Sleuth & Solve: 20+ Mind-Twisting Mysteries

In Escandell’s visual adaptations of mini mysteries by Gallo, quirky cartoons flesh out brief descriptions of curious goings-on. Encouraging readers to make a game out of solving the puzzlers (“as a family,” “in teams,” or “by yourself”), the creators rank them by difficulty (though the criteria seem somewhat random), awarding commensurate points for the correct answers. Each puzzle is also labeled as requiring either logic or imagination to solve, though the line between those two classifications tends to blur. There are some cleverly concocted conundrums (Why did a man who neglected to turn on his light at bedtime confess his guilt to the police?), while others are inanely unconvincing (Was it a family member or the gardener who killed a man in his mansion?). The exaggerated, caricatured style results in a few images that veer toward cultural stereotype, particularly in “The Sultan’s Successor.” An uneven assemblage of not-so-challenging brainteasers. Ages 8–up. [em](Aug.) [/em]