GET A CLUE @ YOUR LIBRARY WEBSITES
Compiled by Rhonda Puntney, Lakeshores Library System
· FAVORITE FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
· OTHER MYSTERY READING PROGRAMS
· PUZZLES, ETC.
· SCIENCE AND HISTORY MYSTERIES
· MYSTERY MISCELLANEOUS
· DETECTIVES ON TV
FAVORITE FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
Random House’s Trixie page
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/trixiebelden/index.html
Random has put together a site for the reissues with new covers of the first dozen or so of the TB books. While I’m not a huge fan of the new covers, the site itself includes fun material from previous publications of the books. There is a Trixie trivia quiz (I got them all right!), paperdolls you can print out (originally published by Whitman), and a fan club to join.
Check out these other Trixie sites, too:
http://barbln.org/trixie/main.htm
http://www.trixie-belden.com/
www.keeline.com/Trixie_Belden.pdf
Vintage Series Books for Girls…and a Few for Boys
http://www.series-books.com/
Nostalgic for your favorite mystery series from your childhood? Lists of more of your series mysteries and others are located here, along with cover art, illustrations, and photographs of authors. Includes favorites such as Judy Bolton, the Dana Girls, Connie Blair, Kay Tracey, and Penny Parker.
Alex Rider: Stormbreaker
http://movies.go.com/movies/movie?name=Stormbreaker_2006
A cross of James Bond and Alias, but starring a teen and adapted from the books. This looks to be a very exciting movie, and I’m sure teens will flock to the theaters to see it. Want to capitalize on getting them to read books like Anthony Horowitz’s novels? Suggest the Spy High series by A.J. Butcher, Silverfin by Charlie Higson, and Breakout! by Terry Deary of the Classified series. (contributed by Ruhama KB)
WHERE’S WALDO?
http://www.thegreatpicturehunt.com/index.php
ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE THREE INVESTIGATORS
http://www.threeinvestigators.net/GG.html
ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/encyclopediabrown/
AUNT EATER
http://www.doug-cushman.com/index.html#links
ALEX RIDER
http://www.alexrider.com/
NATE THE GREAT
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/natethegreat/
CAM JANSEN
http://www.camjansen.com/
HANK THE COWDOG
http://www.hankthecowdog.com/
SAMMY KEYES
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/vandraanen/sammykeyes/
CHET GECKO
http://www.brucehale.com/chetp1.htm
MR. STINK
http://www.stinkfiles.com/home.asp
Dick Tracy
http://www.comicspage.com/dicktracy/
OTHER MYSTERY READING PROGRAMS
The Reading Mission
http://www.readingmission.org.uk/
From the Reading Agency, this is a 2006 summer reading program from the UK. Endorsed by MI-5, and featuring a special tie-in to Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider novels, The Reading Mission site has bibliographies, games, and other activities to inspire reading. Go to http://www.readingagency.org.uk/news/SRC2006annoucedprTheReadingAgency.html for Alex Rider activities and other downloads.
Mission Possible: Spy a Book!
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/trc/2003/index.html
2003 Texas Reading Club summer program.
PUZZLES, ETC.
Clue Search Puzzles
http://www.cluesearchpuzzles.com/
“Crossword challenges, word search fun, trivia and hidden messages – all in one!” Over 180 puzzles to download for free.
BrainBashers
http://www.brainbashers.com/
Welcome to BrainBashers™, an exciting collection of brain teasers, puzzles, riddles, games and optical illusions. With thousands of brain teasers and puzzles, over one hundred awards, BrainBashers is updated with optical illusions and games regularly and has 5 new puzzles added every other week.
Discovery School’s Puzzlemaker
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/
Puzzlemaker is a puzzle generation tool for teachers, students and parents. Create and print customized word search, crossword and math puzzles using your word lists.
CR Puzzles
http://crpuzzles.com/
Welcome to CRpuzzles, your on-line puzzle magazine committed to giving solvers free, daily-updated, print magazine-class puzzles. User-friendly, Java interactive solving capabilities and careful construction by experienced print puzzle contributors distinguishes CRpuzzles from other web sites.
Mystery Jeopardy Game
http://www.neo-rls.org/serendipity/files/MysteryJeopardy.zip or at See YA Around at www.cplrmh.com http://www.cplrmh.com/ . The sound file needs to be saved in the same folder as the PowerPoint to play during the intro. This is a fun teen activity for the YNK @ your library theme or any mystery theme. (used by permission)
Guide to Clue Hunts and Scavenger Hunts for your Library!"
"Every Librarian's Guide to Clue Hunts and Scavenger Hunts for your Library"
http://www.summerreading.cla-net.org/download/guide_to_clue_hunts.pdf
Recipe Rescue
http://games.zeeks.com/recipe-rescue-9023/
EGADS! Four Cheesy villains have stolen the top-secret Cheetos recipes! Help Chester Cheetah & his Secret Agent Kids search for clues to track down and recover the top-secret recipes and return the dangerously cheesy flavor to the world!
SCIENCE AND HISTORY MYSTERIES
The Mystery Spot
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot
Kids can solve health and science mysteries at this site for teacher’s activities from the National Health Museum.
MysteriousPlaces
http://www.mysteriousplaces.com/
MysteriousPlaces seeks to give the visitor information, educational materials, and personal observations about the remains of ancient civilizations, sacred sites and unusual locations from around the world. Each area explored by MysteriousPlaces is confronted by challenges. Those challenges may include the consequences of uncontrolled development, the fury of natural forces, the horrors of war, the effect of rapid population growth, or the results of simple neglect. The educators page is under construction, but kids will enjoy the virtural tours.
History Detectives
http://pbskids.org/historydetectives/
The companion website for kids from the PBS show. Learn how to research the history of your house, your community, and much more. Play the codebreaker game and print out your own detective notebook.
SCHOLASTIC’S HISTORY MYSTERY
http://teacher.scholastic.com/histmyst/index.asp
How would you like to become a great investigator — of history! Professor Carlotta Facts challenges kids to solve a History Mystery! If you figure out the mystery in fewer clues, you earn a higher title as an investigator. So choose a game…and away you play! Choose from Environmental History, Ancient Civilizations, Inventions and Technology, Women’s History and much more.
Handwriting, Typewriting, Shoeprints, and Tire Treads: FBI Laboratory's Questioned Documents Unit
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/april2001/held.htm
This 2001 article describes how personnel in the Questioned Documents Unit (QDU) of the FBI perform examinations of material. Includes illustrated discussions of physical examinations (often of paper surfaces), comparison examinations (of handwriting and typewriting), and shoeprint and tire tread examinations. Includes details about specific cases. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) journal Forensic Science Communications. (Copyright 2007 by Librarians' Internet Index., 2/15/07)
Forensic Science Service (FSS)
http://www.forensic.gov.uk
The FSS "is the market leader in the supply of forensic science services to police forces in England and Wales." It also provides its services internationally. Its website describes FSS services and activities, including paternity testing, digital crime analysis (such as computers and mobile phones), and DNA analysis. Also includes descriptions of cases in which the FSS was involved, such as whether bones found in Russia in 1991 were those of the Romanovs. (Copyright 2007 by Librarians' Internet Index., 2/15/07)
Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/index.html
This web site by the National Institutes of Health, is about the history of forensic medicine. Over the centuries, physicians, surgeons, and other professionals have struggled to develop scientific methods that translate views of bodies and body parts into 'visible proofs' that can persuade judges, juries, and the public. Good site to recommend to teens. (Refdesk’s Site of the Day, 2/9/07)
Planet Oz Kids
http://www.planetozkids.com/index.html
Read myths and legends about animals. Learn about endangered animals and amazing animal facts. Join the Ace Detectives as they solve the latest mystery from their case files. Zoom over to OZzoom for fun word search games and download free online games.
Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site
http://www.geocaching.com/
Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a gps unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache. Locally, check out “Caching with Condella”, sponsored by Fox 6 and the Schlitz Audubon Center at http://www.schlitzauduboncenter.com/geocache.htm
National Geographic Mystery Photos
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/#mystery
Easy game where kids can unscramble the word that identifies the object in the mystery photo.
Geomysteries
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/index3.html
From the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis. Kids can help Rex the Detective solve mysteries related to rocks, minerals, and fossils.
House Detective: Finding History in Your Own House
http://americanhistory.si.edu/dynamic/downloads/kids/download_file_84.pdf
Mysteries of the Star Spangled Banner
http://americanhistory.si.edu/ssb/8_mystery/fs8.html
Who am I?
http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/resources/education.asp
What’s Missing from Washington’s Portrait?
http://georgewashington.si.edu/kids/portrait.html
MYSTERY MISCELLANEOUS
Dorothy-L List
http://www.dorothyl.com/
Discuss all things mystery with fans and authors on this listserv. Teens will love this list.
Off the Beat: Recommended Books from Madison's Police Officers
http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/booklists/offthebeat.html
Now here's a clever idea: invite various groups and organizations in your community to submit their own "Don't Miss" reading lists. For other "Don't Miss" lists from Madison Public Library, go to http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/booklists/. (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html , Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2006, 11/30/06)
It is a Mystery! Books for Curious Kids and Teens
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=268
The CCBC has compiled a bibliography of great books to use for your programs this summer.
42eXplore Mystery
http://42explore.com/mystery.htm
A webliography from 42 eXplore.com, which features themed pathfinders for kids and educators. The Mystery topic includes many great links to bibliographies, writing activities, author sites, and solve-it-yourself cases. Plan to browse a lot here!
The Edgars
The Mystery Writers of America (MWA) have taken to the net with the debut of their new site www.theedgars.com , “the exclusive online destination for information about the Edgar Awards.” The site offers in-depth info on the 2007 nominees and their nominated works. Visitors also can learn about the awards and purchase tickets for the Edgar Awards Banquet, where the winners will be announced in 12 categories. Additionally, the site includes an overview of the Edgar Symposium panels featuring some of the most respected names in the mystery/crime fiction genre.
DETECTIVES ON TV
Scooby Doo
http://www2.warnerbros.com/sd_brand/index.html
Keep up with all things Scooby Doo here at the official Warner Brothers site. Includes games, cool new stuff, Scooby snacks (mainly screensavers and wallpaper), a parent’s guide, a pet photo gallery of Scooby’s furry friends, and updates on what Mystery, Inc. is up to these days. There is stuff to buy and you can sign up for their newsletter. The Doo Yoga section isn’t to be missed!
Think Pink!
Download Pam Carlson's tip sheet for Pink Panther Movie Night & Resources as presented at CLA Conference, November 2006
http://www.summerreading.cla-net.org/download/think_pink_2007.pdf
Happy Birthday Alfred Hitchcock
Host your own Hitchcockfilm fest with this "Ideas" tip sheet by Shannon Dailey (Santa Fe Springs PL, CA) as presented at CLA Conference, November 2006
http://www.summerreading.cla-net.org/download/hitchcock2007.pdf
Blues Clues
http://www.nickjr.com/shows/blue/index.jhtml
Games, activities, and other fun related to Nick Jr.’s Blues Clues kids program.
Monk Mysteries: Follow the Clues
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/monk/mysteries/followtheclues/
In the course of his detective work, Monk has become a master at piecing together various clues to solve the most baffling of crimes. Think it's easy to do? Then give it a try!
Test your own clue-solving abilities with our original online Follow the Clues mysteries. You'll be presented with a scenario, and then be given a series of clues to help you solve the case. You can read all of the clues or just some of them, and then see if you can come up with the correct solution! Return to this page to solve a new Follow the Clues mystery each week a new episode of Monk airs.
Totally Spies
http://www.totallyspies.com/bck_uk.html
Kim Possible
http://tv.disney.go.com/disneychannel/kimpossible/
Secret Squirrel
http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/A-
