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Calendar Mysteries #1
January Joker
It’s a mystery every month from popular A to Z Mysteries author Ron Roy!
January is for Joker...
In the first book of the Calendar Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series featuring the younger siblings of the A to Z Mysteries detectives—Green Lawn has a problem! When Bradley Pinto wakes up in the night to strange lights in his backyard, he wonders if there are aliens in town. When he sees three-toed tracks in the snow, he's sure of it. His twin, Brian, and friends Lucy and Nate aren't so certain. But then Lucy's cousin Dink, the twins' brother Josh, and Nate's sister Ruth Rose all disappear. Are there really aliens in Green Lawn? And where could they be taking Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose?
Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who love mysteries!
From the Trade Paperback edition.
January is for Joker...
In the first book of the Calendar Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series featuring the younger siblings of the A to Z Mysteries detectives—Green Lawn has a problem! When Bradley Pinto wakes up in the night to strange lights in his backyard, he wonders if there are aliens in town. When he sees three-toed tracks in the snow, he's sure of it. His twin, Brian, and friends Lucy and Nate aren't so certain. But then Lucy's cousin Dink, the twins' brother Josh, and Nate's sister Ruth Rose all disappear. Are there really aliens in Green Lawn? And where could they be taking Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose?
Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who love mysteries!
From the Trade Paperback edition.
96 pages, Library Binding
First published December 22, 2009
172 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
About the author
Ron Roy
249 books386 followersRon Roy has been writing books for children since 1974. He is the author of dozens of books, including the popular A to Z Mysteries®, Calendar Mysteries, and Capital Mysteries. When not working on a new book, Ron likes to teach tricks to his dog Pal, play poker with friends, travel, and read thrilling mystery books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
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January 26, 2016Daniel's second book of 2016. He gives it five stars. He says if he could give it six, he would!
February 15, 2016
My 6 year old enjoyed it. He said it was scary, but he didn't want us to stop reading it until the mystery was solved.
March 11, 2016
This book is good for seven or eight year olds. My sister is reading it.
February 17, 2021
Cute story. I figured it out pretty early on, haha.
December 5, 2024
Great Read
This was an enjoyable read. This is the first book in the Calendar Mysteries series. In this book, the younger siblings of the A to Z mysteries kids try to find out if aliens landed in their backyard and took their siblings after Bradley Pinto sees strange lights in his backyard and three-toed footprints in the snow. With the help of his twin brother, and his best friends, they race to find out the truth. I find it interesting how each month has its unique word. For example, January is for Joker, hence the title of the story is January Joker. Although it is a middle-grade story, I thought it was really cute. I thought the story was short and fun. I thought the characters were sweet and funny. I thought the ending was funny. This was a great start to the series. I will definitely continue to read this series. I can’t wait to read Book 2. Overall, a great read.
This was an enjoyable read. This is the first book in the Calendar Mysteries series. In this book, the younger siblings of the A to Z mysteries kids try to find out if aliens landed in their backyard and took their siblings after Bradley Pinto sees strange lights in his backyard and three-toed footprints in the snow. With the help of his twin brother, and his best friends, they race to find out the truth. I find it interesting how each month has its unique word. For example, January is for Joker, hence the title of the story is January Joker. Although it is a middle-grade story, I thought it was really cute. I thought the story was short and fun. I thought the characters were sweet and funny. I thought the ending was funny. This was a great start to the series. I will definitely continue to read this series. I can’t wait to read Book 2. Overall, a great read.
July 4, 2010
Related to the A to Z Mysteries. These four kids are siblings & cousin to Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose. Good for 1-3rd graders who like a little mystery. The kids see clues to an alien arrival. Their dog and pony is missing, as are the three older kids. All evidence leads to an alien abduction.
April 24, 2019
This entertaining children's chapter book is sure to spark kids' imaginations. Reading this made me miss the fun of being a kid.
March 5, 2025
I read this as I’m leading a book club in my first grader’s class. It counts right?
June 17, 2025
Good series for new readers. I would rate it for 7 years to 9 years. Have a 7 or 8 year old who likes to read? This is a good series for them.
July 19, 2018
Interesting...
I picked up this series to encourage my 9-year-old to think critically and I can't say I'm completely disappointed.
The mystery centers on younger children believing an UFO has landed in their yard. Through a series of events, they conclude that something may be in the house with them and they appropriately call the police for assistance.
Upon the arrival of the police and their parents (who were out shopping) they discovered that their babysitters had played a practical joke upon them and that everything is ok.
Several times the book stops and summarizes what has happened so far and what clues the kids may have. Unfortunately, the reason for the practical joke is never outlined in the book (it's an event that happens prior to the book) and so it's a little hard for the reader to ascertain that the mystery is nothing more than a practical joke.
However, my child was able to pick up on what was happening and figured out that, since UFO's don't exist, that the situation was probably a joke.
We did both enjoy the solution that the kids came up with to "get even" with the jokers. It was creative and amusing.
I picked up this series to encourage my 9-year-old to think critically and I can't say I'm completely disappointed.
The mystery centers on younger children believing an UFO has landed in their yard. Through a series of events, they conclude that something may be in the house with them and they appropriately call the police for assistance.
Upon the arrival of the police and their parents (who were out shopping) they discovered that their babysitters had played a practical joke upon them and that everything is ok.
Several times the book stops and summarizes what has happened so far and what clues the kids may have. Unfortunately, the reason for the practical joke is never outlined in the book (it's an event that happens prior to the book) and so it's a little hard for the reader to ascertain that the mystery is nothing more than a practical joke.
However, my child was able to pick up on what was happening and figured out that, since UFO's don't exist, that the situation was probably a joke.
We did both enjoy the solution that the kids came up with to "get even" with the jokers. It was creative and amusing.
May 16, 2019
I read the original A-Z Mystery stories when I was a little kid and greatly enjoyed them, I had only ever gotten to the Letter T, so I figured this year I would re-read and actually complete the series all this time later, and I was delighted to learn that Ron Roy has continued on the Green Lawn Mysteries and characters, and gone on with Calendar Mysteries and the A-Z Super Mysteries, which I will get to reading later on.
This series of 12 books focuses on the younger relatives of the Main Characters of the original series, and it's charming and fun to see the adventures they all get up to in this fun additional series.
This series of 12 books focuses on the younger relatives of the Main Characters of the original series, and it's charming and fun to see the adventures they all get up to in this fun additional series.
March 15, 2020
Y’all, the older kids suck. The parents were definitely not angry enough. But I guess in small towns, police and fire don’t mind having their time wasted by stupid familial pranks?
I kind of wish there had been a different title, as it gave away the ending. The whole book is kinda eye-rolly, but I still think I liked it better than Roy’s other two series. For younger kiddos who like mysteries and a corny Mayberry environment.
I kind of wish there had been a different title, as it gave away the ending. The whole book is kinda eye-rolly, but I still think I liked it better than Roy’s other two series. For younger kiddos who like mysteries and a corny Mayberry environment.
September 28, 2025
📚 Calendar Mysteries 1: January Joker
✒️ Ron Roy
🎡 Libby
🥨 Random House
🎖️ 4/5
Review:
Buku ini termasuk buku middle grade yang cocok dibaca sama orang-orang yang lagi belajar bahasa Inggris. Bisa kalian baca sekali duduk. Untuk sisi misterinya menurut aku cukup oke dimana aku merasa bumbu misterinya bukan tempelan belaka😂 Aku sampai mikir kalau beneran ada alien yang nyulik kakak-kakak mereka😂 Kalau butuh yang ringan dan gak banyak mikir serta under 100 halaman bisa banget baca buku ini😆
✒️ Ron Roy
🎡 Libby
🥨 Random House
🎖️ 4/5
Review:
Buku ini termasuk buku middle grade yang cocok dibaca sama orang-orang yang lagi belajar bahasa Inggris. Bisa kalian baca sekali duduk. Untuk sisi misterinya menurut aku cukup oke dimana aku merasa bumbu misterinya bukan tempelan belaka😂 Aku sampai mikir kalau beneran ada alien yang nyulik kakak-kakak mereka😂 Kalau butuh yang ringan dan gak banyak mikir serta under 100 halaman bisa banget baca buku ini😆
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2020
This is another fun mystery series from Ron Roy. It’s the sequel series to the A to Z mysteries with smaller siblings of the kids in the original series. It was funny but made me remember how much I don’t like when older kids tease their younger siblings. I just don’t think it’s funny. Maybe it’s just me.
June 7, 2021
Genre : Mystery Fiction Grade: 2-3
This book was good. It would be a good book for students that like playing jokes on others. There was lots of good details in the mystery that was covered to help along with the joke. It was clearly thought out with detail that every question the kids being joked had was covered. This made it a good read since the author covered those details.
This book was good. It would be a good book for students that like playing jokes on others. There was lots of good details in the mystery that was covered to help along with the joke. It was clearly thought out with detail that every question the kids being joked had was covered. This made it a good read since the author covered those details.
November 21, 2018
It is more suitable for small children ..They will love it ..Adults can too read it but they won't get what they are trying to find out in the story .
Overall it was ok ok read ..
Aliens ,spaceships , friendship,courtesy .. Everything seems to be ok but something is missing ...
Overall it was ok ok read ..
Aliens ,spaceships , friendship,courtesy .. Everything seems to be ok but something is missing ...
May 1, 2020
This booked earn four stars simply for the giggles it got as I read it to Brayden. It had everything for his little 6 year old mind...a little suspense, some mystery, and lots of laughs! We can’t wait to read February Friend next!
June 22, 2021
January joker was about 4 kids who though there were aliens but it was actually there brother sister and cousin. They put foot prints in the to look like there was a spaceship. My favorite part was when there wasn't actually aliens. My favorite character was Lucy because she had the most ideas.
September 8, 2021
A middle-grade mystery that's the beginning of a series. I can see the appeal of these books. They fit the formula for kids' mystery books. There is nothing scary in the book, there is an element of suspense.
January 10, 2022
Nate, Lucy , Brian and Bradley believe they have seen aliens. The aliens have kidnapped Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose (plus Polly and Pal) into space. Once they trap the aliens in the attic they call the police. The "aliens" are captured and are then tortured at Ellie's Diner.
June 4, 2022
Very much a children's book and I only originally started this series for a reading challenge. It's very cute and has a good moral of the story at the ending. Fun and easy read that I will read to my niece and nephew when they get older.
March 3, 2025
Fun mystery that appeals to probably 1st-3rd grade readers. This book is about a group of kids attempting to unravel the mystery of a UFO landing. Enough suspense to keep kids reading, but not scary.
December 4, 2017
Brian, Bradley, Lucy, and Nate are a group of friends that put their sleuthing skills to work when neighborhood kids start disappearing. Their deduction? Aliens!
January 1, 2019
Last book of the year but really cute!
January 22, 2019
So obvious who it was, but I loved that ending!
February 17, 2020
We liked the A-Z mysteries so we started these while we await more of the former series by the same author. Cute and all my kids like them.
May 7, 2020
It was scary at the beginning. In the end, it was good. I liked the surprise.
November 28, 2020
Quite silly. About aliens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2021
Like the prank idea
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews