The Curse of the Ancient Mask and Other Case Files

Saxby Smart, Private Detective #1

by Simon Cheshire, R.W. Alley

Solve It With Saxby, a new series aimed at unraveling the mystery of getting boys excited about reading.

Saxby Smart is no ordinary ten-year-old. He's the best detective in the world, or at least the best one who also happens to be in elementary school. In this brand new series--with three cases in each book--the reader solves the mystery alongside Saxby, getting peeks at pages of his casebook as the crimes unfold, and searching for clues rather than letting the main character do all the work and have all the fun.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Juvenile

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really really liked this book. it's really fun and awesome. i loved how saxby solved the cases. plus i loved his name.

[Bob · Rating 1 out of 5]

it is freak'in trash the book is really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really 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[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

10 year-old Saxby Smart, who's dad named him after five famous crime novelists ( Doyle Christie Chandler Ellin Allan) is destined to be a detective himself. With a backyard garden shed and his "thinking chair," cause everyone needs one of those, he sets out to solve three crimes in this first installment. I like how the author separated each of these stories into Case files and Saxby utilized notebooks with the facts and questions he has about each of the cases. The author encourages children to get involved with making deductions and helps them to analyze the clues. Great book for an early kid detective. Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency (2009) movie is similar. The Illustrator is known for his work on the Paddington Bear books and they are fun and playful.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxby Smart, the brilliant schoolboy detective, seems to see himself as a cross between Philip Marlowe and Sherlock Holmes but with his pals Isobel “Izzy” Moustique and George “Muddy” Whitehouse the three of them come across as more like the Three Investigators without being face to face with dangerous criminals on each case. Having said that, there is more bubbling schoolkid humour in Saxby Smart than the Three Investigators ever managed to create.

Saxby is something of a ringer for Jupiter Jones. He is not described as being plump but he regularly admits to a chronic lack of fitness and he has a sharp analytical mind. Izzy, the wonderful Izzy – she is my favourite character in the series, fits with Bob Andrews. She is the brains behind the trio; a computer nerd with a touch of Mata Hari about her. She will either grow up to be the next Elon Musk or, if she takes to the dark side, Irene Adler. And then there is Muddy, not quite Pete Crenshaw as he is not really athletic. He is the practical one ready to come up with inventions and ideas that will give Saxby a sense of reality; though, as with Dr. Watson, he is often astounded by his friend's insights.

Saxby's investigations cover crimes big and small – mostly small – which involve children at his school, their friends, their parents or their relatives. In volume one he tackles industrial espionage, the sabotage of the school essay competition, and the disappearance of an heirloom.

The Curse of the Ancient Mask involves the father of Jasmine Winchester who works for Microspek Electronics, a high-tech technology company. While attending a conference in Tokyo he bought what he believed was an old samurai mask with its accompanying curse and brought it home. Ever since a rival company has been stealing Microspek's ideas and Mr Winchester is being accused of handing over secrets. Has the curse of the mask been working on him? Can Saxby and Izzy show that curses are nonsense and Mr. Winchester is innocent? A simple if improbable story that introduces the characters.

The Mark of the Purple Homework is the best of the three stories in this volume. Someone in St. Egbert's School is out to sabotage entries for the School Essay Challenge by using a purple-coloured roofing sealant. Purple being chosen to fit with a comic-book superhero called the Purple Avenger. Could it be all down to Harry Lovecraft, juvenile arch-villain, low-down rat, and Saxby's vengeful enemy?

The Clasp of Doom is pleasant enough but struggles to keep any tension alive. The sour-tempered Mrs. Pither has accused her great-niece Heather of stealing a piece of her jewellery. Saxby knows Heather is innocent, but how to prove it and bring a grudging apology from the formidable lady?

[704Xinyuan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book but if you like mysteries, this would be a great book for you. He is the best 10-year old detective in the world. With his thinking chair and best friends, they could solve almost all mysteries in the world.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book Is so fun and endearing! Saxby Is a private detective and a smart on at that. This book Is Interactive so you can help him solve the case with the clues he gives you. This Is a series so I'll be trying to read more of them.

Found in L4M YT Volume 26.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book Is so fun and endearing! Saxby Is a private detective and a smart on at that. This book Is Interactive so you can help him solve the case with the clues he gives you. This Is a series so I'll be trying to read more of them.

Found in L4M YT Volume 26.

[Ben Monk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as a child, wasn’t as good as I remembered but a nice intro into detective/mystery books that make you think about each aspect of what you’ve read

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three short mysteries from the case files of Saxby Smart, child detective. Saxby grew up on detective stories and now solves neighborhood mysteries for his friends.

I love the quirky charm of this series. Saxby operates his sleuthing activities out of a garden shed "office" and ponders cases in a special "thinking chair". But what's really fabulous about these mysteries is the level of reader engagement expected. All the information required to solve the mystery is supplied to the reader in the story details. Saxby pauses several times in each story and asks the reader to put together clues and make deductions and try to solve the mystery together with him. The reader is even privy to "pages from Saxby's notebook" where they can follow Saxby's thinking process.

Great for grades 2-4.

[Marguarite Markley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxby Smart is a child detective who solves cases for friends. I love that his office is nothing more than a garden shed. It made a great summer read-aloud for a group of 9-12 years olds that met weekly at the library. What is so much fun is following along and seeing if you can figure out the mystery too. Each chapter ends with Saxby's notes, which makes it great for reading aloud because the next time you meet with the group you're reading to, you have a synopsis of the previous chapter already written out. I really think elementary kids will love this series!

Oh yeah...the book is several mini-mysteries in one...the first is the about a cursed mask...or was it?

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun--readers can solve the mystery as they go, based on clues Saxby discovers through observation and discussion with other characters. Readers get to see his notes, with questions and ideas, and Saxby pauses to see if they have figured stuff out. There are steps along the way, not just one solution at the end. There was one longer story and two shorter ones in this first book in the series.

Great for readers looking for titles after the A to Z's, Jigsaw Jones, Field Trip mysteries, etc.

[Charlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saxby, working out of a shed in his back yard, is well-known for his investigative abilities. By using his attention to details, Saxby solves several mysteries in this book and asks the reader to try to solve them along with him. All the required information is supplied to the reader who may be able to solve each mystery, too. For those who've read Encyclopedia Brown, Saxby is of the same ilk, but the mysteries are fewer and easier for readers to solve.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thing this book is great for 3rd or 4th grade mystery readers. I like that it is broken into three smaller mysteries. I like the illustrations and the fact that the mysteries give pause and reviews throughout to let readers try to figure out some clues. Saxby Smart, child Private Detective, gathers clues, lists them and asks his readers questions along the way. With so many illustrations, I don't think this would make a good read-aloud, but it would be a great share read or independent read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxby Doyle Christie Chandler Ellin Allan Smart was named after all of his dad's favorite crime writers, which is okay with Saxby since he's read all of his dad's crime novels and learned well from them. He is his neighborhood and school's private detective, and he always solves the case. He takes us through three of them in this book, and they're both fun and challenging. An excellent choice for young detectives looking to stretch their skills.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a clever little set of three mystery stories for the early-mid elementary school audience. It strongly reminded me of the Encyclopedia Brown stories, but Cheshire takes it a step further by directly addressing the reader a few times in each story, asking him or her to try and figure out why the main character has made a deductive leap. Great for encouraging critical thinking at an early age.

[Matthew Winner · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES for our library.

What an excellent collection of detective stories! Great addition for readers in grades 2-4. Reminiscent of Encyclopedia Brown, Saxby Smart is a kid-detective with a knack for solving puzzling problems. Saxby, narrator of our story, makes sure to include the audience in his clue-finding and case-solving. Very enjoyable from start to finish.

[Amy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saxby Smart solves three mysteries in this book. This is a great book for 3rd/4th graders. Saxby solves mysteries for his friends. What's great about this book is that he also allows the reader to work on the mysteries by asking questions that lead kids to look at the clues again and see if they can figure it out.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxby Smart solves three cases in this short, easy to read book. They are more fleshed out than Encyclopedia Brown cases (and frankly may be more enjoyable and have better character development) and are for a bit younger audience, but they are similar. All clues necessary to solve the puzzle are in the text (but are not quite as elusive as Encyclopedia's.)

[Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid detective stories and mysteries with a new sleuth named Saxby Smart. There are three stories in this book that vary from a cursed mask, someone wrecking kids' homework and a missing piece of jewelery. In each story Saxby gives the kids chances to work the clues out for themselves before continuing on with the story. Good for grades 3 to 4.

[Owlboyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tales told in a Sherlock Holmes type fashion. Saxby writes about his detective abilities in a series of short stories called his case files. This is a delightful book and is geared to those who really are reluctant to read a longer tale. I like the idea of being able to take the clues and figure it out on my own before Saxby reveals the culprit. A great short read. Very Entertaining.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read for 3rd/4th graders who enjoy short mysteries that they can try to solve themselves. Book has three short mysteries and as Saxby comes to conclusions he pauses to see if you have the same thoughts.

[Melanie Au · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a good recommendation for readers who like Encyclopedia Brown, etc. Fairly well written. Illustrations, use of different fonts, interactive nature of the book will appeal to reluctant readers.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxby Smart has grown up reading detective novels and now he is a young detective solving mysteries for his friends. The author Simon Cheshire invites the readers to see if they can solve the mysteries on their own.

[Adam R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

[the comment below was written by my 8 year old brother- it was too cute to remove]

Wow out of this hardy boys movie mission and super station mountain this was amazing and it was only the first book who ever created this book is a genius
THIS BOOK IS THE BEST ONE YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three mini mysteries in one book. He tries to solve mysteries & writes down all the clues & the kids can try to figure it out too. He always manages to solve the mystery. Slightly funny. A kid would probably enjoy. I found the writing a little dull.

[Kate Hastings]

RL730

[carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended Ages: grades 3 - 6

Saxby Smart must solve three mysteries - with you help. Great for kids who like short mysteries. Gives the reader a chance to guess the clues.

[Lupine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for 3rd/4th grade readers. It's like a more current Encyclopedia Brown where the reader gets to help figure out the mystery. Fun!

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

AR 5.0 -- 4.0 points

[W.H. Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxby Smart is a grade-school detective with an office in the garden shed. As he solves puzzles around his neighborhood, readers get to play along and see if they spot the clues in the story.