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Mini Mysteries 2: 20 More Tricky Tales to Untangle
Based on the popular American Girl book Mini Mysteries, girls who love to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and crack cases will love Mini Mysteries 2. 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 a mystery, she can tear open a case folder in the back of the book to check her answer.
87 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2006
1 person is currently reading
46 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 8, 2025
American Girl’s Mini Mysteries 2 (the sequel to Mini Mysteries written by Rick Walton) was one of my favorite reads way back in fourth grade, and I had a blast revisiting it and recalling all the little stories I obsessed over and reread constantly back then (especially since I didn’t have Mini Mysteries or Mini Mysteries 3). Several stories are reminiscent of those in the first book, but this installment features quite a few “scarier” mysteries — “The Skeleton Hand” was always my favorite — and stays consistent in building the lore from the Mini Mysteries.
Mini Mysteries 2 features eight of the nine middle school girls we met in the first book (Megan Brown is mysteriously no longer around). Protagonist Marie Cantu continues to solve the local mysteries and puzzles of hers and her friend’s everyday lives, while her best friend Noelle Dee returns as her sidekick. Their other friends — Hailey Ferris, Brooke Pinnock, Hope Harrison, Sage Matthews, Faith Peterson, and Rose James — appear in varying frequency. Marie and Noelle once again tackle twenty four-page mysteries at Lincoln Middle School and in their hometown of Liberty. The book begins with another school year’s summer break and reaches into their fall semester through Halloween, Thanksgiving, winter break, and finally Valentine’s Day. Plot lines include birthday parties, piano recitals, sleepovers, babysitting, community service projects, stormy nights, amusement parks, Friday the 13th, secret admirers, school plays, ghost stories, winter vacation, and a school carnival.
As in the first book, Mini Mysteries 2 features no overarching narrative to tie all the stories together, though it does reference a few stories from its predecessor. Some of the stories are closely related to those in Mini Mysteries, but this book is remarkable as the only one in the series to include several ghostly, spooky mysteries. 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 eight main girls, Walton brings back some of the girls’ family members and guy friends to be supporting cast members. The dialogue is more natural than it was in Mini Mysteries, and Walton includes his usual nods to pop culture (Catspurr the ghost, for example). In a nice twist, the final story in the collection (“Cakewalk,” which is a whopping five pages long) features Marie being outsmarted and surprised by her family for her birthday — one of only two stories in the whole series in which she does not solve the mystery.
The Mini Mysteries series 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 herb names, time changes, and balloon floating capabilities. 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 (though not as much as in Mini Mysteries).
Mini Mysteries 2 teaches common sense, critical thinking, and observational skills to kids who are interested in solving mysteries, and it’s a fun, clean read for readers of any age. The stories vary in quality and difficulty, but overall I’d recommend this one to kids of any age who want to exercise a little brain power.
The stories included in this selection are as follows:
• “Absent Present”
• “A Stormy Shortcut”
• “The Long, Dark Hall”
• “Poor Little Puppy”
• “Give Me a Ring”
• “Nobody’s Home”
• “The Neighbor’s Garden”
• “Taken for a Ride”
• “Looking for Catspurr”
• “Letters from an Admirer”
• “BOO!”
• “Same Time, Same Place”
• “Witch Lady”
• “Cousin Sam”
• “The Well-Wishers”
• “Cinderelephant”
• “The Skeleton’s Hand”
• “Goody, Goody, Guava Drops”
• “It Walks at Midnight”
• “Cakewalk”
Mini Mysteries 2 features eight of the nine middle school girls we met in the first book (Megan Brown is mysteriously no longer around). Protagonist Marie Cantu continues to solve the local mysteries and puzzles of hers and her friend’s everyday lives, while her best friend Noelle Dee returns as her sidekick. Their other friends — Hailey Ferris, Brooke Pinnock, Hope Harrison, Sage Matthews, Faith Peterson, and Rose James — appear in varying frequency. Marie and Noelle once again tackle twenty four-page mysteries at Lincoln Middle School and in their hometown of Liberty. The book begins with another school year’s summer break and reaches into their fall semester through Halloween, Thanksgiving, winter break, and finally Valentine’s Day. Plot lines include birthday parties, piano recitals, sleepovers, babysitting, community service projects, stormy nights, amusement parks, Friday the 13th, secret admirers, school plays, ghost stories, winter vacation, and a school carnival.
As in the first book, Mini Mysteries 2 features no overarching narrative to tie all the stories together, though it does reference a few stories from its predecessor. Some of the stories are closely related to those in Mini Mysteries, but this book is remarkable as the only one in the series to include several ghostly, spooky mysteries. 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 eight main girls, Walton brings back some of the girls’ family members and guy friends to be supporting cast members. The dialogue is more natural than it was in Mini Mysteries, and Walton includes his usual nods to pop culture (Catspurr the ghost, for example). In a nice twist, the final story in the collection (“Cakewalk,” which is a whopping five pages long) features Marie being outsmarted and surprised by her family for her birthday — one of only two stories in the whole series in which she does not solve the mystery.
The Mini Mysteries series 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 herb names, time changes, and balloon floating capabilities. 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 (though not as much as in Mini Mysteries).
Mini Mysteries 2 teaches common sense, critical thinking, and observational skills to kids who are interested in solving mysteries, and it’s a fun, clean read for readers of any age. The stories vary in quality and difficulty, but overall I’d recommend this one to kids of any age who want to exercise a little brain power.
The stories included in this selection are as follows:
• “Absent Present”
• “A Stormy Shortcut”
• “The Long, Dark Hall”
• “Poor Little Puppy”
• “Give Me a Ring”
• “Nobody’s Home”
• “The Neighbor’s Garden”
• “Taken for a Ride”
• “Looking for Catspurr”
• “Letters from an Admirer”
• “BOO!”
• “Same Time, Same Place”
• “Witch Lady”
• “Cousin Sam”
• “The Well-Wishers”
• “Cinderelephant”
• “The Skeleton’s Hand”
• “Goody, Goody, Guava Drops”
• “It Walks at Midnight”
• “Cakewalk”
August 11, 2019
I read this and I am passing it on to a young girl at church that loves to read and enjoys mysteries. This is a fun book and encourages the reader to think through situations to reach a conclusion. I really like how the answer in the back has to be opened like a package instead of just being able to be read.
November 20, 2008
“Flip flap 8 on pg. 34 if you cant solve the mystery”. That’s what this book would tell you if you cant solve the mystery on your own. WHAT!!! Who cant figure out a digital clock in the window reflecting 8:00 looks like BOO? This book is so pathetic, that after one mystery, I threw the book in the trash. That was a waste of $6.99. As you can see, I didn’t like this book. This book was boring, easy, and a waste of my time.
I am a person who doesn’t like to be bored. Sadly enough, I always am. The books I choose to read on my own are picked specifically based on genre. I love mystery books and I figured this book would suit my fancy. I WAS WRONG! This book, “Mini Mysteries 2: 20 More Tricky Tales to Untangle” written by Rick Walton, made such a perfect day turn to hell. I was so bored reading only one page that I almost cried. The story lines and even the language used made me almost fall asleep. If you’re easily amused, you definitely won’t be if you read this book.
Another thing I didn’t like about this book was the fact that it was so easy to decode. This book was for a certain age group. I was 8 when I read this book and this book was for 13 and 14 yr. olds. Does this mean I was really smart, or the writer thinks teens are really dumb? The language was easy and the so called “mystery” of the scene was like telling a person to find their nose. Although for some people, even that is a mystery! All I can say is that this book was an easy read even though I only read one mystery.
One of the things I dislike most is when a person, place, or thing waste my time. This book sure did it. It was a waste to look at. It was a waste of money. It was a waste of two minutes I could of used to save the whales (just a joke)! A person created the quote ”Never judge a book by its cover”. I would like to find that person and make them read this book and see if they change that quote. I would actually recommend bull fighting before reading this book. At least breaking your bones doing that wouldn’t be a waste of time! It would be stupid, but not a waste of time.
Mysteries should be well, mysterious. This book isn’t even close to that. Of all the good books in the world that get banned, this one should be banned for defying the mystery book code (if there isn’t one, it should be invented). If you see this book in you book store, I suggest running away as fast as you can or buying the entire stock and burning each one. Well, if you want to read this book and you find out you like it…I will laugh at you! If you read a book as horrible as this one, wouldn’t you understand how I feel?
I am a person who doesn’t like to be bored. Sadly enough, I always am. The books I choose to read on my own are picked specifically based on genre. I love mystery books and I figured this book would suit my fancy. I WAS WRONG! This book, “Mini Mysteries 2: 20 More Tricky Tales to Untangle” written by Rick Walton, made such a perfect day turn to hell. I was so bored reading only one page that I almost cried. The story lines and even the language used made me almost fall asleep. If you’re easily amused, you definitely won’t be if you read this book.
Another thing I didn’t like about this book was the fact that it was so easy to decode. This book was for a certain age group. I was 8 when I read this book and this book was for 13 and 14 yr. olds. Does this mean I was really smart, or the writer thinks teens are really dumb? The language was easy and the so called “mystery” of the scene was like telling a person to find their nose. Although for some people, even that is a mystery! All I can say is that this book was an easy read even though I only read one mystery.
One of the things I dislike most is when a person, place, or thing waste my time. This book sure did it. It was a waste to look at. It was a waste of money. It was a waste of two minutes I could of used to save the whales (just a joke)! A person created the quote ”Never judge a book by its cover”. I would like to find that person and make them read this book and see if they change that quote. I would actually recommend bull fighting before reading this book. At least breaking your bones doing that wouldn’t be a waste of time! It would be stupid, but not a waste of time.
Mysteries should be well, mysterious. This book isn’t even close to that. Of all the good books in the world that get banned, this one should be banned for defying the mystery book code (if there isn’t one, it should be invented). If you see this book in you book store, I suggest running away as fast as you can or buying the entire stock and burning each one. Well, if you want to read this book and you find out you like it…I will laugh at you! If you read a book as horrible as this one, wouldn’t you understand how I feel?
October 24, 2010
Well, my mom bought this yesterday for me, and I'm gonna start it today or tomorrow. So I don't know if I should put it in my currently-reading or to read?
July 8, 2014
The girls love these, and we all have fun quessing the solution. They'd probably make a great game for a road trip.
Veronica's copy
Veronica's copy
June 5, 2016
Do u like mysteries? I do. I loved this book. Have 2 read the 1st "mini mysteries" book first.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews