping book!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

One surefire way to beat the mid-July heat is to read a book with a setting during a raging blizzard set in Atchison, Kansas. Even more intriguing is an in-house disappearance of a valuable artifact, a poisoning, a desperate criminal, a secret staircase, mannequins or ghosts, a daring escape, and a group of clever, determined eleven-year-old young women. Oh, and did I mention this takes place in the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum?

Six girls, Amelia “Millie” Ashford (our narrator), Thea Cooke, Cassie Lam, Nathalie Ramirez and her pet rat, Rosie Stancer, and Robin and Wren Winters have been selected by the famous Ninety-Nines to spend the night in the prestigious home of Amelia Earhart’s maternal grandparents. Each of the girls bring special qualities to the event which quickly spirals out of control. During a scavenger hunt, a startling discovery is made, and another character collapses. Previous to the hunt, all digital devices are locked up to prevent cheating. All communication with the outside world has ceased. Clues and red herrings abound. Tension mounts with readers and the girls not knowing who to trust.

Deft and complete descriptions of the girls’ personalities and their conversations drive the plot forward with thrilling speed. Research by author Kristin L. Gray is obvious by the facts skillfully woven into each chapter of The Amelia Six. This story, like a quote from Thea “Humans are like cake. We have layers.”, will have you guessing to the end. A seven-page author’s note and a page of selected sources concludes the book.

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amelia Six was a fun middle grade mystery and I am glad to have read it.

Six girls from all different backgrounds, who all have different reasons as to why they were chosen, get to spend the night in Amelia Earhart's childhood home for the night.

Birdie one of the ninety-nine, lady pilots, is the person in charge of the childhood home and she also lives  there. There are a goggles that Amelia wore and it's the pride and joy of the site. During a scavenger hunt full of fun Earhart facts the girls find that the goggles are missing!

So who could have taken the goggles? Besides the six girls there is only three adults in the house. The girls decide that they must try and figure things out before their parents come and get them the next day.

I thought this was a cute mystery story fill with fun facts about Amelia Earhart. The girls were all pretty cool in their own ways and even though they all didn't get off to a good start with each other at first they quickly became friends and worked together to figure things out.

I think it's a great little mystery for young readers and would highly recommend it!

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one! Six science-minded girls get to spend a night at Amelia Earhart's childhood home; unfortunately, right as the fun is really beginning, Amelia's priceless flying goggles go missing. The girls must work together to catch the thief and find the goggles, before one of them has to take the blame.
I was so impressed by the individuality of each of the six girls. Even with such a wide cast, I was able to keep them all straight, and for the most part I found them to be very refreshingly free of stereotypes. The main character, Millie, is even somewhat timid and easily frightened; for whatever reason, the more math- and science-focused girls in books don't seem to be allowed to have these characteristics. It was a nice change, and allowed for a lot of great character growth throughout the story.
Another plus for me was the way the author worked fascinating details about Amelia Earhart's life into the story without once sounding like she was trying to do so. Not an easy task!
I highly recommend this for kids who love a good adventure story.

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me at "sleepover at Amelia Earhart's childhood home." This book is perfect for readers who love mysteries, want to read stories about empowered, smart girls, and like a little history on the side. As always, Kristin L. Gray does not disappoint! A must-read!

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray is a middle grade locked room, well, locked building, mystery set in the real world Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum.

I loved the dynamics of the six girls. I loved how they worked together, how they squabbled, and how they complemented each other's skillset. The book ends with a coda where the six have reunited in Houston. I would love to see them solve another mystery. I realize it would have to be fairly contrived to get them together in that situation again, but it would be a fun read.

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[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a group of six young girls who get invited to spend the night at Amelia Earhart’s house. And when Amelia’s famous goggles go missing and other things go awry, they must solve the mystery!. When I read that synopsis, I could not hit the request button on NetGalley fast enough. This book has so much working in its favor. It touches on friendship, and bravery, and being confident in yourself. It has mystery and action and quirky characters. It highlights and celebrates women in a multitude of STEM fields. It’s modern, but still feels like it could be a Nancy Drew novel. I loved the reading experience. I will be looking for more books by Kristin Gray. (Plus how cute is this cover?!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Kids for a free digital copy for my honest review.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery meets history in this exciting, modern day adventure where friendship is golden and a dab of humor makes all the difference in the world.

Eleven-year-old Millie gets the chance of a lifetime—to spend the night with five other girls in her idol's childhood home. Excited and a little nervous, she meets the other girls, each who have their very own distinct personalities. While it'd be nice to make friends, Millie can't wait to see items which belonged to Amelia Earhart. But the thrill soon turns to frustration and suspicion as the original goggles go missing. A blizzard rages outside, making sure the thief can't leave. Now, the girls need to band together and discover who it is before worse things happen.

From the very first page, I knew I was going to like this read. Millie hits with pure original spunk in a quirky situation with her father. She's easy to relate to and a fun character to join up with, even if her interests hit a direction readers might not really know much about, Amelia Earhart. But this book melds the tidbits of history and information smoothly into the mystery, allowing young readers to learn some facts along the way.

I enjoyed the writing style quite a bit. It keeps a hint of humor, spunk and personality, while still allowing the tension needed to build a nice mystery. The clues are well placed, and it's not always clear where things will lead. As the story progresses, so does the dark threat, but at a level even more sensitive readers will feel comfortable with. I was afraid that having six characters might grow a bit confusing, but the author does a good job at keeping their personalities different enough to make it easy to recognize each one right away. I love the different quirks each one has and the way they add to the story. It makes for an easy read, which flies by at a pretty good pace.

To keep history close, the author offers a list of literature at the end of the book, in which readers can find more information. There's also a lean toward STEM, making this a nice read for homeschoolers or classrooms. Add the desire for fun and adventure along with a little girl power, and it's a read middle graders are sure to enjoy.

I received an ARC copy and enjoyed the adventure quite a bit.

[Elissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am pretty disappointed in this book. It's such a cool premise--six girls chosen to spend the night in the Amelia Earhart house. But that's about it. I read the author's note, hoping for some comment about there being a live-in caretaker for the house or the possibility of there ever having been an overnight there, but from the start, I couldn't suspend disbelief at having kids spend the night in a 100+ year old house and MUSEUM and saying they could sleep in the bedroom where AE was born! That just seems crazy (not to mention them finding AE's suitcase filled with 90-100yo clothes and putting them on). Then there were all these crazy situations with adults who were supposed to be taking care of the girls and they just either said weirdly over familiar things to the girls throughout the evening (one night doesn't make you my nice old aunt) or left them completely unsupervised. I know that books are supposed to be departure from reality sometimes, but this one was too close with departures that just gave me pause left and right. AND the whole situation with Millie's mom was just like never addressed. She doesn't know where her mom is (she left the family? No word on how her dad feels, also what is the timeline), she finds out from looking at an address book in the house, and ends up writing her mom a letter seemingly to show that she's kind of moving on, but there are all these references throughout the book to what her mom would think of her actions and stuff...it left me wondering what was the point if we weren't going to take that on on a deeper level. Also I didn't really feel like I got to know Millie--she was kind of a tired I-don't-have-any-friends-and-am-awkward thing, and that felt played out. (Also, wtf, there were some things that just didn't jive with how a 10/11yo would talk, case in point, "I don't think this thing had been cleaned since the Clinton Administration." I'm 30 and I would never say something like that!)
Anyway, the nice thing I can think of with this book is that it does make a point of talking about all the groundbreaking Amelia Earhart did and how the girls themselves take it to heart and are encouraged to break more ground.

[Kidlitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A DRC was provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A wonderful read about girls who "like science and mysteries and math" and who else doesn't like a book about those things? The setting is off the beaten path, the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum in Atchison, Kansas, where six STEM minded girls have come to have an experience. The reader has to work hard at first to sort them all out, but chiefly we're with Millie, a Rubix Cube spinning champion, anxiety-prone and missing her pilot mother who has left Millie and her father for her own pursuits. All the girls have a story to share but the main action happens when they get snowed in and Amelia's famous flying goggles go missing and the girls have to band together to find the culprit. Amelia's fascinating life, full of surprises and adventure even beyond her aviation career, provides the clues. The Ninety-Nines, Inc. International Organization of Women Pilots, of which Amelia was the first president, maintains the house and its caretaker Birdie acts as a wise guide for the girls in more ways than just solving the mystery. All of the girls have issues and need support through sharing their intelligence, courage, and friendship. Just an aside: Gray writes about food and girls loving feasts so positively, it's a pleasure whenever they get the chance at a good snack! The yummy cover is by Celia Krampien, a rising star whose images make the books fly off the shelves. This is going to be an easy choice for Reader's Advisory and a sequel would be very welcome!

[Sierra Dertinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, the cover and title is what originally pulled me to this book. I love the illustrations and I’ve always been fascinated of Amelia Earhart. She is one of the many we read about in 4th grade, so I knew I would enjoy this story.

I was not expecting for this book to be a mystery, but I am so glad it is. I always feel like a good mystery is great for reluctant readers because as a reader you too are trying to crack the case. Even though there were 6 girls and a few other main characters in this story it was very easy to keep up with. Kristin L. Gray did a phenomenal job of giving each of the six girls a different personality and appearance to help decipher who was who.

Now for the mystery—boy, oh boy! I got a vibes of Sherlock Holmes, Scooby Doo, and the game Clue all-in-one. Not only do you learn such crazy and unheard of facts about Amelia Earhart, but you also get to see how passionate these characters are about her. I was baffled by the time I caught on to who was the suspect who hid Amelia Earhart’s goggles. I did catch on a bit earlier than the reveal, but I still think the story was well-written.

This book would be great for lower middle grade (3rd) to middle school kiddos. The vocabulary and language is not too advance so that is why I am putting a wider range of readers for this book. It reminds me a bit like A Dog-Friendly Town by Josephine Cameron in plot and ease of reading.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades 4 through 6. Kristin Gray’s “The Amelia Six” opens with young Millie traveling to Atchison, KS to spend the night in the historic home of acclaimed aviator Amelia Earhart. Upon her arrival, she meets five other girls with whom she gets to share this special privilege. However, by nightfall, Amelia’s famed goggles go missing from the house! Millie teams up with her new friends to solve the mystery of their disappearance. The “Amelia Six” must investigate every clue, from a suspicious herbal tea to a Christmas tree stored in a closet. This fast-paced whodunnit story reaches a satisfying and surprising finale, with each heroine’s unique set of skills and knowledge on full display. “The Amelia Six” shines with its brilliant cast of diverse, smart, and spunky characters. Gray also makes full use of the mystery genre to illustrate problem-solving, critical thinking, and deduction and reasoning skills. The pacing of the story and its short chapters make it a strong choice for a classroom read-aloud, or a bedtime story for families. This is a delightful and clever middle-grade novel that will particularly appeal to readers of historical fiction and mystery. Fans of Ben Guterson’s “Winterhouse” series and Kristin O'Donnell Tubb’s “Story Collector” will find a kindred spirit in Millie.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray is the perfect mystery for middle grade readers. The story takes place at Amelia Earhart’s Birthplace Museum in Atchison, Kansas. Millie Ashford has been chosen with five other girls to spend the night at the historical site. Coming from around the United States the girls gather for what was meant to be an evening of fun but turns out to be an evening of mystery and fear after Earhart’s goggles from a 1932 flight are stolen.

Gray doles out the clues at an even pace. Each character has reason to be the thief. Their identities become more fleshed out as the book proceeds. Although the ending is wrapped up with a bow rather quickly, the majority of young readers will be satisfied with the outcome.

Kristin Gray has done a great job with her research into this tale. There are so many historic details peppered throughout the story. She does a good job of separating fact from fiction in the author’s note at the end of the book and also shares a reading list, most of which I will purchase for our school library since students are bound to ask for them.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Light mystery with enough creepiness to keep middle grade readers engaged. The story is told through Millie's eyes. She has been selected as one of six girls to spend the night at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. The Ninety Nines have chosen them based on their interest and accomplishments in science. What should be a fun night of exploring and learning about Earhart turns into a mystery to be solved - someone stole a special pair of Earhart's goggles. The six have to work together as they aren't sure which adults they can trust. They discover hidden stairways, get locked in the basement, outsmart the thieves, and, of course, find the goggles. Millie finds confidence in herself and learns about making friends. She steps up as a leader and discovers an ability to think on her feet.
The story flows smoothly and is fun to read. Gray's characters continue to reveal parts of themself as the night moves on. She weaves historical fact throughout the book and honors the women who were pioneers in flight.