Scan barcode
brandypainter's review against another edition
3.0
This is a fun mystery that involves old family secrets and following clues to hidden treasure. It is one of those books that I think will be an easy sell to kids, but not necessarily one all kids will stick with to the end. I did like the way the mystery unfolded, and it had a lot of humor in it. There is a villain and some mild danger, so nothing too scary. It could easily by enjoyed by more advanced younger readers as well.
bookslucyking's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very fun, easy read :) A nice adventure about lost treasures, books, authors, history. It was a big fun to follow Case and his father and very interesting to follow Colophon and Julian in their quest after the treasure.
If you love books, Shakespeare, fun middle-grade reads, this one is a great choice.
If you love books, Shakespeare, fun middle-grade reads, this one is a great choice.
crey18's review against another edition
4.0
Very clever read! Hard to put down, as the characters are very endearing - I truly enjoyed Colophon's eagerness to solve the mystery.
coreymanuel's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
elinacre's review against another edition
4.0
cute! a "da vinci code" style mystery for middle grade. excited to read the second, but bummed to see that his publisher hasn't put out the (completed) third in the series...boo!
sanmeow's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
hm, i think i would've enjoyed this more if i read it when i was like 12 or something. it's very middle grade in every way, from the simple writing and characters to the predictable plot. i usually wouldn't mind and i'm very capable of enjoying middle grade books, but it sort of isn't ideal with mystery, because i don't find a predictable mystery exciting to read. i think colophon, the protagonist, is very fun and sweet and generally lovable. again, very middle grade, because she's the typical protagonist that somehow manages to achieve everything and it all goes her way, meanwhile the villain is very uninteresting as a person and not a well developed character. i think the title is sort of silly though, not in a bad way. it just makes me giggle a bit that not much of the plot is actually about shakespeare's grave. regardless, i think so many kids and young teens would love this. oh and, i think the pacing is very good.
librarylisa614's review against another edition
3.0
Hard to get into- prologue and intro were pretty boring. Once I was in, I was in, though. Story moved much faster after the first couple of chapters. A bit formulaic and predictable, but a strong start for a new series. Fairly appropriate for younger readers, minus the fact that the whole story does lead to digging around at Shakespeare's grave.
karenchase's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a while sine I read a YA novel, and the pace of this was satisfyingly brisk. I was drawn in to the plight of the Letterford family and repulsed by those who laid plans to undermine them, but I knew that things would probably work out, and I would not have to wait long to find out how it went. The story is told in simple, but not condescending language and is filled with intellectual references that give the narrative sophistication. I love the relationship between the heroine, Colophon, and her brother, and how it evolves as they embark on an adventure to save their family's livelihood, and also the acceptance of black-sheep cousin Julian, who helps the mystery to be solved and achieves the satisfaction of a lifelong quest. I look forward to the next installment of this entertaining series.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
We discovered this author, Deron R. Hicks, last year after reading his latest book, and put these two, slightly older Shakespeare mysteries on hold at the library.
They were great reads! In the first, the main characters, Colophon and her older brother, Case, work to discover the original copy of a Shakespeare play in a last-ditch effort to save her family's publishing business from a hostile takeover.
At the end of that book, we learn the play is NOT the real object of the hunt -- the villain is still hunting a "treasure," and in the second book, it's a race for Colophon and Case to follow the clues and find it first!
The suspense is heightened with multiple points-of-view, giving the reader a glimpse into information that Colophon and Case don't have -- but it also reveals what the villain doesn't know. A great writing technique for increasing tension.
For teachers, there are excellent references to Shakespeare's plays at the back of each book, with the second book featuring entire passages to help younger readers understand the contextual references.
Excellent reads, both.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
They were great reads! In the first, the main characters, Colophon and her older brother, Case, work to discover the original copy of a Shakespeare play in a last-ditch effort to save her family's publishing business from a hostile takeover.
At the end of that book, we learn the play is NOT the real object of the hunt -- the villain is still hunting a "treasure," and in the second book, it's a race for Colophon and Case to follow the clues and find it first!
The suspense is heightened with multiple points-of-view, giving the reader a glimpse into information that Colophon and Case don't have -- but it also reveals what the villain doesn't know. A great writing technique for increasing tension.
For teachers, there are excellent references to Shakespeare's plays at the back of each book, with the second book featuring entire passages to help younger readers understand the contextual references.
Excellent reads, both.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/