The 13th Clue

From Publishers Weekly Jonas ( Round Trip ) provides several unusual twists and turns in this visually engaging mystery, once again displaying her penchant for unorthodox formats. An ignored birthday girl's disappointed diary entry is interrupted--"That's funny. The light just went on!"--setting into motion a string of clues that require the reader to spin the book into a variety of positions. Inanimate objects (extension cords, mown grass, garments on a clothesline) form letters and words when viewed from a particular angle. No characters appear in this virtually textless book until its surprise ending; but the protagonist's shadow falling across each spread reveals the proper perspective from which to view the clues. Scrambled letters, mirror writing and rebus add to the sleuthing fun. Jonas's large-scale, full-toned watercolors function as both word and image, cleverly couching hints amid the scenery. In this mystery-adventure, the hunt is more enjoyable than the (somewhat predictable) treasure. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Grade 1-3-- From the large magnifying glass on the front cover to the collage cutouts on the back, Jonas's latest work is an open invitation for young mystery fans. Beginning with a diary entry of a child complaining about her terrible day, the book leads the protagonist (and readers) on a merry chase from the attic to the backyard, across the pond, through the woods and up a hill where a surprise birthday party awaits her. Although the foreshadowing of the surprise in the opening diary entry seems a bit obvious, children will be immediately captivated by the clever clues that form the main part of the text. As she did with animals in The Trek (Greenwillow, 1985) , Jonas has worked the messages inventively into the motif of each scene; in a particularly brilliant stroke, the words of one clue are created by the laundry hanging on the line. To entice readers even further, some hints are written backwards, others upside down, and still others as a rebus. The strong natural tones used in portraying the lush woods, the craggy stone wall, and the mossy pond form a definite contrast to the bright primary colors found in the party scene and in the closing diary entry. It is also interesting to watch the protagonist evolve from a mere hint of a shadow to a full portrait of a young girl as the story progresses. Although the book could be shared with small groups, it will work best one-on-one since some of the clues are rather difficult to decipher from a distance. In any case, it will have wide appeal for would-be detectives who will be inspired to try their hand at designing their own clues, and it should also be an effective choice for reluctant readers. A guaranteed-to-please selection that deserves a spot in any collection.