By Michelle Blaylock and Patricia Poe

William Bradford Huie Library

Title: “Jackaby” 

Author: William Ritter 

Genre: Junior fiction  

Reading Level: 6.2  

Accelerated Reader Points:  11  

This is a supernatural murder mystery.  The place is 1892 New England.  The main characters are Miss Abigail Rook and Mr. R. F. Jackaby.   

Miss Rook is newly arrived from Europe, having left her upper middle–class family and embarked on an “adventure” – only to eventually come to the realization that all adventures are not equal.   

Miss Rook arrives in New Fiddleham having squandered her tuition money and facing the reality that she is going to have to find employment, write her parents for help or starve. Preferring not to starve and being too proud to write her parents, she trudges around town asking at all manner of stores and shops for work.  

Eventually she discovers a job posted for an “Investigative Services Assistant.” She arrives at the address just in time to follow Mr. Jackaby out the door and rush after him on his way to a murder scene. 

Miss Rook is not overly impressed with Mr. Jackaby and his interesting notions of monsters and things that go bump in the night. However, she does have an open mind and decides to not to pass judgement; she needs the money.  

It doesn’t take long for her discover Mr. Jackaby is not favored by law enforcement. She also concludes he is serious about the monsters.  Miss Rook’s longing for adventure is about to be fulfilled. 

This book is considered juvenile fiction, but I would suggest parents read it first. There are several somewhat graphic scenes – nothing like many of our current TV crime drama shows, but it might still be more than you want your upper elementary to junior high child reading.  

Overall, I found this book to be interesting. I plan on reading the next book in the series. I’ll let you know how that one turns out.  In the meantime, come see us at the William Bradford Huie Library! 

 Title: “Breaking Free”  

Author: Lauraine Snelling 

Maggie Roberts is learning how to cope with her life after being released from prison. She has been trained to repurpose retired racehorses, and she is trying to overcome the devastating reason she was imprisoned.  

She will help Gil Winters and his wheelchair–bound son, Edward, with therapy using horses. Can Maggie, Gil and Edward have a life together, or will something in her past break up the hopeful family?