Monster Maker (Solve Your Own Mystery 1) by Gareth P. Jones

What worked:

These kinds of books allow young readers to control their reading experiences. The narrative asks them to make decisions as the story unfolds, and their choices direct them to different pages. This book indicates there are three possible endings, but there are many alternate pathways to arrive. The book’s format allows, even encourages, readers to reread the story while making different decisions. Every few pages offer choices, creating frequent breaks for young readers needing to stop. Reluctant readers also feel like they’re making visible progress at these spots without getting overwhelmed by the book’s length. Skipping to other pages makes young readers feel good. Humor is another attractive asset, along with the black-and-white illustrations in each chapter.

This particular mystery describes the theft of a monster-making machine, and readers are Detective Klaus Solstaag’s assistant. Klaus is a large yeti, and the client, Dr. Franklefink, is the only human in the story. Monsters don’t trust humans or bald characters. The theft occurred when the doctor held a birthday party for his son, whom he had created nine years earlier. The primary suspects are the parents of the kids attending the party, although Franklefink is convinced that a bald vampire must have done it. Klaus knows he can’t dismiss any suspects and must follow clues to identify the guilty party.

What didn’t work as well:

The story doesn’t end once a guilty person is identified. More information leads to further reading until the monster maker is finally retrieved. This situation isn’t necessarily bad, but it moves the plot further along than readers may anticipate. Also, there’s not a great deal of character development and story description, but that’s to be expected in this type of book.

The final verdict:

These kinds of books are fun to read, since the format is so different. Young or reluctant readers aren’t used to skipping pages, but making choices is empowering. Overall, I recommend you try this book for yourself.