5 Mystery Picture Books for Kids

The antidote to a bored/disinterested reader?

It’s highly ironic that I’m sharing some of my favorite mystery picture books when I myself am not a huge fan of the genre. Grown-up mysteries pick at my two biggest weaknesses: impatience (I have no sense of delayed gratification when it comes to mysteries) and fear (some books are a little too intense or grisly for my tastes). So it’s very hard for me to voluntarily pick up a mystery.

Having said that, there’s no denying the appeal of this genre for ALL ages. Where I may not be as intrigued by the grown up book, I can’t say the same for children’s books. They’re the perfect length for my impatient curiosity and they come with pictures! What’s not to love?

I’ve found this genre to be notable in a few ways:

• It’s enticing to readers of all ages—it’s hard not to get sucked into the plot and the twists and turns that we encounter in this genre. This is true for people of all ages—kids and adults alike. Who has met a puzzle they don’t even attempt to solve? Which leads me to my next point…

• They are great examples of reading and critical thinking in parallel—is it even possible to read a mystery or thriller and not have every (reading) sense of our body constantly cataloging information and scanning for clues? I mean you could not find a better example of actively engaging with a text than with a mystery

• These books are addicting—not only do they grip you in the first few chapters, they don’t loosen their hold on you until the very last pages. And even then, you’re left wondering about the story many days later, reflecting on the clues you missed

Mysteries are hits with kids for all the same reasons they’re a hit with adults: they’re irresistible. I think it’s very telling that some of the most popular children’s book series are mysteries (The Boxcar Children, Magic Treehouse, etc). So if you’ve got a hungry reader, feed them these books. Or if you’ve got a reader who’s meh about reading, read them some of these titles!

Where Is The Cake?

Written and Illustrated by Tjong Khing The

Recommended Ages: 2+ years old

Entirely wordless, it’s up to the reader to pick up the story crumbs on every spread as we track cake thieves and observe the trials of other characters along the way. Not quite a wimmelbook—unless cake theft in the forest is a frequent occurrence for you!—it follows pretty closely in that we have numerous characters each with a story to tell. This is the type of book that can occupy the little ones and the big kids for long periods of time. A pair of thieves escape with a delicious cake but they’re pursued by the bears who made the cake. Chaos ensues as the pursuit entangles everyone they encounter in the chase. Illustrated with clean, crisp pencil artwork that is elegant in its simplicity which is key to following all the narrative threads woven together in this book. There’s a lovely balance of detail with all the characters and lots of negative space so it never feels overwhelming; just overwhelmingly enticing. Also, how can anyone resist the bizarre characters that make an appearance (aliens anyone?)?

Find it at your library

Miss Nelson Is Missing!

Written by Harry Allard and Illustrated by James Marshall

Recommended Ages: 4+ years old

If you’re new to the Miss Nelson stories, it’s a series of three books that are so much fun. Miss Nelson and her classroom are easy to love with all their eccentricities. Miss Nelson, a kind and gentle teacher, struggles with her class. The students don’t listen and do the exact opposite of what she requests. The next day instead of Miss Nelson, the substitute teacher, Miss Viola Swamp, shows up. If these pictures were animated, you’d be able to hear the students audibly gulp at the sight of her. Miss Swamp is the total opposite of Miss Nelson; where Miss Nelson is sweet, Miss Swamp is stern. Where Miss Nelson is forgiving, Miss Swamp is exacting. Put through the wringer, the students long for Miss Nelson’s return. They even end up going to the police detective and asking him to help them look for Miss Nelson. After several more days, the students show up to school one day and are so relieved to see their beloved Miss Nelson back. Where’s the mystery? Well, it’s up to us readers to figure out what exactly happened to Miss Nelson. The pencil and watercolor artwork is boisterous with its zany, exaggerated shapes and pops of bright, vivid color. There’s an inviting kookiness to the illustrations that makes this story that much more fun.

Buy now* | Find it at your library

The Mystery of Eatum Hall

Written by John Kelly and Illustrated by Cathy Tincknell

Recommended Ages: 6+ years old

A story told as much by pictures as it is by words, it runs on the edge of spookiness. One morning Horace and Glenda Pork-Fowler receive an invitation to dinner that very same evening at a neighboring estate, Eatum Hall, which has recently come under new ownership. The two set off, mildly spooked by the long, lonely way to Eatum Hall. But things aren’t as they seem. Upon their arrival, they enter the mansion to… nobody. It’s dark and quiet and there’s a sole letter awaiting them at the entry table. The owner, Mr. Hunter, apologizes for not being able to “meat” them and insists that they partake in the dinner as planned, assisted by robots to meet their every need, and encourages them to spend the night. Horace (enthusiastically) and Glenda (begrudgingly) accept. As we stay with the Pork-Fowlers, there’s an ominous, sinking feeling that something is afoot. And thus this thriller begins… Rest assured, it’s never grisly but nefarious intentions are front and center in this eerie tale. The illustrations are haunting and atmospheric. They are rife with hidden details and clues as to what might really be going on so pay attention! After all, Mr. and Mrs. Pork-Fowler’s life may depend on it.

Find it at your library

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

Written and Illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg

Recommended Ages: 7+ years old

I can’t say enough good things about this gorgeous book. A sort-of mystery with fourteen incomplete stories awaits readers packs a punch with artwork that eerily tells half the story. It’s imperative that you read the Introduction; do not skip! It sets the stage for the experience readers are about to embark on. A man, presumably, Harris Burdick, leaves a portfolio of his work with a children’s book publisher. Rather than giving the publisher all fourteen of his stories, Burdick leaves the publisher with a single illustration from each story and the title of each story. He lets the publisher know that he’ll stop by tomorrow with the complete stories the next day if the publisher likes what he sees so far. But the next day arrives and no Harris Burdick. He never returns to the publisher. So now we readers are left with this portfolio and try to piece together each of the stories ourselves. It’s a wonderful exercise in being creative and building plot from the clues in front of us (the title of each story, the story caption, and the sole illustration). And there’s just enough of an edge to get the mind racing. The artwork is deliciously spooky—wholesome in all appearances but takes on the tilt of something eerie the more you look at it.

Buy now* | Find it at your library

The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery

Written and Illustrated by Graeme Base

Recommended Ages: 7+ years old

An interesting cast of personalities gather to celebrate the eleventh birthday of one elephant named Horace. Horace sends an invitation to his friends to celebrate his eleventh birthday on the eleventh day of the eleventh month at, you guessed it, the eleventh hour. The motley crew of friends arrive at the designated date and time and can’t help but drool at the elaborate feast Horace has prepared for them. But Horace decrees that before the feast come the festivities. After a slew of (botched) party games, the guests return to the house for the much awaited meal. But, alas, there’s nothing left. Someone has eaten everything! But who? It’s up to us to figure it out.

There’s so much to love here, I’m not quite sure where to start! From the superlative rhyming text (FYI, you may stumble on a rhyme here or there if you don’t have an Australian accent) to the vivid Art Deco-esque illustrations to the intricately clued up interactive nature of the book, there’s a whole lot going on and yet everything melds together perfectly. There’s a sweetness to the book—after all, it’s about a celebration with friends—that’s so inviting you wish you could attend too. This is why the interactive elements are so satisfying (and they are not for the faint-hearted detective!)—it’s the closest we’ll get to being there ourselves.

One tiny pet peeve I did have was that the Bengal tiger (a species originally from India) came dressed as a Native American…? It was just a weird, bizarre culmination of different cultures (and honoring neither). This doesn’t really have any bearing on the story but it was an irritating detail I couldn’t overlook.

Buy Now* | Find it at your library

Let’s Talk…

• Do you like the mystery/thriller genre?

• What is your favorite mystery book or author?

• What was the first mystery you read?

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