Cam Jansen uses her photographic memory to solve two mini-mysteries that take place on a trip to the beach with her mother, her aunt, and her friend, Eric. This is Cam’s eighth mystery in Adler’s successful easy-reader series (Young Cam Jansen and the Library Mystery, 2001, etc.), which features the main character from his longer Cam Jansen stories. In this summertime beach adventure, Cam, Eric, and Aunt Molly stroll down the beach to look for shells, leaving Cam’s mother under her red beach umbrella. Cam’s group briefly loses track of Cam’s mother (mystery number 1) as the tide rises and the configuration of colorful beach umbrellas changes. Cam’s mother briefly loses track of her papers for work (mystery number 2), which were covered by blowing sand. Cam solves both puzzles by reviewing prior situations, a device that offers a repetitive structure for new readers to practice the same descriptive words. The mysteries are rather lame, but the plot hangs together and the controlled vocabulary and familiar, appealing character address the considerable market for new readers who can feel successful reading through a whole series of similarly leveled and structured stories. The final page offers an easy memory game with questions based on the story’s first illustration. Natti’s watercolor-and-ink illustrations add colorful interest, although Cam often looks a little too young for the intended audience. (Easy reader. 5-8)
