Once upon a time, in a small town, there was a strange old house at the end of the street. All the kids were scared to go near it. One day, a curious boy named Tom decided to explore. As he entered, he heard a faint whispering. He followed the sound and found a locked door. Behind that door, he later discovered, was a collection of old toys that seemed to have a life of their own. They were left there by a magician long ago, and their magic still lingered.
Start with an interesting and simple mystery. Make the characters fun and relatable for kids. Use easy language and short chapters to keep them engaged.
The neighborhood kids had always been curious about the big, locked shed in Mr. Thompson's yard. One day, they heard some strange noises coming from it. A group of kids, led by Sarah, decided to find out what was inside. They tried to peek through the cracks but couldn't see much. They finally asked Mr. Thompson, and he showed them that it was just his old collection of antique radios that sometimes made strange noises when the wind blew through the ventilation.
One of the most popular characters is Sherlock Holmes in the adapted kids' versions of his stories. His brilliant deductive reasoning is fascinating for kids. Then there's Trixie Belden. She's a spunky girl detective who often teams up with her friends to solve mysteries. Also, the Famous Five characters - Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog. They have great adventures and solve many mysteries together.
One interesting kids mystery story is 'The Secret of the Old Clock' by Carolyn Keene. It follows Nancy Drew as she solves the mystery of a missing will. Another is 'The Boxcar Children' series. The four orphaned children live in an abandoned boxcar and solve various mysteries in their new town. And 'Encyclopedia Brown' is also great. Leroy Brown, known as Encyclopedia, solves cases using his vast knowledge.
Vintage kids mystery novels often have relatable young protagonists. For example, in 'Nancy Drew' books, Nancy is a teenage girl which makes it easy for girl readers to identify with her. They also usually have a clear mystery to solve, like finding a missing item or uncovering a secret in a spooky old house.
There are quite a few great kids mystery novels. 'The Boxcar Children' is a classic. In this series, a group of orphaned children find a boxcar to live in and often end up in the middle of various mysteries. Then there's 'Cam Jansen' where the main character has a photographic memory which helps her solve mysteries. 'Encyclopedia Brown' is also very popular, with a boy detective solving cases in his neighborhood.
Some kids mystery novels that are worth reading include 'Chasing Vermeer' by Blue Balliett. It combines art and mystery in an interesting way. The story involves a stolen Vermeer painting and two kids trying to solve the mystery. 'The Case of the Missing Marquess' which is the first in the 'Enola Holmes' series. Enola is Sherlock Holmes' younger sister and she has her own detective skills, and the book is full of exciting mystery - solving.
One interesting mystery kids story is 'The Secret of the Old Attic'. In this story, a group of kids discovers a hidden diary in the attic that leads them on a journey to solve a decades - old mystery about a missing family heirloom. Another is 'The Mysterious Footprints'. Kids find strange footprints in their backyard that seem to belong to no known animal, and they embark on an adventure to figure out what made them. And then there's 'The Haunted Schoolyard', where kids at school experience spooky happenings and they have to find out the truth behind the hauntings.