I SO DON’T DO SPOOKY

Despite her attempts to lead a normal life filled with shopping trips and dates with her hunky boyfriend, middle schooler Sherry Holmes Baldwin finds herself thrust back into the role of supernatural sleuth. In this sequel to I So Don’t Do Mysteries (2008), Sherry and her best friend, Junie, take on the serious task of unmasking an individual who is stalking Sherry’s stepmother. Similar to the previous text, Sherry’s deceased mom and grandfather lend support from beyond the grave, a device that, through humor and a thorough setup, manages to be more believable than creepy. In addition to wanting to protect her stepmother, Sherry is determined to crack this mystery for a chance to be awarded five minutes of “Real Time” with her deceased mother. Perfectly tame for middle schoolers—Sherry’s dates never pass PG, and although the threat of the stalker is at times menacing, Sherry’s silly, over-the-top inner dialogue helps defuse the situation and provide comic relief. (Mystery. 10-12)