HOME SCHOOL BOOK REVIEW
Book: The Creepy Computer Mystery
Author: Elizabeth Levy
Illustrator: Denise Brunkus
Publisher: Fitzgerald Books, republished in 2007
ISBN-13: 978-1590545348 (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1590545346 (Hardcover)
ISBN-13: 978-0590603225 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0590603221 (Paperback)
Language level: 1
(1=nothing objectionable; 2=common euphemisms and/or childish slang terms; 3=some cursing or profanity; 4=a lot of cursing or profanity; 5=obscenity and/or vulgarity)
Reading level: Ages: 4 – 8 years
Rating: ***** 5 stars (EXCELLENT)
Reviewed by Wayne S. Walker
Disclosure: Any books donated for review purposes are in turn donated to a library. No other compensation has been received for the reviews posted on Home School Book Review.
For more information e-mail homeschoolbookreview@gmail.com .
Levy, Elizabeth. The Creepy Computer Mystery (published in 1996 by Cartwheel). In this Hello, Reader! Level 4, which is No. 4 in the “Invisible Inc.” series, three friends, Chip, Charlene, and Justin, who call themselves “Invisible Inc.” (or Invisible Ink) must solve a mystery when they receive a cryptic e-mail. Their school is invited to an online author chat with famous writer U. B. Spooks. They can see the messages from other schools, but their messages aren’t getting through. Since they missed out on a chance to visit with the author, the children of Invisible Inc. decide to earn money to bring Spooks to their school by selling computer made greeting cards and invitations.
However, someone is suddenly replacing the invitations to parties, and the mysterious message “Invitation to Doom!” is appearing instead. The young detectives, who were first introduced in The Schoolyard Mystery (Invisible Inc., No. 1), must uncover the identity of the anonymous writer. Who is responsible for the scary messages? How will the team of Invisible Inc. earn enough money to bring an author to their school? Will they solve The Creepy Computer Mystery? The book introduces some of the concepts and expressions of the burgeoning online world for youngsters.
Elizabeth Levy, who has also written Something Queer at the Ball Park, Something Queer at the Haunted School, and The Cool Ghoul Mystery, has at least four other books in the “Invisible Inc.” series: The Mystery of the Missing Dog (Invisible Inc., No. 2); The Snack Attack Mystery (Invisible Inc., No. 3); The Karate Class Mystery (Invisible Inc., No. 5); and Parents’ Night Fright (Invisible Inc No. 6). These kinds of stories are very engaging and easy for beginners to read on their own but they will also have them asking contextual questions. They are a great way to foster kids’ love of reading while transitioning away from books with illustrations on every page. Therefore, they are recommended for children who are reading chapter books and ready to learn harder words.
homeschoolbookreviewblog 