The mystery of the gold coin

Review by Booklist Review

Twins Ella and Ethan are dismayed to learn they must leave their hometown for a new life as world travelers. Exotic cities do not make up for the loss of friends, writing club, and soccer season. Before they leave, their grandpa Harry, a famous archaeologist, gives them each gifts: a journal for solving mysteries and an old gold coin. When Ethan's coin disappears hours before their flight, the twins use their sleuthing skills and Ella's notebook to track it down. The first book in the Greetings from Somewhere series is thin on mystery and long on establishing characters and background, but it does a good job of setting the stage for the simultaneously released The Mystery of the Mosaic, where the twins find a stolen gondola and a hidden mosaic in Venice. Plentiful black-and-white illustrations break up the text, and a glossary in the back defines foreign words but lacks a pronunciation guide. Hand this fresh transitional chapter-book series to readers looking for realistic fiction with a touch of mystery.--Harold, Suzanne Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Horn Book Review

Twins Ella and Ethan must leave their hometown to visit different countries with their travel-writer mother. Coin finds the second graders hunting for Ethan's missing gold coin before they depart. In Mosaic, set in Venice, they track down a stolen gondola and discover a breathtaking mosaic. It's standard chapter-book mystery fare, suitable for independent readers. Black-and-white illustrations are included. Glos. [Review covers these Greetings from Somewhere titles: The Mystery of the Gold Coin and The Mystery of the Mosaic.] (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

Second-grade twins prepare to leave the country, but not without first solving a time-sensitive mystery. Ella and Ethan Briar are devastated by their parents' announcement that the family is leaving their beloved hometown. Mrs. Briar has accepted a new job as a travel writer, a job that will send the family to new places all over the globe on a weekly basis. In an attempt to soothe the twins' unhappiness about the move ("What about school? And soccer?" they ask), their grandfathera retired, globe-trotting archaeologist himselfgives each a special gift for their travels. Mystery-writing Ella gets a journal; Ethan gets a special gold coin. On their last morning in town, Ethan realizes that his gold coin is missingand they only have a few hours before they have to leave for the airport. While their grandfather does their chores, the twins methodically determine when Ethan last had the cointhe previous dayand make a list of places he visited to retrace his steps. This allows the twins to say goodbye to friendly faces throughout the town. This series-launching installment's light on mystery, but it's welcoming and accessible through expressive, frequent illustrations. The Mystery of the Mosaic, publishing simultaneously, takes the kids to Venice for their first overseas adventure. Not terribly remarkable, but the series has lots of growing room. (Mystery. 5-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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The Mystery of the Gold Coin CHAPTER 1 The Surprise "So what's the surprise?" Ethan Briar asked. "Yeah, what is it, Mom and Dad?" Ethan's twin sister, Ella, chimed in. Their mother, Josephine, smiled nervously. Their father, Andy, reached over and squeezed her hand. Ella tried to guess what they were going to say. Was it going to be a new puppy? Or maybe cool matching bikes? "Ta-da! We're moving," Mr. Briar announced. "You mean to a new house?" Ella asked, confused. Mrs. Briar shook her head. "No, not to a new house. I just accepted a new job. I'm going to be the travel writer for the Brookeston Times." "So why do we have to move? The Brookeston Times is in Brookeston," Ella pointed out. The Times was their town's newspaper--everyone read it. "That's the exciting part," Mr. Briar said. "Starting next week we'll be traveling to different foreign cities so your mom can write about them." "Foreign, like, another country?" Ethan asked. "Yes," Mr. Briar said happily. "Like Spain and England and Peru and India and--" "Wait! Did you say next week?" Ella interrupted. "Yep. We're leaving next Sunday," Mrs. Briar said. "Next Sunday?!" Ethan exclaimed. "What about school? And soccer?" "And our friends? And Grandpa Harry? Will we be able to visit them?" Ella asked. "Well . . . ," Mrs. Briar paused. "Not right away. But we can stay in touch with everyone. And, of course, we'll come back to Brookeston--" "Someday. We're just not yet sure when," Mr. Briar finished. Silence. Ethan put his fork down. Ella had lost her appetite, too. "It'll be the adventure of a lifetime," Mr. Briar said brightly. "We'll see some of the most incredible sights in the world! Places like the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower in France--" "Do they have soccer in China and France?" Ethan cut in. "Yes, of course! And as for school, we've already spoken to Principal McDermott. I'll be homeschooling you both," Mr. Briar went on. Mr. Briar was a history professor at Brookeston University. He was supersmart. He knew stuff like who invented the boogie board (Tom Morey) and the name of the first king of England (Egbert). Still, Ella could not imagine their dad being their teacher. He didn't sing silly "good morning" songs like their real second-grade teacher, Mrs. Applebaum. And he didn't serve green milk on St. Patrick's Day, either. Excerpted from The Mystery of the Gold Coin by Harper Paris All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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