At the start of summer, it seems as though anything is possible. Elise Broach (whose Masterpiece won the 2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Award) affirms this sentiment through the experiences of the Barker boys--Simon, Henry and Jack--who have just moved with their parents to Superstition, Ariz. The small desert town lies in the shadow of a reportedly haunted mountain that's absolutely off-limits, though no one will explain why. When the brothers, who range in age from six to 11, follow their beloved cat up the mountainside during the first week of summer and discover three human skulls on a rocky ledge, they know they've got a mystery to solve.
A spine-tingling adventure unfolds over the course of swift-moving short chapters, enhanced by Caparo's engaging black-and-white illustrations throughout. The Barker brothers' personalities vary widely, which makes for humorous dialogue, and the addition of their plucky friend Delilah ensures that this title will appeal to boys and girls alike. Broach fills her page-turner with legends based partly on facts, according to her fascinating author's note. (She writes, "To call Superstition Mountain a land equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle does not seem a stretch.") This first book in a planned mystery series is the perfect antidote to those summer doldrums. --Molly McLeod