Book Review : Case Closed?: Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science by Susan Hughes

Case Closed?: Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science
by Susan Hughes (Writer), Michael Wandelmaier (Illustrator)

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 88 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (August 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554533627
• ISBN-13: 978-1554533626
• Available at Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
  

Egypt's first female pharaoh disappears around 1457 BCE -- was she murdered? Find out how DNA closes the case. The ancient Arabian Peninsula city of Ubar vanishes, seemingly without trace. Find out how old maps and modern space shuttles help solve the mystery. Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage is never heard from again. Find out how spectroscopy points to some probable explanations. Case Closed? examines these and six other mysteries from ancient and modern times. Accompanied by photos, maps, diagrams and illustrations, this book reveals how modern science sheds new light on people, vessels and entire civilizations throughout history that simply vanished. In some cases, the mystery has been solved. In other cases, readers can examine the latest evidence and decide for themselves.

Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science is an amazingly interesting book which discloses the ways people solve ancient mysteries using modern-day Science and advanced technology. Although this book is oriented towards kids aged 8-12, I'm sure adults will also find this 88-page book engrossing, for it presents a bucketful of historical and scientific knowledge.

With her straightforward and highly-detailed explanations and the accompaniment of photos, maps, diagrams and coloured illustrations as evidences, Susan successfully creates a wonderful, entertaining book which guarantees fun and effective learning. We get to learn about mtDNA, for example, which is used to establish links between groups and civilizations, and to identify the time period a specimen may have come from. We also learn how people can manage to rediscover the Lost City of Ubar with high-end technologies and teamwork.

Cased Closed is a great book! I enjoyed this book thoroughly and will recommend it to everyone who is curious to find out the truths behind the 9 great mysteries! Pick it up, whether you're a science-loving kid, historical buff or a bibliophilic adult!

Rating:

Many thanks to Susan Hughes and Octavia Sloley from Corus Entertainment for sending me a hardcover copy of this book for this review.

Susan Hughes is a writer and editor, and has been writing children's books and articles for nearly twenty years. She writes both fiction and non-fiction. She is often asked to write a book on a topic she knows little about! So she does lots of research and briefly becomes an expert on that subject. Sometimes she works with experts, for example when she wrote about the Megalodon, the prehistoric shark, or Titanic. She lives with her three children, her boyfriend, and his two children. One of her favourite parts of the day is when all the kids come home after school and she gets to visit with them and hear stories about their day. You can read more about Susan on her website.

Currently Reading... #3

I'm currently reading Case Closed?: Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science by Susan Hughes (Author) and Michael Wandelmaier (Illustrator). It's really interesting and informative, and the illustrations are nicely drawn. The book itself is of good quality; it is a hardcover with 88 glossy pages. I'm sure any child would enjoy reading it. I will post my review for this book within this week.

Case Closed?: Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science

by Susan Hughes, Michael Wandelmaier

About The Book:

Egypt's first female pharaoh disappears around 1457 BCE -- was she murdered? Find out how DNA closes the case. The ancient Arabian Peninsula city of Ubar vanishes, seemingly without trace. Find out how old maps and modern space shuttles help solve the mystery. Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage is never heard from again. Find out how spectroscopy points to some probable explanations. Case Closed? examines these and six other mysteries from ancient and modern times. Accompanied by photos, maps, diagrams and illustrations, this book reveals how modern science sheds new light on people, vessels and entire civilizations throughout history that simply vanished. In some cases, the mystery has been solved. In other cases, readers can examine the latest evidence and decide for themselves.

Available at Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

Book Review : The Summer of Shambles (Ondine, #1) by Ebony McKenna

Ondine: The Summer of Shambles by Ebony McKenna

Product details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd (5 April 2010)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1405249617
• ISBN-13: 978-1405249614

This is a brilliantly witty fairy tale with a mystery that is as surreal as it is sinister. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?

Ondine: The Summer of Shambles is a cute book. There are a lot of entertaining scenes and hilarious moments, but sometimes, the happenings just doesn't make sense. I really appreciate Ebony's attempt to make the book funny and interesting, and I enjoyed reading it, but the book lacks of a good plot line. There aren't much action and suspense, the events are quite predictable.

The main characters are Ondine and her pet ferret Shambles, or Hamish in his human form. I like both of them, but there aren't much to discover. (You can see the picture to see what Shambles might be.) Ondine is a obedient daughter who helps her parents out at their restaurant. She is 15 years old and tends to swoon over handsome men. Shambles is cursed by Ondine's great aunt and has remained in his animal form for decades. Will the friendship between Ondine and Shambles evolve into something more passionate? Will Ondine fall in love with Shambles after seeing his oh-so-gorgeous human form?

Overall, this book is a fun read, it is quirky with a tinge of magic (Hamish changing back to his ferret form and vice versa). But somehow, I think it is more suitable for middle grade readers than young adults. I hope Ebony can focus on developing a better plot in her next book.

Rating:

I won an ARC of this book @ Becky's blog : The Bookette.

The decision to leave a career in journalism was a logical choice for Ebony. There wasn't enough time in the day to write the fictional stories she wanted to tell, against the factual that she had to tell. She followed her heart towards writing science fiction, romance and young adult adventures. Ebony now writes full time and lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and young son.

Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter
Ondine & Shambles on Facebook

Ondine: The Summer of Shambles is available at these places:
Amazon Canada
Amazon UK
Angus & Robertson Australia
Blackwell UK
Book Depository UK
Waterstone's UK
WH Smith UK