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    The Children's Book Review

    The Case of the Crying Signpost | Dedicated Review

    Dr. Jen HarrisonBy Dr. Jen Harrison3 Mins Read Ages 9-12 Mysteries Novels for Kids and Teens
    The Case of the Crying Signpost Dedicated Review
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    Book Review of The Case of the Crying Signpost
    Sponsored* | All opinions are our own
    The Children’s Book Review

    The Case of the Crying Signpost: Book Cover

    The Case of the Crying Signpost

    Written by Tom Xavier

    Ages 9+ | 225 Pages

    Publisher: Saguaro Books | ISBN-13: 9798361863372

    What to Expect: Friendship, disability, ghosts, African American culture, and overcoming fear.

    Set against the historical backdrop of segregated 1930s New Orleans and suffused with the sounds, sights, and voices of a past era, The Case of the Crying Signpost offers noir-style detective fiction packaged just right for the middle-grade classroom.

    Nelly’s mom is a famous pilot, and her dad is a steamship captain, so Nelly’s fear of heights and preference for reading over adventure disappoints them. Still, Nelly is pretty sure that when they suggest she be a bit more adventurous, what they don’t have in mind is an unplanned trip to New Orleans in the company of a six-inch tall, saxophone-playing Scotland Yard detective.

    Detective Tim Morcombe needs Nelly’s help to search for a woman kidnapped by ghosts. Together, Nelly and Tim will face witches, villains, and other things much scarier than flying—and along the way, she’ll learn a few things about taking risks.

    Nelly is an engaging narrator with a lively personality, and the story packs a lot of adventure into a short space. Short chapters and age-appropriate language help keep the story accessible while stretching readers to consider new words and challenging concepts—including how history continues to impact our lives today.

    The Case of the Crying Signpost is exciting, instructive, and enjoyable—great for young mystery, history, and ghost-story fans.

    Buy the Book
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    About the Author

    As a writer, Tom Xavier loves imagining wondrous worlds with rich characters. His goal is to tell exciting stories with life lessons for young readers. His first book, Dark Curses, Faerie Dreams, introduces middle-grade readers to a race of Woodsy Trolls who know trees, animals, and birds, and who live in harmony with nature. The book was a Mom’s Choice Awards Gold Seal recipient, a Book Excellence Awards Finalist, and a Royal Dragonfly Book Awards second-place winner in Middle Grade Fiction.

    His second book, Neffatira’s First Challenge, chronicles the adventures of a 14-year-old   girl from small-town Iowa who discovers she is not bi-racial as she always believed, but is, in fact, bi-universe. Kirkus Reviews describes the story as a “rousing series opener with equal portions of action and social commentary.”

    Tom’s newest creation, The Case of the Crying Signpost, is the kind of story Tom loves to write—a novel of cultural and personal discovery inside a fast-paced adventure. Kirkus Reviews calls it “a worthy whodunit.”

    For more information, visit http://www.tom-xavier.com/.

    Tom Xavier: Author Headshot

    Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of The Case of the Crying Signpost. Learn more about getting a book review …

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    ABCmouse 30-Day Trial + Starter Pack! 728x90
    Dedicated Review Detective Books Disabilities Fears Friendship Ghosts Middle Grade Books Mysteries Mystery Saguaro Books LLC Tom Xavier
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    Dr. Jen Harrison
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    Dr. Jen Harrison provides writing and research services as the CEO of Read.Write.Perfect. She completed her Ph.D. in Children’s and Victorian Literature at Aberystwyth University in Wales, in the UK. After a brief spell in administration, Jen then trained as a secondary school English teacher and worked for several years teaching Secondary School English, working independently as a private tutor of English, and working in nursery and primary schools. She has been an editor for the peer-reviewed journal of children’s literature, Jeunesse, and has published academic work on children’s non-fiction, YA speculative fiction, and the posthuman.

    1 Comment

    1. Dorothy on March 17, 2023 10:43 am

      This seem like such a fun interesting story. Do anyone have any more books recommendations to give to me that I can read?

      Reply

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