Jeanine Beane Meets Mavis the Camel

by Eleanor Wagner, Kiana Kerton (Illustrator)

Precocious Jeanine Beane is excited for the surprise playdate her mom has planned with her best friend, Kenzi. Little does she know the playdate isn’t the only surprise. Jeanine soon discovers that a camel by the name of Mavis holds all the answers to a mystery which includes her friends Gideon, Dawson, Camryn, and John-John, too.

55 pages, Paperback

Published December 18, 2022

About the author

Eleanor Wagner is an author, paranormal investigator, and podcaster. She’s the founder of The New Jersey Spirit Hunters (formerly The Lady Ghostbusters) and The North Carolina Spirit Hunters. Her first book, “Dream a Little Dream,” a psychological thriller/romance has been well-received by her reader audience. She went on to write her non-fiction hauntings series which consists of “Sussex County Hauntings and Other Strange Phenomena I, II, and II” and “Warren County Hauntings and Other Strange Phenomena.” “Jeanine Beane Meets Mavis the Camel” is the first in her children’s series. Her paranormal romance novella, "Abnormal Desires" released in 2026. The recent book in her hauntings series, "Morris & Sussex County Hauntings" released in June of 2026.

Eleanor has served twice on the Romance Panel for the Milford Readers and Writers Festival and was featured on their paranormal panel in the fall of 2022. She is the best-selling author in the local bookstores in her county.

Eleanor was featured on an episode of Paranormal Caught on Camera discussing the footage obtained during her ghostly investigation of the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey. (This can be viewed on her Eleanor Wagner YouTube channel). She has been featured in American Paranormal Magazine, The Hopatcong News, the Advertiser News and was featured on a Halloween segment of the Channel 11 News with Marvin Scott. (This can be viewed on her Eleanor Wagner YouTube channel). She is the host of two popular podcasts: Eleanor Wagner’s Strange & Scary World podcast out of the Paranormal UK Radio Network - available wherever you get your podcasts, and Eleanor Wagner’s Creepin’ It Reel podcast out of the Coast2Coast Entertainment Network where she interviews paranormal groups from around the world. This is streamed directly through her Eleanor Wagner YouTube channel.

Eleanor Wagner was born and raised a city girl in the Bronx, New York but she has long become a country girl at heart living in the beautiful countryside of Sussex County; sharing space with horses, goats and cows and other forms of wildlife such as deer, fox, bear and rabbits. She is of a strong Christian faith. Currently, she is a snowbird moving between North Carolina and her former northern county. She spent over thirty years releasing her inner child by portraying Pennywhistle the Clown for children of all ages. Aside from writing, in her spare time she likes to read, hike, sing and spend time with her family. She has always been a daydreamer and finds joy in the simplest of things.

She’s happy when she can write, and she’ll write about anything that ignites the author within. She finds great joy in being able to take her reader along on the journey with her.

She is pleased to report, she is currently working through completing the next in her haunting series, “Pike County Hauntings” and another book in her children's series.

Reviews

[S.A. Krishnan]

Sweet story of a little girl, a "camel" during a visit to the farm

Jeanine and her friends - Kenzi and Gideon go to a barn for a playdate and to see the animals there. Jeanine finds her brother a little annoying before the visit to the barn and she is excited about the visit to the barn and forgets it. 

Jeanine has never seen live animals and is thrilled with all the animals there right from the cow, the alpaca, the chicken and everything else. But that is when she sees Mavis the camel. Jeanine gets worried because with her just learnt counting skills, she had counted five humps on Mavis's back. But everytime, Jeanine goes to have fun with her friends or eat something and come back, she finds Mavis with one less hump. Her friends think that Jeanine has counted it wrong. But Jeanine is sure that she is right and she is determined to solve the mystery.

Cute story for children and the freshness of the feeling of the barn, the animals added with the mystery was lovely to read about. Also the illustrations in the beginning of every chapter were cute. Lovely read for children.

[James Murray]

Author Eleanor Wagner has a winner in this beautifully crafted short children’s story. It’s entertaining and fun and is a delightful story about youthful adventure and the bonds of friendship.
Kenzi goes on a mysterious playdate set up by her mother as a surprise. They arrive at a farm with a most unusual animal as the center of their attention, a camel. If that isn’t strange enough, Mavis the camel has five humps, but the humps disappear one by one as Kenzi’s close friends suddenly appear one after another.
The story progresses and the joke is revealed as the camel turns out to be a horse with a blanket over it hiding Kenzi’s friends.
This is a lovely read for any parent who wants to entertain their youngster with a simple and wholesome mystery.

[Dana Duplantis]

Jeanine’s mom told her she is going to have a playdate with her friend Kenzi. Jeanine has never see live animals and is so excited to see all of them. Jeanine is just learning to count and when she sees Mavis the Camel it has 5 humps. When she looks back their is one hump less. Her friends think she counted wrong but Jeanine is pretty sure she counted right. This is a mystery she is determined to solve.

[Brittney Owens]

This is a cute story about a little girl who is excited to have a play date with her friend. Though she doesn't know where she is going, Jeanine can't wait to get there! When she arrives mysterious things keep happening. Determined to figure it out, Jeanine goes about her day with friends she didn't know would be at her play date, but Jeanine doesn't know how they mysteriously keep showing up!

My kids enjoyed this story. I enjoyed this story! Fun little mystery for young grade school kids.

[Jenna cas]

I started reading this book with the plan that we would read a chapter before bed each night to my 3rd grader and my autistic 7th grader. They couldn’t wait to read the next chapter and then the next and then the next chapter. They simply had to read the entire book tonight. Both kids told me it’s a 10 out of 10 on their scale of wonderful! Buy it! You won’t regret it.

[Debbey]

As an elementary teacher, it is often hard to find a first chapter book that holds the attention of students. This is a fun story about a little girl and a play date with her friend. Jeanine "Beane" is headed for an unknown destination. Once she arrives there, the mystery continues and it involves a many humped camel named Mavis. This cute mystery has great characters and engaging plot

[S.S. Saywack]

What’s stranger than a camel with five humps, is the way it seems to lose a hump every now and then! Jeanine Beane is confused. As the story progresses, she only becomes more confused. This is a lovely, entertaining story for youngsters. It is uncomplicated, fun, and a cute mystery. Several lovely illustrations add to the charm. I’m an old ‘kid’ and I certainly enjoyed it!

[Chelsea Kong]

Jeanine and Mavis

Jeanine meets Mavis for the first time and has never seen a camel before. Her friends play a game on her and the parents also got involved. It's a fun chapter book with illustrations.

[Kate L]

What a cute fun book for children! My 4 year old loved it and laughed out loud. He didn’t know what was happening to the camels humps! It was a fun read and the pictures were silly and cute and he loved it.

[Lisa Deerwood]

A cute story about Jeanine who goes to a farm and encounters a mystery while she is there with her friends. The story is fast paced and will keep the reader guessing until the end. This is a delightful story for young children with some lovely illustrations throughout too.

[Viktoria Soltis-Doan]

Fun book

This was a very cute, simple and funny book. The story is very original. And nice illustrations. Love it! :)

[Barbara]

Jeanine goes on a surprise playdate with her best friend, Kenzi. However, she sees a camel with five humps, and each time she looks, one of the humps has disappeared. What is going on? A fun read!

[Audrey Griffis]

A cute story a class of second graders enjoyed. A fun trip to a farm turns into a funny mystery

[Kassidy Wagner]

Such a cute book! My students loved it!