Closed for the Season (2009)

Good mystery story and a good friendship book. The ending would make a great movie. ( )

I couldn't help but to think I was reading a Scooby Doo script when I first started this book: abandoned amusement park, a mysterty to be solved. But Hahn's characters are believable and interesting enough to make this a fun read. ( )

The weather-beaten sign on the gate of the Magic Forest says Closed For The Season. But when the boys ride up to the gate on their bikes, Arthur tells his new friend, Logan, that the old amusement park hasn't been open for years. Kudzu vines have grown over everything, making the park look sinister even in broad daylight, so Logan is reluctant to go inside, but Arthur urges him on. He's sure they'll discover important clues to the mystery they're trying to solve: Who killed Myrtle Donaldson? And what happened to the money she handled as head bookkeeper at the Magic Forest? Arthur and Logan's quest takes them to the lowest - and highest - levels of society in their small Virginia town. The boys must pay another visit to the Magic Forest, this time in the middle of the night. And this time they find the killer waiting for them among the shadowy kudzu vines. ( )

IM kinda disapointed with Mary. usually I get into her books as soon as I pick it up i read this on and off for a year. ( )

Logan and his family have just moved into an old, rundown house next door to Arthur, a strange kid with no friends. Initially hesitant to socialize with someone who might jeopardize his chances of popularity at a new school, Logan eventually becomes partners-in-crime-solving with Arthur. Together, the unlikely pair tries to make sense of the unexplained death of Mrs. Donaldson, the former occupant of Logan’s home. As the boys scramble from the library to an abandoned amusement park to piece together the mysterious clues, there are people in the town who would rather Mrs. Donaldson’s death go unsolved. A suspenseful read to the end, Closed for the Season is ideal for reluctant readers or mystery fans. Some of the references to today’s teen culture seem forced and awkward, but the overall movement and dialogue of the novel is solid and relatable. Recommended. For ages 8-12. ( )