Cam Jansen and the Snowy Day Mystery

Cam Jansen Mysteries #24

by David A. Adler, Susanna Natti (Illustrator)

The snow is falling hard, but that doesn't stop Cam and Eric from solving a mystery. Three computers are missing from Mrs. Bell's computer lab. Who could have taken them? How did the thief get away amid the snowy day chaos of parents, students and teachers? 'Click, click' with Cam Jansen as she gathers clues around the school.
After nearly a quarter of a century, Cam Jansen remains a popular character, garnering new fans with each new title.

Genres: Mystery, Chapter Books, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Realistic Fiction

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

David Abraham Adler is an American children's author. He was born in New York City, New York in 1947. He graduated from Queens College in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics and education. For the next nine years, he worked as a mathematics teacher for the New York City Board of Education, while taking classes towards a master's degree in marketing, a degree he was awarded by New York University in 1971. In that same year, a question from his then-three-year-old nephew inspired Adler to write his first story, A Little at a Time, subsequently published by Random House in 1976. Adler's next project, a series of math books, drew on his experience as a math teacher. In 1977, he created his most famous character, Cam Jansen, originally featured in Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, which was published that year.

Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.

Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.

As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.

(source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cam Jansen, the fifth-grader with a photographic memory and a penchant for solving crimes, returns in this twenty-fourth chapter-book devoted to her adventures. When three computers go missing from their classroom one snowy day, Cam and her best friend Eric swing into gear, determined to catch the thieves...

As I mentioned in my review of the previous installment of this series, Cam Jansen and the Tennis Trophy Mystery , I tend to find the earlier Cam Jansen books more engaging than the later ones. This is owing, no doubt, to some nostalgia, as I have fond memories of reading those earlier Cam Jansen books when I was in primary school. That said, I also think that author David A. Adler's choice to set his earlier stories outside of school hours may have been a factor, as I struggle to suspend my disbelief, when it comes to the permissive attitude of Cam and Eric's teachers and school principle, when it comes to them running around school during class time, questioning staff and conducting their investigations. This unlikely scenario struck me in the previous book, and it struck me here, in Cam Jansen and the Snowy Day Mystery. Of course, it's entirely possible that this will not be a stumbling block for young readers, who may accept the premise with no question. Leaving that aside, although there isn't much to this one, I would still recommend it to fans of the character and her adventures, and to beginning chapter-book readers who enjoy mysteries.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first of the series, found in a Little Free Library. Won't be my last. I'm an Encyclopedia Brown fan, and this scratched a similar itch.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma’s a fan of mysteries right now. She likes the Cam Jansen series.

[Ella Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery was not really solved in that the author never told us who the thieves were just that they were caught.

[Paige Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) I love this series, or any chapter book that is part of a series, because if you read one and get hooked, then you are going to have to read the others. This is a book that I feel my future students would love with all of the mystery and suspense to go along with it. This book is about Cam and her friends trying to figure out who the thieves that stole the three computers are, and when they did it. The book is full of context clues such as them finding footprints in the snow, and searching the computer lab for clues. I don't want to spoil the ending if they find the thieves or not, so you will just have to read it!
2) Age level: 7-10 years old, Grade Level: 2nd-5th grade
3) Appropriate classroom use of this book could be used in a reading lesson, or a format for understanding the content using the quiz in the back of the book making sure the students listened to the book and know what it was about.
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book would be students that love mystery books and solving cases as the reader
5) As far as small group use this book could be used to learn the meaning of context clues in a storyline. Each literature group could have a different Cam Jansen mystery book, and could find the context clues in each storyline that lead up to solving the mystery. Therefore, they would get to be the detectives solving the mystery just like Cam.
6) As far as whole class use this book could be used to be read throughout the course of a week since it is a chapter book, preferably in winter to set the tone of the "Snowy Day Mystery", and the students would have to predict after each day of reading what it going to happen next, allowing them to be creative and think, using what they know from learning about context clues.
7) Related Books: All of the Cam Jansen Mystery series books, there are 34 of them all together
8) There is a Kindle version of this book, and there are also audio books and audio CDs for each of the Cam Jansen books

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't care much for this book. Even if I was a kid, I would have been bored to death. There is too much slow, repeat of what is going on and unnecessary "storytelling" (such as "Cam and Eric walked down the hall to their class. They entered the class and sat at their desks. They looked up at the teacher" etc.) and you never even find out who was the culprit behind the "Snowy Day Mystery". My kids sat through it, but I didn't enjoy it. I probably will not be reading any more Cam Jansen books to them

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our girls just love the Cam Jansen series of stories and they kept asking me to read one more chapter over and over until we finished the book. It was an interesting story and although it was a simple mystery to solve, our girls loved it. Our oldest loves the memory challenges at the end, too. We are so glad that we discovered this series!

[Tammy King Carlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebekah has enjoyed the early readers so much, that we moved up to the chapter books. We are half-way through, and it's been fun to see her wonder how Cam is going to solve the mystery.
-we just finished lastnight. I actually got a little bored with Cam, but Rebekah really enjoys them. The way she figured out who stole with computers was very clever.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

my 6yo and I liked that some of the other children in the class were helping puzzle through the clues - but then it shifted to just Cam, which was a bit disappointing. I did feel like this story provided the reader with a bit more to hang on to in terms of figuring out the mystery than some of the other books in the series.

[Ruth Garcilazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery fiction book (#24) is about a little girl that like to play detective. were. She takes mental pictures with her mind by closing her eyes and saying click. This way she does not have to any pencil or paper to keep track of her clues.
I like this book because the first time I read a Cam Jansen book to my nephews in the 80's, I tried this and with note cards because I was studying for a test.
I believe that this story is a great read for 2-4th grade.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am trying out books in a series and I do love a mystery. Cam, whose real name is Jennifer Jansen who has a photographic memory soon is called Cam, short for camera. It was a good mystery about who stole 3 computers. Danny, a classmate who helps to solve the mystery told a pretty good joke. What goes Ha, Ha, thud? Someone who's laughing their head off! I just had to laugh.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a teacher it's a little hard for me to believe a teacher would let her students wander the school in search of clues to solve the mystery of some missing computers. Kids would probably love the idea of kids being given so much freedom. It was pretty cool how Cam was able to solve the mystery with her photographic memory.

[Jordyn Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This mystery would be a great read for 2nd-4th graders. The most unique thing about Cam Jansen Mysteries is Cam's photographic memory. The author uses something that is not common, but also not unheard of, and turns it into a sort of super power that makes Cam the only one able to solve the mysteries.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stresses thinking skills -- being a good observer, using the observations as evidence and as a basis for explanations.

Not memorable. Computer info is dated (not surprising since this was written in 2004). That's a distraction, but it doesn't interfere with the story.

[McKendra Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ties in silly jokes and working as a team. Heartwarming story in a cold weather setting.

[Adrianne Rosal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok.

[Andrus Boys]

"Its really cute" from 4 yo BB. We found this new character and series about a girl with a photographic memory who solves mysteries with her best friend. Easy and quick read.

[HappyGay Bakunzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these books

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the little's school book club. Mama had to read it too. Cute

[Danielle Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little mystery for younger readers! I think I’ll find more of this series for my daughter!

[Julie Pagano · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not our favorite Cam Jansen story. My kids had a lot of fun guesses to the end of the story and were disappointed by the bland ending.

[Maureen Cavanaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny pretended to be a snowman.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read this, but my daughter regularly requests these books and seems to comprehend them well. My daughter says she’d give these books 5 stars.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son enjoys these stories, but we were disappointed that we didn't get to discover WHO stole the computers. Still, it's a very clever, interesting story.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I was entertained.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for my extension class of 1st graders. I think they'll enjoy it. Cam's photographic memory adds a fun element to the story.

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Cam Jansen

[aem · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A

[frank reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5⭐

beth and danny carried this book