Maisy and the Money Marauder

The Maisy Files #2

by Elizabeth Woodrum

Everyone's favorite fourth-grade detective is back!

Maisy steps back into her black and white mystery world when someone begins stealing lunch money at West Valley Elementary. With her fedora hat, notebook, and a little help from her best friend, Maisy follows the clues to catch the thief, whom she names The Money Marauder. But, as the case develops, Maisy is stumped by the ever growing list of suspects. With a cherry lollipop in hand, Maisy is determined to solve the case. Follow Maisy into her world of mystery and discover the identity of The Money Marauder.

Genres: Mystery, Childrens

89 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2015

About the author

Elizabeth Woodrum is a full time elementary teacher in Ohio. She began writing as early as when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children's series, is the first series that she has published.

As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks.

Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently resides near Dayton, Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup.

Reviews

[Anne Bollmann (Annelise Lestrange) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally posted on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange :)

I received this copy from Lola's Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review. Let's go :D

Goodreads' Blurb
Everyone's favorite fourth-grade detective is back!

Maisy steps back into her black and white mystery world when someone begins stealing lunch money at West Valley Elementary. With her fedora hat, notebook, and a little help from her best friend, Maisy follows the clues to catch the thief, whom she names The Money Marauder. But, as the case develops, Maisy is stumped by the ever growing list of suspects. With a cherry lollipop in hand, Maisy is determined to solve the case. Follow Maisy into her world of mystery and discover the identity of The Money Marauder.


The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)

The Maisy Files is one of those series in which each book gets better than the last. I enjoyed this volume way better than the last, as Maisy is even more clever and good humored. Also, we get to know the people around her more and her best friend, Veronica, starts working on cases with her. It was really good and entertaining, a perfect read not only for preteens, but for everyone :) Five stars!

Maisy and the Money Marauder follows the narrative style from the last volume: third person styled, from Maisy’s point of view. Woodrum’s writing style improved a lot without losing its appeal to children. With a simple vocabulary and cute lessons, it stole my heart, haha!

The plot is still very simple, don’t start reading it expecting a clever mystery, but it was nice to see Maisy asking Veronica for help and to lead an investigation with the help of her friends. Also, Woodrum never writes a book with only one problem for Maisy to solve, which is awesome.

On characters’ matters, it was good to see how Maisy got better as a detective and to know more about the people around her. I liked the time we pass with Veronica, as she is really a child in the good sense of that: she makes jokes, she gets nervous for no reason while investigating, everything. She balances Maisy’s mature nature :)

On a bonus point, I learned the meaning of the word “marauder”, which I didn’t know before reading this book, haha! The perks of not being a native English speaker is to still be amazed at some word or another as you read =D

Anyway, if you are searching for a good children’s book for any reason, pick up this series. It’s perfect <3

And yes, you are not delirious, this is the end of this review :) Pretty short by my standards, I know, but I’m trying to be more objective on reviews, haha! Which totally didn’t work on my last ones, but I won’t give up. Thanks to you for reading this review and thanks again to Lola’s Blog Tours for my copies of The Maisy Files series! <3 I loved reading this series!

[Patrick Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been introduced to the intrepid preteen gumshoe Maisy Sawyer in Elizabeth Woodrum's book "Maisy and the Missing Mice" and loving her to little pieces, I couldn't wait to plow into Maisy's second adventure, "Maisy and the Money Marauder".

Following right on the heels of her first case, Maisy springs into action when she discovers that some of her schoolmates' milk money has been pilfered from their lockers. Who dares to solve such a perplexing mystery? Well, Maisy, of course!

With her trademark fedora on top of her head and a pocketful of cherry lollipops at hand, Maisy scours the school for clues in a way that would make Sherlock Holmes proud. I continue to admire that Woodrum writes these stories in such a way that Maisy actually figures stuff out on her own rather than just stumbling upon the answer or having it handed to her, and the way her world dissolves into the black-and-white tones of an old detective movie are both endearing and charming.

Well done, Ms. Woodrum. Well done. More Maisy, please! The middle-grader inside me wants more!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Students start noticing that some of their change is going missing. So Maisy is on the case again, this time with the help of her friend! Once again, this story teaches good morals and even a few definitions. Perfect book for children who love mysteries and a read that parents can feel safe choosing. You can enjoy it even as an adult, like me. I love the changes in color as she solves the case and how much she loves cherry lollipops because cherry is my favorite too.

[Bookschatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maisy and the Money Marauder is the second book in the Maisy Files series by Elizabeth Woodrum. The author's voice comes through very strongly throughout her third person narrative, you can tell that she is a teacher and I could envisage how well this story would have worked in her (or any other) classroom - I mean it... I could actually hear her voice as I was reading it... or what I pictured her voice to be. I know that sounds weird, but that is how it went!

The book is fun but also educational, working on building vocabulary. The main character, Maisy, is quirky with her love for noir detective movies, which influences the way her brain works whilst she is investigating a case - everything turns to black and white as in the old movies she so loves. She also dons a fedora hat and loves cherry lollipops (again... my brain could not help but picturing Telly Savalas and Kojak here... which is a little odd when associated with a fourth grader...)

Unfortunately as the story drew to a close I began to find Maisy rather dislikeable, as to me she began to look more and more like a rather smug selfish child. Her motivation to investigate these cases was not a sense of justice, but rather a need to get praises and cherry lollipops. In particular, this story could have had a truly positive and altruistic resolution; Maisy could have understood the perpetrators and helped the others, the adults, do the same and organise something truly great, supporting each other and encouraging community spirit. However, this was not the resolution we were presented with. I found the ending rather bitter and selfish, and not as educational as it had the potential to be.

[ARC received from the author]

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisy is on another case, and with cherry lollipops as the reward, she's bound determine to solve it. This story takes off with the aftermath of wrapping up her case in book number one, Maisy and the Missing Mice. But even if a reader decides to start with this story, book 2, it's no problem. They'll quickly be sucked into Maisy world without the feeling that they really missed much.

Although the first chapters didn't have much to do with the new mystery, they did give insight into Maisy as a character. Once the mystery got going, it was easy to stay with her from one page to the next. The clues are cleverly placed, and Maisy's detective solving system is lined out - a great way for beginning detective to know how to approach their own mysteries.

The writing is great for kids this age, although the plot and wording suits the younger side of the suggested audience ages - 6 to 9. I especially liked the introduction of a couple more difficult words like marauder and found the entire mystery true to life. Kids will understand how the clues fit together and have no trouble following Maisy's logic. But that doesn't mean this case is easy-oh no! A few well placed twists and turns make the outcome a true mystery.

Summed up, this is a nice story for younger readers, and they'll soon be copying Maisy's detective techniques and solving their own exciting cases.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynda Dickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maisy Sawyer is a fourth grader who loves solving mysteries. When she's on a case she literally sees things in black and white, like an old movie. And her fee? Why, cherry lollipops, of course!

This book follows straight on from Maisy's previous adventure. It's the following Monday and Maisy returns to school expecting a reward of her favorite cherry lollipops for solving the case of the missing mice. She learns a new word in class - "marauder" (someone who steals) - and decides to use it in her next case, which just happens to come up at lunch time when the lunch money of a few third graders goes missing. When Maisy starts seeing things in black and white she knows she's got a case! Then some money goes missing from Maisy's own fourth grade classroom. Could the money marauder be one of her own classmates? There are a few clues and a few suspects for Maisy to consider. But could there possibly be more than one marauder involved?

This time, Maisy's friend Veronica gives her a hand, providing some comic relief and being of vital assistance to Maisy because she can see in color! The story is full of unimportant (or are they?) details that flesh out Maisy as a character. On the down side, the writing is a bit stilted, and there is a bit of repetition and rehashing of the previous case. It's too much for those who have read the previous book and probably not enough for those who haven't. I feel the series would work better as totally independent stories (although I can already see the next installment coming - Maisy and the Missing Meat perhaps?). I was also a bit concerned about the resolution of this case; Maisy has a good opportunity of coming up with an altruistic reward rather than accepting more cherry lollipops when she already has a locker full of them.

Still, this is an entertaining read for its intended audience, with a nice blend of comedy and mystery.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...

[Sarah Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

Maisy and the Money Marauder by Elizabeth Woodrun is a book written for children between the ages of seven to twelve. The story, recounted by fourth-grader Maisy, consists of fifteen chapters of varying lengths, but none too long to be read by a child at one sitting. The first, which runs to less than five hundred words, lets Maisy introduce herself. It establishes her as an only child, with a pet dog, who loves old monochrome mystery movies featuring detectives whom she seeks to emulate. Any questions readers of the first book in the series might have are answered in a way that intrigues, rather than cluttering the text with too much detail.

West Valley Elementary School exists, or it does for the time it takes to read Elizabeth Woodrun’s book, Maisy and the Money Marauder.
Maisy lives: she’s likeable, different, and yet not too perfect; she struggles with arithmetic. The crime she is determined to solve is petty theft but the girl she suspects is the perpetrator does have a reason to steal, though Ms Woodrun ensures readers will be left in no doubt that theft is wrong. I particularly enjoyed the clever use of Maisy’s detective personae, complete with homburg hat, and the way her deductions, made from the clues she finds, lead her onwards. The majority of the vocabulary is within that with which most seven year olds and up could cope and the word “marauder”, which is likely to be new, is explained: both the meaning and how to pronounce it. Maisy and the Money Marauder cannot fail to entertain and encourage independent reading for pleasure and any parent can download it with confidence.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

* 4. 5 Stars from Mother Daughter Book Reviews *

Hot on the heels of solving the case of The Missing Mice, Maisy is on a new case and this time, she has to find the “marauder” responsible for swiping coins from children’s lunch money. In a style reminiscent of old “film noir”, Maisy systematically collects clues by interviewing victims, examining the scene of the crime, and taking careful notes, all with her favorite cherry lollipop tucked behind her ear. However, the case turns out to be more complex than it first seems, when Maisy discovers why the money was stolen. I can see that this case in particular would make for a very interesting classroom discussion around ethics and decision-making.

If you enjoyed Maisy and the Missing Mice, you will find that Maisy and the Money Marauder continues along in the same vein with lovable Maisy who is known throughout the school as a great detective who literally works for cherry-flavored lollipops; an age-appropriate mystery with simple clues children can piece together along the way; and terrific writing that will easily maintain children’s attention throughout the wonderful story. I highly recommend The Maisy Files mysteries by Elizabeth Woodrum as read-aloud books or for independent readers looking for a quick read. Ages 5 to 12.

* I received a copy of this book free-of-charge from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

[J.C. Wing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something is awry at West Valley Elementary School. A group of students from Mrs. Bellamy’s third grade class are missing some of their lunch money. The money marauder is leaving a trail of glitter behind, and fourth grader Maisy is determined to find the culprit.

This is Elizabeth Woodrum’s second Maisy mystery. It’s obvious when reading both of her books that she is a teacher and spends a great deal of time with children. Her writing is clear and precise, her prose heading from the beginning straight to the finish line. While she takes the reader on an engaging trip, there is no wandering throughout the story. That is not to say, however, that the writing is simplistic. Woodrum is creative and adds details that make her story rich without making it unnecessarily thick.

Maisy is a highly imaginative child. While solving a case she often sees the world around her as if she’s in an old black and white detective movie. She wears a fedora and is rarely without her favorite cherry lollipops. She’s a heroine brimming with character, and Woodrum writes her incredibly well. As an adult I thoroughly enjoyed getting to the bottom of the missing lunch money at West Valley Elementary School. I have no doubt Woodrum will easily capture and hold the interest of her target audience.

Way to go, Maisy! I can’t wait to read about your next case.

[BookLoversLife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisy is back with another mystery happening in the school. She dives back into her detective mode when lunch money is being taken from students. Along with her best friend, she needs to figure out who the culprit is and get her cherry lollipop reward.

Once again, Maisy makes for a great heroine. She is smart, brave and above a else, really fair and kind. This mystery in particular will pull on the heart strings. The reason behind the theft becomes apparent but Maisy treats the culprit kindly though doesn't let them get away with it.

My son enjoyed this but not as much as the first. He said it didn't have the same clues or mystery that the first had. I thought the same myself. This just didn't have the same feel as book 1. It wasn't as exciting nor as engrossing. Saying that though, it was still a really great read for him and he is excited about seeing what else Maisy gets up to. It's a fun and interesting series and one all kids will enjoy.

Reba Buhr once again, sounded a little too high pitched and forced for the performance. I would of liked her to be a little more natural.

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisy’s friend Veronica has found her a new case. Some of the girls in the lunch line had been missing money. Not enough money to really be suspicious but when several students are missing money Maisy knows something is up.

Maisy is a lot of fun and she really enjoys being a detective. She is also really good at finding clues and putting them together to find the culprit. I really enjoyed this and it’s great for young readers.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator is good. The only problem I had was there was this loud ding at the end or maybe beginning of each chapter. If I would have had my earphones on it would have hurt my ears, but I happened to be just listening to it on my phone without my ears in. :) I don’t think it needs that nasty ding in there it’s just annoying. Other than that the audio is good and the narrator I thought did a better job this go around. Narrated by Reba Buhr.

[Tina at Mommynificent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the series is just as enjoyable as the first! A fun mystery, in the vein of Encyclopedia Brown, written at about a 3rd or 4th grade level, but enjoyable enough for mom to read on her own! My favorite part of this series is how Maisy retreats into an old-fashioned black and white world when she goes into her detective mode, complete with fedora and type writer. I also like how some of Maisy's every-day life is included in the book, even when it doesn't necessarily advance the plot. My kids really like these sections that make Maisy feel like a friend who has chores to do at home and whose thoughts zoom around randomly sometimes just like theirs do. I highly recommend this book for any young readers in your life! My 8-year old has already read it through from cover to cover five times in our first week of having it.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Mystery Story !!!

I am nine years old and I liked this book because it was interesting and fun to read. I thought it was funny that Maisy had a celebratory lollipop behind her ear when she went to solve the case. Sooo wish I had celebratory lollipop for every time I finished my homework. =)

I really like that when Maisy was on a case, the world would be in black and white. I had so much fun trying to find out who did it. I didn’t think that the marauders would’ve been who they were and it really surprised me.

ʘʘ
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The story was soooo interesting and exciting that I read this all in one go, just like the first time I read the other Maisy Files book. I can’t wait to read another one of Maisy’s mysteries and I hope you have a supercalifragilistic day of fun when you read this too.

[Mave · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

It 's an interesting and fun children's book .
The protagonist is Maisy, a fourth-grade girl who loves to investigate and solve mysteries, the only reward she wants is cherry lollipops. She has just solved a case finding mice school mascot that had been stolen but it has suffered a new one: some children are stolen money for lunch. Maisy with her friend Veronica tries to find the culprit.
Maisy is a smart girl, funny, adorable, determined that investigates with a small notebook, a pencil and a lollipops behind the ear.
It's the second book of the series "The Maisy Files": can be read as a standalone but maybe reading the first volume makes this story more engaging.
I think any child would be happy to read it
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all this is a self-published book which I am super duper happy about.
This trilogy is also a middle grade series which I enjoyed.
I loved how all of the characters had a flow to them, they had a plot, and they had internal and external battles.
The setting of this book was amazing and the whole plot of all of these books flowed perfectly.
The writing was also perfect for little children as it provided correct grammar and a story without making it to adult, yet there was some tiny key things that were in there that didn’t stray away from it being a middle grade book.
The pacing of the story is one main thing that I would change to make it a little faster but besides that I really enjoyed this book trilogy.
All-in-All I really enjoyed this book series but by now means it it my favorite.
I give all three book 4/5 stars.

[Andrex · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a regular school day for fourth grader, Maisy. In Language Arts the new word of the day is 'marauder'. Maisy has been expecting a reward to solving the mystery of the missing mice (Bk1). What will it be?

This book is a little slow in getting to the current mystery. A few girls are missing some of their lunch money. Maisy finds glitter in some of the lockers? Will that lead her to the perpetrator? Maisy's world is one of black and white when she is detecting. Can she discover not only who is stealing the money but why?

This short story is a fun one for independent reader. Maisy is a likable character. I purchased this book for my Kindle. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so. Thanks, Liz

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Maisy is back! Who took the missing lunch money?

This is another fun, little mystery, even though I found it hard to believe that elementary kids would be that anal as to realize that they’d be missing fifteen cents. Who keeps count of that, really? Well, there was definitely a lot of math involved, which kids would be able to relate.

This one, however, started off a little slower as it kept rehashing the case of the missing mice from the last book. We didn’t really get to the money until about 20 pages in.

But it’s still a fun and quick mystery nonetheless. Maisy is such an observant and inquisitive kid.

[Sally Wilsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maisy is at it again with a new mystery to solve. This time it is in her classroom. Someone is stealing some of the other students lunch money. Just a little dimes, quarters and pennies. But once again Maisy is on the case with her little black and white film playing as she solves it. In this book Maisy has a sidekick. Veronica her best friend helps her. Maisy will do anything to solve the case for those cherry lollipops. The author is thoughtful and witty. I love the Maisy books can't wait to read the next one.
I received this review in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was as fun to read as the first. The author maintains her style and our interest. Although I am too old to be a 3rd Grader, I can easily forget where I am and find myself twisting my nose to math problems. Just like Maisy easily changes the color of her world into black and white, like her old movies.

I wish Maisy was around, I never know who keeps eating my chocolates.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maisy loves watching black and white detective shows. and when she is on a case everything is in many tones of gray. Enjoyed reading this story and seeing how Maisy solves the mystery.

[Beth Rodgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Maisy and the Money Marauder' by Elizabeth Woodrum is the second of three books in 'The Maisy Files' series. Having already read the first in the series, 'Maisy and the Missing Mice,' I had a good idea what Maisy was capable of in her work as a fourth-grade sleuth. I loved how the story also continued on with the idea of Maisy seeing her crime-solving world in black and white. The fact that she wears a fedora as she proceeds with her investigation only lends more character to the story, creating a film noir-esque image within the writing.

Along with her best friend and fellow friend of mystery and intrigue, Veronica, Maisy sets out to figure out who, if anyone, may be stealing students' lunch money at her school. She has her ideas, but they sometimes seem farfetched, especially those that involve kids who don't even go to her school. But the clues still lead her in the direction of a person she doesn't know whether she should really suspect, and she hastens to figure out how that person may be connected to others who attend her elementary school.

Needless to say, Maisy does crack the case, her love of cherry lollipops still as evident through this case as it was when she was searching for the missing mice in the first installment in 'The Maisy Files.' It was also nice how the story started out just after the first case was solved, and that case actually figured into figuring out who the mystery marauder might actually be. It was a great idea to include the definition of the term “marauder” in the story as well, since Maisy and her class were reading a book about pirates and had to learn new vocabulary, including this word. It's always nice when an educational aspect can make its way into writing that some figure is meant solely to entertain. That enlightenment factor is ever important and should never be taken for granted, as Elizabeth Woodrum has made perfectly evident in her storytelling.

Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen,' A Young Adult Novel

[Wattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Why I read it: After reading the first novel, Maisy and the Missing Mice, I dived straight into the second book.

My Thoughts: This is a direct continuation of the first book. We start with the mice being returned and Maisy earning her cherry flavoured reward, but it's not long until she has another case!

Someone has been stealing small amounts of money from students in the third and fourth grades. With one small, sparkly clue to go on, Maisy is determined to find out who the thief is; this time with help from her best friend, Veronica.

I loved the interactions between Maisy and Veronica in this one. The latter wants to help but she isn't really sure how to at first, but soon they find their groove and work together to solve the case. I also like how the reader discovers the clues along with the characters, we know what they know.

This was another short and sweet read. I thought the message was again a very good one - doing the wrong thing for the right reason, doesn't make it right (at least, that's my take on it!)

In just a few short pages, Elizabeth Woodrum has created a fun story for all ages - there's a start, a middle and and an end. Nothing felt rushed and the pacing and writing were once again great.

In Brief: Another fun mystery read from Elizabeth Woodrum! This is a short and sweet series of books that would be great for kids of all ages (and some adults too!)

[SheReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maisy is just freakin' adorable. If I had a child, I'd want her to read these books and then be just like our favorite junior detective.

This book picks up right where the first one left off - after Maisy solved the case of the rats and also of the missing tip jar. It's not long before she has a new case. Her classmates start to notice missing lunch money and she's off to discover what is happening to it - along with her best friend Veronica (has me wondering if she's named after a certain Veronica Mars).

It's safe to say that Maisy has the support of the entire school - they all seem to love her detective antics. I wish there had been a kid like that at my school.

My favorite thing about this book, since it's for a younger audience, is that there's nothing sinister about the thefts. As in book 1, the culprit has an honestly good reason for doing it and feels bad for what they've done once they're caught. They are not "bad kids" and Maisy doesn't treat them as such. She's just happy to collect her suckers and move on to her next case.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisy has a fondness for truly old classic detective movies, black and white being the best. She has made a name for herself among her peers and teachers as a worthy detective herself.
She carries a Fedora and notebook in her backpack. This second book in the series begins immediately following her success solving the mice mystery. When she focuses hard on clues, her world fades to shades of grays.

This series will appeal to both boys and girls in upper elementary grades.
I enjoyed the pirate references and how effortlessly vocabulary lessons were worked into the story. There is even some painless math. The clues were fun to follow.
I am sure more mysteries will grab Maisy's attention.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.

Maisy is in the fourth grade and has decided to be a detective. She even has a fedora and a handy notebook always on her person. She has already solved one case and she stumbles onto another one a couple of days later.

Maisy and the Money Marauder is a cute story. It also, cleverly, includes some words and their definitions. I understand why everything turned black and white when Maisy was on a case, but it made the story a little odd to me because it was mentioned so often.

I think children in the 3rd and 4th grades would enjoy reading the Maisy stories.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great mystery book for the youngsters! This book will keep them guessing from start to end. I doubt they will be able to put it down easily! So parents beware... no chores and bedtimes are out the door with this read! Well balanced and gives them a author that they will enjoy reading from!


*Received for an honest review*

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was as fun to read as the first. The author maintains her style and our interest. Although I am too old to be a 3rd Grader, I can easily forget where I am and find myself twisting my nose to math problems. Just like Maisy easily changes the color of her world into black and white, like her old movies.

I wish Maisy was around, I never know who keeps eating my chocolates.

[Mical · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for younger readers.