The Feather Chase

Mystery Writing Lapbook with Study Guide & Teacher’s Manual

The Feather Chase Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries Book One www.cousinsmystery.com

Grades 3-6

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

This lapbook accompanies the book, The Feather Chase, by Shannon L. Brown. The book can be purchased as a print book online from Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or ordered from any bookstore in the U.S. or Canada. It is also available as an e-book from Amazon.

The Feather Chase is published by Sienna Bay Press © 2014 Book cover illustration and lettering © 2014 Jeanine Henderson Lapbook kit © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

One home’s use only. For classroom use, please purchase that product. For additional items related to the book including bookplates that can be personalized, an online puzzle of the cover, and additional puzzles relating to the book, please visit the website www.cousinsmystery.com.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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From the Author: Literature lapbooks usually have a minibook that accompanies a chapter so the student reads the chapter and creates the minibook. This lapbook can be done that way. Mysteries by nature have a reader wanting to go onto the next chapter; they encourage the child to keep reading. By stopping to complete an assignment, the child may lose momentum. For this reason, the majority of the minibooks in Part I of this kit can be completed starting at a specific chapter through the end of the book. The child can complete it as she reads or when she has finished the book. Parts II and III are intended to be completed after the student finishes the book.

About the Lapbook Kit: The Lapbook is divided into three parts. Part One enhances the book. The student learns more about subjects such as Jessica’s home of London, England, what a deli is, and how the FBI and a sheriff are different. Part Two teaches about the elements of a book and specifically a mystery, using The Feather Chase to do this. Part Three has the student write her own mystery using the knowledge gained in Part Two. Then she edits and revises that story.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Supplies Needed: 3 file folders, scissors, glue, stapler, packing tape If you haven’t made a lapbook before, they can seem complicated with all their pieces. They’re actually easy to do because they are assembled piece by piece. If you’ve made one before, you know that.

Directions: Preparing your folders. With two of the file folders : First flatten the folders. Now fold in one side to the middle crease, then fold the other side to the middle crease with the two sides meeting in the middle but not overlapping. Press a ruler or other hard edged item over the edges to make a good crease.

Three File Folders

Cut the third folder in half at the crease to make a flap and cut off the tab. You may need to trim it to fit. Using packing tape, tape the flap onto the folder at the top. You will glue the two folders together at one end. Either do this now or when the folders are complete.

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On the following two pages, you can see the location of each minibook. As you work, there will be a graphic with that minibook showing where to place it. Here are photos that show what your lapbook will look like.

Folder 1 Completed Folder 1 Flap up Completed

Folder 2 Completed Folder 2 Flap up Completed

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Folder 1 and Folder 2 glued together at the side. Again, you can glue them together in the beginning or when both are completed.

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Folder 1

Antiques FBI

Sheriff

London

Deli

Tourist

Lower Inside Flap of Folder 1

Upper Inside Flap of Folder 1

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Folder 2

Taped Folder

Cover you made

Pocket for Rough Draft of Mystery

Lower Inside Flap of Folder 2

Upper Inside Flap of Folder 2

Parts of your Mystery

Wow!

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Inside Subject Part One Crime Solvers Clue Club Sheet Lapbook Cover Mystery Novels The Sheriff Jessica’s London What’s an Antique? Tourists What’s a Deli? The FBI Tunnels Footsteps

When to Complete

Page

Before Reading Anytime Anytime Anytime Chapter 1 or Later Chapter 2 or Later Chapter 2 or Later Chapter 5 or Later Chapter 13 or Later Chapter 19 or Later Last Step of Part One

9 10 11 12 13 16 18 19 20 21 23 25

After Finishing the Book

26 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38

Part Three After Finishing the Book Your Mystery Flapbook Name it & Make Your Cover Write Your Mystery Ways to Make Good Writing Great Revise & Edit Your Story Create Your Writer Badge Teacher’s Guide

39 40 44 47 50 54 59 60

Part Two Clues Red Herrings Plot Crime Suspects Setting Characters Detectives Dialogue

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Part One: The Feather Chase

As the student reads, have her fill out the Crime Solvers Clue Club form on the next page. She will write down everything that looks like a clue. She does not need to have ten when she’s done.

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Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries

Crime Solvers Clue Club As you read, write down everything that seems like it might be a clue. Then guess if it will turn out to be a real clue or a red herring by the end of the book. (A red herring looks like a real clue but later turns out to not be one.) Real or Red Herring

1. _______________________ 

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2. _______________________ 

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3. _______________________ 

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4. _______________________ 

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5. _______________________ 

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6. _______________________ 

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7. _______________________ 

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8. _______________________ 

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9. _______________________ 

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10._______________________ 

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© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Cut out the cover. Write your name. Glue onto the cover of your lapbook.

I love a mystery! My Mystery Lapbook By

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Mystery Novels A mystery is a puzzle that’s part of a crime with a detective or detectives whose job is to find the pieces of the puzzle, the clues, and fit them all together so that the whole picture can be seen. Mysteries are suspenseful—they have exciting parts—and at the end always tell us who is guilty. Directions: Cut around briefcases and fold in half. Staple or glue right and left edges but leave the top open. Glue to lapbook. Cut out the feathers and on each one write one word about mysteries. Put them inside the briefcase.

Glue Glue

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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The Sheriff – Helping Solve Mysteries

Sheriff Mandy Valeska and her team of deputies step into the book in chapter one and are part of the book until the end. Sophie tries the sheriff’s patience when she comes to her with clue after clue that the sheriff isn’t sure are part of a crime. Other than the military, the sheriff is the oldest law enforcement position still in existence. The roots of the office of sheriff can be traced back more than 1,000 years to 9th century England. Areas of land were known as “shires” and the men in charge of them “reeves.” As centuries passed, the duties became what we think of as a sheriff today: taking care of the jail, making arrests, and, in general, keeping the peace. In time the two words were connected to be “shire-reeve.” Say the two words together quickly and you’ll hear how the word “sheriff” came to be. The shires in England later became counties, but you can see their history in the names of counties like Shropshire and Cheshire. The sheriff became less important in England over time, but the English people who came to the United States brought the system with them. The first sheriff in the American colonies was in Virginia. George Washington’s father was a sheriff in Virginia. The sheriff became an important part of keeping people safe in the New World. We often hear about the sheriffs of the Old West. The sheriff was important in helping settle the west. The first woman sheriff was probably Emma Daugherty Banister in Coleman County, Texas in 1918. Someone in a position like the sheriff, but not with the same name, existed in ancient times. In Daniel 3:2 - 3 the Bible uses a Hebrew word for an official – ‫ – ִתּפְ ָתּ ֵ֔יא‬that is sometimes translated “sheriff.” A sheriff keeps laws, many of which can be traced back to the 10 Commandments and even earlier. There are more than 3,000 sheriffs keeping law and order in the U.S. right now. All states except Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut have sheriffs. And, something that is different from other law enforcement organizations, almost all of them are elected by the people they serve.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Read “The Sheriff – Helping Solve Mysteries”

Seeking Justice: The Sheriff

Directions: Cut out around the four rectangles but do not cut off the tabs on top. Answer the questions, stack with the cover on top and staple together above the sheriff's badge. Glue into the lapbook.

What did the sheriff’s do in England hundreds of years ago?

How did the word sheriff come to be?

First Sheriffs

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© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Name one state that doesn’t have sheriffs.

Are there many sheriffs today?

What is one way that sheriffs are different from the police?

Sheriff Valeska is a woman. Who was the first woman sheriff?

Where was the first sheriff in America?

Sheriffs in America

Sheriffs Today

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Jessica’s London Jessica lives in London, England, which sits on an island along with Scotland and Wales. The whole island is called Great Britain and is ruled from London by Parliament and the Queen. When Northern Ireland, the northern tip of nearby Ireland, is included, the group is known as the United Kingdom. History: London was founded by the Romans in A.D. 43, just after the time of Christ. When the Roman Empire lost power, they left London. Centuries later, Vikings attacked London and ruled. Then in a famous battle in 1066, the Normans, people from today’s northern France, conquered and ruled England from London. Today: Almost 8 million people live in London. Jessica likes living here partly because of all the things there are to do. She might take a ride on the London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel that opened in 2000 to celebrate the new millennium. It has 32 glass enclosed capsules that can carry 25 people each and stands at 443 feet high. Jessica mentions that she has a park across the street from where she lives in London. The city has many large parks including some that used to be private lands of the kings and queens of England. Today’s Queen Elizabeth allows the public to use these Royal Parks of London. A statue of Peter Pan is inside one of those, Kensington Park. The author J.M. Barrie used this park as inspiration. While Jessica is walking around London, she might look up to see the time on the tower clock at the Houses of Parliament. Nicknamed Big Ben, the clock on each of the four sides is 23 feet tall and the minute hands are 14 feet long. Jessica likes to learn new things so she also might visit one of London’s many museums, see the Crown Jewels, or go to a play in the famous theatre district, the West End. Weather: Temperatures are mild. The summer has days in the 80s and the average in January is in the 40s. But it can rain any time of the year. Jessica often takes an umbrella when she’s doing something outside.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Read "Jessica’s London" Directions: Cut out the rectangles and answer the questions, researching online or in a book for the map. Stack with the cover on top and staple. Glue into lapbook.

Great Britain’s Flag

Jessica’s London Draw lines at the borders of Scotland and Wales. Make a star on London. Name three things you would do with Jessica in London. 1.

2.

3.

A Day in London

Great Britain © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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What’s an antique? Sophie’s mother owns an antique store called Great Finds in Pine Hill. An antique is simply something that is old. Most experts and the U.S. Customs Service, the people who check things people bring into the United States, say that it needs to be 100 years old to be an antique. Some use a shorter time of 80 or so years. When you hold an antique, you’re holding a piece of history. Objects that someone used or owned in the past are antiques. Antiques show us how people lived so it might be something ordinary like a wooden bowl a woman made bread in. Or it might be something fancier. Whatever it is—a necklace, a vase, a picture— it probably mattered to someone. Antiques connect us to the past. Directions: Cut all the way around the outside edge. Fold in half. Cut between the two flaps on the dotted line. Write the answers to the questions under the flaps. Glue into the lapbook.

What’s an antique?

Is there an antique you would like to see in person?

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Tourists Sophie tells Jessica that people enjoy visiting Pine Hill. A tourist is someone who travels and visits a place. It might be somewhere not too far from home or somewhere on the other side of the world. People often like to visit a place in the mountains like Pine Hill or a beach. Directions: Cut on the solid lines and fold the flaps on the dotted lines with the pictures on the outside. Write the answer to the question on the flap. Under the flap, draw or glue a picture you found online or in a magazine that looks like your travel destination.

Being a Tourist Being a Tourist

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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What’s a Deli? Sophie and Jessica eat at Donadio’s Deli and it becomes their favorite restaurant. The word deli is a shortened version of the word delicatessen. There are delicatessens in many countries. Some cities like New York City have many, other places don’t have any. Just like Donadio’s Deli, other delicatessens in the United States make sandwiches and usually sell things like containers of potato salad or coleslaw. In Europe, a deli is more like a gourmet food store that carries expensive things. A Canadian deli could be either kind.

Directions: Cut out the bread, slice of bologna and cheese. Answer the questions. Stack the bread, bologna, and cheese. Staple at the top of the bread. Glue into lapbook.

If you went to Donadio’s Deli, what would you like to eat?

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

What can I buy at a delicatessen?

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Chapter 13

The FBI The FBI comes to Pine Hill to help solve the mystery. Like a police officer, Sheriff Valeska is a local law enforcement officer – she just works for the people in Pine Hill. The FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, can work in any state. They help with federal crimes, things that are against laws made by the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., such as bank robbery, and also with crimes that might cross state lines such as kidnapping.

The FBI began more than 100 years ago and has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Sheriff Valeska is elected, or chosen, by the people in her town, but the leader of the FBI, the Director, is appointed by the U.S. President. Sheriff Valeska sent the fingerprints from the briefcase and the toy to the FBI because the FBI also works with fingerprints and other crime evidence.

Directions: Agent Dallas writes notes in a notebook. Cut out the lined paper and the notebook cover on the outside edges to create your own notebook. Write the answers to the questions below on the lined paper. Fold the notebook in half. Staple the two lined pages to the top of the back cover and glue into the lapbook. How is the FBI different from your local police department or sheriff’s office? If someone steals a car and takes it to another state, which law enforcement officer would investigate: a police officer or sheriff’s deputy, or the FBI?

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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FBI FBI

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Tunnels – More Than Holes in the Ground Many cities have tunnels under them. Some are ancient, dating back thousands of years. In the Cappadocia region of Turkey, there are dozens of underground cities and early Christians would hide from Roman soldiers by living there. Air ventilation tubes went to the surface and wells provided water. Tunnels connected rooms and some of the cities went many stories underground. They had everything they needed for daily life including a stable for animals and a church. The Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland was begun in the 13th century and mining stopped only recently. Going more than 1,000 feet deep, the mine not only has tunnels but also three chapels, a huge cathedral—all carved from the rock salt—and an underground lake. About 150 years ago, people in Portland, Oregon built a system of tunnels that look much like those under Pine Hill. These were used for illegal purposes though and were known as the “Shanghai Tunnels” because criminals used them to kidnap people and sell them as workers on ships, something known as “Shanghaiing.” Some underground tunnels are more modern. There is a railway system that connects the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. with nearby buildings so the country’s leaders are able to go from building to building without stepping outside. And, of course, subways around the world are in underground tunnels.

Directions: Cut out around the outside edges but not between the three sections. Fold on the dividing lines between sections with section A to the back and the third section folded up to make a tri-fold with the tunnel image as the cover. Answer the question on the third section. Inside: pretend you’re hiding from the Romans by living in an underground city and list everything you would take to live there. Glue section A onto the lapbook.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Would you like to visit a tunnel or live underground?

A

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Folder 1: From the briefcase to under the flap, next to the left side of the puzzle book cover.



Folder 1: From under the flap next to the right side of the puzzle book cover to the right edge of the folder.

Folder 2: From the left edge of this folder to under the flap.

The footsteps lead from the mystery briefcase to the parts of a mystery with The Feather Chase's cover to the mystery you write. Directions: Cut out along the dotted lines. Follow the directions for gluing each. Look at the diagrams on pages 6 and 7 for help. If one strip is a little too long for your folder, carefully cut it to fit. © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Part Two: What’s in a Mystery? NOTE – BEFORE YOU BEGIN IMPORTANT: When you're done with Section Two, you will cut out the cover of The Feather Chase on the lines (page 27). Each of those pieces will be a cover for a minibook. When you're done, you'll have a puzzle of the book cover (see the picture below), and inside you'll have written things that will help you with your own story in Part Three. Instead of gluing the covers on the minibooks one by one, it will be simpler to wait until you’ve completed all of the minibooks and then glue on the covers. As you complete the minibooks, place them in a zipper bag to keep them together. When they're all done, cut out around the outside edge of the black and white cover that's on page 28. Lay the minibooks in the right spots and glue them into place there. Cut out the color cover on the lines and glue each section of the cover onto its minibook. When all of the covers are glued onto their minibooks (and it looks like the picture above), glue the entire black and white cover with minibooks attached onto the lower inside flap of your folder. It sounds complicated right now but it’s really pretty easy (take it one step at a time) and you’ll be very happy with the results.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Lower Inside Flap

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© 2014 Shannon L. Brown ©2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Crime CriCrimeme

Red Red Herring Herring

Clues Clues

Suspects Suspects

Setting Setting

Plot Plot

Sophie Sophie

Jessica Jessica

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown ©2014 Shannon L. Brown

Clues = Hints that help solve the mystery Clues are like pieces of a puzzle. The secret about clues is that you don’t always know right away if the clue or piece of the puzzle fits your mystery. The girls have to keep working to solve the mystery to see if it does. There are small clues and large clues in The Feather Chase. The biggest clues are in chapters 1, 7, 18, and 23. Directions: Cut out along the outside lines and fold the booklet in half the long way with the dotted lines and numbers inside. Write down one clue in each of the four sections. Glue onto the black and white cover in its marked space. After glueing on the cover later and letting the glue dry, cut through the cover on the dotted lines. 1

2

3

4

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Red Herrings A red herring is a kind of fish. It’s also a false clue. The name comes from the way people would drag a smelly red herring across the trail to throw dogs off the scent when they were chasing a fox. In a book, a red herring throws the reader off the scent. You think you may have found a real clue until you discover later that it isn’t. Directions:

Red Herrings

There is one big red herring in The Feather Chase. Can you think of what it is? Hint: She makes really good muffins. Cut out around the outside edges. Fold in half. Write the answer inside your minibook. Glue onto the black and white cover in its marked space.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Plot = Story All books have a plot which is the things that happen in the story. Every plot has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Mysteries are a little bit different from many kinds of books because they follow a pattern. You always know there’s a mystery to solve. The reader learns what the mystery is near the beginning of the book. In the beginning of The Feather Chase, Sophie and Jessica find a briefcase and that starts them off on the mystery. The middle of the book is all about them finding clues and working to solve the mystery. The end of a mystery always shows who committed the crime. Directions: Cut out along the outside lines and fold the booklet the long way with the dotted lines and words inside. Glue onto the black and white cover in its marked space. After glueing on the cover later and letting the glue dry, cut through the cover on the dotted lines. Write down something you think was important that happened in the beginning, the middle, and the end under the three flaps.

Beginning

Middle

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

End

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Crime = Something that is against the law There has to be a crime for there to be a mystery. It might be that someone stole something out of a locker at school, it might be a bank robbery, and it might be a briefcase full of feathers that can’t be explained. There is more than one crime, more than one thing the two criminals do that’s illegal, in The Feather Chase. Everything the criminals are doing is leading up to the major crime Sophie and Jessica stop from happening. Directions: Cut out around the outside edges. Fold in half.

Crime

Inside the booklet, write down two crimes that happened in the book. Glue onto the black and white cover in its marked space.

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Suspects These are the people who may or may not have committed the crime. In a good mystery, you aren’t certain who is guilty until the end. The writer gives clues but you shouldn’t be certain until the very end -- or it stops being fun and exciting to read.

Suspects – Glue to Lapbook

Glue Cover

Directions: Cut out around the outside edges only. Fold the bottom triangle over the middle and the top triangle down. On the triangle you see when you lift the top, write who were suspects in the book. Inside, describe everything you know about the man and woman who were you learned were the criminals. Glue onto the black and white cover in its marked space.

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Setting = Place The setting is where the book takes place.

Setting – Glue to Lapbook

Directions: Cut out around the outside edges only. Fold the bottom triangle over the middle and the top triangle down. On the triangle you see when you lift the top, write your favorite place in The Feather Chase. (Hint: It could be Sophie’s room, the sheriff’s office, the beach, the tunnels, or anywhere else in Pine Hill.) On the inside write two sentences that describe that place. Glue onto the black and white cover in its marked space.

Glue Cover

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Characters = People The people in a book are its characters. Sophie, Jessica, Sheriff Valeska, and Tony are all characters. Every story needs at least one character. Sometimes an animal or something else that isn’t a human being is a character in a story like Olaf the snowman in Frozen. Directions: Cut out the pictures on the lines. Divide them into four things Jessica might like and four things Sophie might like. On the minibooks on the next page, cut out the outside lines only and fold on the other lines. Glue the pictures into the right book. Glue each onto the black and white cover in its space.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Jessica Sophie

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Detectives In The Feather Chase, some of the characters are also detectives. A detective is someone who helps solve a crime. In a mystery book, this can be an expert like a sheriff, a deputy, or an FBI agent. Or it can be a regular person who wants to help solve it. A magnifying glass is often a symbol of a detective. Sophie didn’t use one in her first mystery, but she just might need one in her second mystery. Directions: Cut out the magnifying glass out around the outside edge. Inside the circle, write the names of everyone who was a detective in the mystery. Then circle the one you liked most. Glue the magnifying glass on the upper inside flap of the lapbook.

Upper Flap

Lower Flap

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Dialogue = Things People Say Dialogue is what people say and it’s always in quotation marks. (Those look like this ") Look at this paragraph from The Feather Chase when Jessica and Sophie find the briefcase. Everything Jessica says is in quotation marks. The other sentences are called narrative. These sentences tell us more about what’s happening, describe the setting, or even tell us how the character feels. “You must be kidding.” Jessica poked at it with her finger. Then she picked it up off the ground. “Gee. Nothing happened.” Setting it on a boulder, she pushed on the latches. “It’s locked up tight.” Directions: Cut out on the dotted lines. Write one of your favorite dialogue sentences from The Feather Chase inside this thought bubble. Write the name of the person who said it on the underline. Glue into the position shown above with the magnifying glass.

_____________________________________

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Part Three: Write Your Mystery You’ve learned about the different parts of a mystery. Now you’ll take what you learned and create your own. Don’t worry. You’ve learned so much that this shouldn’t be difficult.

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Your Mystery Flapbook Directions: (This can be printed on card stock for strength, but it's not required.) Cut out the flapbooks on the following pages around the outside edges. Lay the two sides down, meeting in the middle to overlap on the glue line, making sure both sides have the printed words facing up. (See photo on page 41.) Glue. Then fold on the dotted lines and cut up to the fold to make your flaps. Do each assignment below. Detective: Write the detective here that you chose as your favorite in the Detective minibook. You can have other characters in your mystery, but be careful not to have too many in a short story. List anyone else that you will be using as a character in your book. Setting: Write your mystery using the place you chose as your favorite in your Part Two Setting" minibook. You don’t have to make everything happen there, but most things should take place there. Crime: Chose from one of these crimes: theft, kidnapping, counterfeiting (making imitation money and pretending that it is real). If you would like to use a different crime in your story, talk to your teacher to have it approved before you begin writing. Suspects: Describe the person or persons who are the criminals in your mystery and any suspects your reader might think are guilty of the crime. You can have one or two criminals. Write down a name for each. Clues: Choose your four favorite things from these pictures. Cut those out and glue them into the Clue flap. Think about your mystery and decide which of them can become the actual clues for your story. Circle them.

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Red Herring: Come up with one red herring, one thing that will throw off your detective. Plot: In the next three flaps—the Beginning, Middle and End—you’re going to write a sentence or two about what will happen in that section of your mystery. It isn’t time to write your story yet. You’re getting ready.

Directions: When you’ve completed each of the flaps, glue the flapbook to the back flap of the cover you drew.

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Parts of your Mystery

41

Red Herring

Plot

Glue

Beginning

Middle

End

42 © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Detective & Other Characters

Setting

Crime

Suspects

Clues

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Give it a Name The name of a story or book is important. You know a lot about your story now. What would be a good name for it? Maybe you would like “The Mystery of the ________” or “The Clue in the ________”. (You fill in the blanks.) Or do you have a different name for it? Write the name you choose on the lines of the book cover below. Cut it out and glue it into your lapbook.

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The Cover Now it's time to create the cover for your story. Either draw the cover on the next page or use the computer to create a cover the same size. If you haven't done so already, take the half of the file folder left over from Part Two and use packing tape to tape it to the top of the folder. (Make sure you cut the tab off the end so it’s a rectangle.) Glue your cover onto it.

Cover you Drew

Taped Flap

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46 © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Write Your Mystery You’re now ready to write what’s known as a rough draft of your story. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just write it all down and you can make it better when you edit and revise. Some writers use a computer program like Word when they write, or some use a pen and paper. Write however you feel comfortable. If you don’t use the computer, you’ll need to type it into the computer when you’re done. Younger kids will write at least one paragraph each for the beginning, middle, and end. Older kids will write at least three paragraphs in the middle of the story in addition to a beginning and end. You can write as many as you like, but don’t make your story more than two pages long. First Paragraph: Start with a paragraph that brings the reader into the story, something that tells about the crime. Middle of the Story: You need action, things that happen, so that you can give your clues. The idea of a mystery is to give clues so that someone could solve the mystery. Remember to give a red herring, a false clue that isn’t tied to the mystery but that readers don’t realize until the end. Ending Paragraph: Solve the mystery. Have it make sense to a reader from the clues you gave. When you finish, give yourself a pat on the back. Then read your story through slowly from the beginning to the end to see if everything makes sense. If you wrote it on the computer, print it out. Fold your page or pages in thirds the long way – left fold over one-third, then right fold over that so that it's long and narrow and fits in its pocket.

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Directions: Cut out the file folder pocket around the outside edge and fold over the flaps. Then glue the pocket into your lapbook. When it is dry (please wait!) put your story into your Rough Draft pocket. When you’ve polished up your story and made it as good as you can, compare it to your rough draft. Finishing a story is a great thing, but you’ll be surprised at the changes you made and how good it is at the end. You’re done for today. Let your story rest overnight. You should be proud of what you’ve done!

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RoughDraft Draft Rough

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Ways to Turn Good Writing into Great Writing Everything you’ve read in a magazine or book, or even on the back of a cereal box, was edited so that it could be the best that writer could do. Before you make any changes to your story, you’re going to make the minibook on the next three pages. Directions: Cut out the wanted poster pages and answer the questions. Staple then glue into the lapbook.

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____________________________Girl

____________________________Strawberry

____________________________Tunnel

____________________________Lake

____________________________Shirt

Adjectives make nouns clearer and better. A shirt doesn’t create much of a picture in our minds. A pink shirt is better. Write an adjective in the line so the reader can know more about the noun.

Writing

into Great

Good Writing

Ways to Turn

© 2014 Shannon L. Brown Now, how could I make this sentence better? Jessica ate a sandwich.

In the book she says: “I’ll remember not to talk to you when you first wake up. You made Grumpy from the Seven Dwarfs seem cheerful.” Sophie leaned over and hugged her. “I’m sorry, Jessica.” Jessica hugged her back. “Me too.”

When we write, we don’t always make things as clear and interesting in our first draft as we will if we think about it more. In an early version of The Feather Chase, Sophie says: “I’m sorry.” “Me, too.” Jessica reached over and hugged Sophie.

1)_____________________ 2)_____________________

Sophie walked into the room.

Instead of using “walk” here, what are two other words you could use in place of it? A thesaurus, a book filled with synonyms, can help. The words shown in it aren’t always exactly the same so choose carefully. (For example: devour and nibble are both under “eat.” You can tell that even though they both mean eat, they aren’t the same.)

In a first draft, it’s okay to use the same word lots of times. “Walk” gets someone across the room. In editing, we look at the words we used and see if we can choose words that say more about what’s happening.

Helpful Hint: A thesaurus has synonyms in it. If you haven't seen that word before, a synonym is a word that has the same meaning as another word.

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Any of the words would have worked but you chose the one you liked, just like any writer does. You’re ready to work on editing your story now.

d) perched on

c) sank into

b) plopped onto

a) sat down on

Jessica ___________ the couch.

Circle the one you would choose to use in the blank.

The cars from the accident were driving away when Jessica and Sophie walked into the sheriff’s office. Jessica wished she had purple shorts. Jessica had already been in this office more times than she’d expected to be in any law enforcement office in her whole life.

Sometimes adding words isn’t what a story needs. Every sentence has to be important and help tell your story. Look at this paragraph that has two sentences from the book and one extra sentence. Circle the sentence that shouldn’t be here, the sentence that isn’t helping the story.

Revise & Edit Now it’s time to take the first step to make your mystery even better. Writers are very happy when they have their first draft, but they know that what they’ve written can be much better if they edit and revise. Sometimes people use the words edit and revise and believe they mean the same thing. They’re a little bit different to writers. When we revise, we are changing parts of the story. A writer might decide that the story would be better if she moved a clue closer to the beginning of the book. Or she might decide that a character should have braces so add that. When we edit, we’re making small changes like fixing grammar. It makes the most sense to revise first. Once you think your story works, then you can edit. Directions: Make a check mark in the box when you’ve completed that step. When you’re just starting to write stories, it’s helpful to not have to do too much so younger writers only need to do the top part of the Revision and Editing sections. Revise Directions: Print out your story. If you wrote yours on paper, you’ll need to type it into the computer now, then print it out. Revising means making changes to the story. We want a reader to feel and see what we want them to feel and see. Don’t be too concerned about things like misspelled words at this point because you’ll have a chance to fix them later. All Writers Read the story silently to yourself.  Did you forget to write down a word that is needed in a sentence?  Does the mystery make sense? Should you add another clue or help the reader to understand one you already have?  Is your setting clear? Will the reader be able to see the places in their mind as they read? © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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Now, read your story out loud. This sounds like a funny thing to do but professional writers do this. It helps you to find mistakes because sometimes our mind fixes mistakes as we read them silently, but they stand out more when we read them out loud. Listen for places where it doesn’t sound right, where it doesn’t make sense, or isn’t as clear as you would like it to be. You can have a parent read it out loud to you. Either way, make a little mark where you notice something isn’t right then go back and fix it when you’re done. Don’t stop to fix it then because it’s hard to start and stop and catch mistakes. Older Writers  Did you describe the setting so that a reader can see it? Make sure you can see the setting clearly in your mind. It’s much easier to tell others about it then. You don’t need a paragraph to describe something but you need it to be clear.  Can the readers see the detective in their mind?

Editing Now is the time to fix things like misspelled words and commas.  Are all of the words spelled correctly?  Did you capitalize the names of people and places?  Check to make sure that common homophones (words that sound alike) are correct. Here are some examples: your, you’re their, there, they’re too, to, two

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Older Writers  Are commas used correctly?  Circle nouns, verbs, and adjectives you used more than once. If you used a word or two many times in the story, it’s time to change some of them. Here’s an example. Jane walked into the room and picked up a flashlight. Then she walked over to the window and looked outside. If one of the “walked” words is changed to another word that means something similar, our story becomes more interesting. To make it even better, think about changing both of them into something that tells more about what’s happening. If you can’t think of another word for something, try using a thesaurus. Let’s try again. Jane stepped into the room and picked up a flashlight. Then she hurried over to the window and looked outside.  Did you use a variety of punctuation at the end of words? Sometimes we use things like exclamation points (!) too many times. We want the sentence to sound exciting but when we use too many, the reader gets bored.  Check for apostrophes in contractions and possessives. One common error is found with "it's" and "its." Remember that “it's” is a contraction for "it is" and “its” is possessive. So, it can only be “it’s” if you could also have said “it is.”

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Once More Now, it’s time to add a final polish. Read your story one more time. Find five things you could do to make it better. Do them. (You can print the Wow!Pocket on cardstock, but it isn't necessary.) Cut out the Wow! Pocket and glue into lapbook. Let glue dry. You’re done! Insert a printout of your finished story in the Wow! Pocket.

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Directions: Cut out the star – either on the dotted line circle or around the points of the star. Write your name on the line and glue it in the lapbook. You wrote a mystery!

Wrote a mystery!

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Teacher’s Guide All of the questions are given below. Many of them are asked to give the students a chance to think about the situation and give their own response. There isn’t a right or wrong answer as long as they answer the question. Some are comprehension questions that may have more than one right answer. When a question has a specific answer, that answer is given here.

Part One Mystery Novels, Complete Anytime – The student reads the paragraph and chooses five words that have to do with mysteries. They write one on each of five feathers and put the feathers in the briefcase. The Sheriff, Complete Anytime – The student reads the page about sheriffs. In the minibook she answers these questions: First Sheriffs: How did the word sheriff come to be? From the English shire-reeve. What did the sheriffs do in England hundreds of years ago? Duties included taking care of the jail, making arrests, and, in general, keeping the peace. Sheriffs in America: Where was the first sheriff in America? Virginia. Who was the first woman sheriff? The first woman sheriff was probably Emma Daugherty Banister in Coleman County, Texas in 1918. Sheriff’s Today: What is one way that sheriffs are different from the police? Almost all of them are elected by the people they serve. Are there many sheriffs today? More than 3,000. Name one state that doesn’t have sheriffs. All states except Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut have sheriffs. Jessica’s London, Chapter 1 or Later – The student reads about London. In the minibook, she answers these questions: Name three things you would do with Jessica in London.The question is based on comprehension of the London page. Draw lines at the borders of Scotland and Wales. Make a star on London. These activities require additional research either online or in a book. What’s an Antique?, Chapter 2 or Later – The student reads the two paragraphs about antiques. In the minibook, she answers these questions: © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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What is an antique? The question is based on comprehension of the antique paragraphs. Is there an antique you would like to see in person? The question is based on comprehension of the antique paragraphs. Tourists, Chapter 2 or Later – The student reads the paragraph about tourists. In the minibook, she answer the question: I would like to be a tourist here ___________. She then finds a picture online or in a magazine of a place she would like to visit (either the same place she put in the blank or another) and glues it inside. What’s a Deli?, Chapter 5 or Later – The student reads two paragraphs about delis. In the minibook, she answers the questions: What can I buy at a delicatessen? The question is based on comprehension of the deli paragraphs. If you went to Donadio’s Deli, what would you like to eat? The answer comes from the The Feather Chase. Possible answers are a sandwich, salad, potato salad, and sundae. The FBI, Chapter 13 or Later – The student reads a page about the FBI. In the minibook, she answers the questions: How is the FBI different than your local police department or sheriff’s office? They help with federal crimes, things that are against laws made by the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., such as bank robbery and also with crimes that cross or might cross state lines such as kidnapping. If someone steals a car and takes it to another state, which law enforcement officer would investigate - a police officer or sheriff’s deputy, or the FBI? The FBI. Tunnels, Chapter 19 or Later – The student reads a page about tunnels. In the minibook, she answers the questions: Would you like to visit a tunnel or live underground? Pretend you’re hiding from the Romans by living in an underground city and list everything you would take to live there. Footsteps, The Last Step of Part One – The three sections of footsteps are added to the lapbook as directed.

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Part Two, Everything in Part Two is to be done after finishing the book The object of Part Two is to teach the student about the parts of a mystery using a mystery she’s read. This will give her a solid foundation for writing her own mystery in Part Three. Clues – The student reads a paragraph about clues. For the minibook she finds the clues in chapters 1, 7, 18, 23. Chapter 1: the briefcase full of feathers. Chapter 7: the papers in the alley. Chapter 18: the feather from the birds flying over the boat. Chapter 23: fishing equipment in the tunnel. Red Herrings – The student reads a paragraph about red herrings. In the minibook, she answers the question, "What is the major red herring in The Feather Chase?" Mrs. Bowman from Bananas. Plot – The student reads a paragraph about plot. In the minibook she writes something she felt was important in the beginning, the middle, and the end of The Feather Chase. Crime – The student reads a paragraph about crime. In the minibook she writes down two crimes that happened in the book. Suspects – The student reads a paragraph about suspects. In the minibook, she answers these questions: Who were suspects in the book? Describe everything you know about the man and woman who were the criminals. Answers could include: The man and woman they kept seeing. The man who wore a brown suit and the woman who wore flowers. A man and woman named George and Eva. Setting – The student reads a sentence about setting. In the minibook, she answers these questions: Write your favorite place in The Feather Chase. On the inside write two sentences that describe that place. Characters – The student reads a paragraph about characters. There are two minibooks for characters, one for Sophie and one for Jessica. The © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

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student cuts out eight pictures and separates them into four for each girl, gluing them into the minibooks. Sophie: tent, jeans, tennis shoes, watermelon. Jessica: chocolate, red shoes, purple shirt, makeup. Detectives – The student reads a paragraph about detectives. Write the names of everyone who was a detective in the mystery. Then circle the two you liked most. Detectives: Sophie, Jessica, Agent Dallas, Agent Able, Sheriff Valeska. Dialogue – The student reads about dialogue. On the thought bubble, she writes her favorite line of dialogue then write the name of the person who said it on the line below.

Part Three, Everything in Part Three is to be done after finishing the book Mystery Cover – The student creates the cover for her mystery Your Mystery Flapbook – The student fills in each of the ten flaps, creating her mystery piece by piece. Write Your Mystery – The student writes her mystery and folds it in thirds the long way before inserting it in the “rough draft” pocket. Ways to Make Good Writing Great – The student completes the minibook. The teacher will help the student with the concepts on each page. The sentence that doesn’t belong in the paragraph is: Jessica wished she had purple shorts. Revise Your Story – The student goes step-by-step through the checklist. The student puts her finished story in the “wow” pocket. Create Your Writer Badge – The student cuts out the badge and writes her name in the blank.

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Shannon L. Brown

Sienna Bay Press

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Sienna Bay Press, PO Box 158582, Nashville, TN 37215. Copyright © 2014 Shannon L. Brown

Cover Illustration and Lettering © 2014 Jeanine Henderson

ISBN: 978-0-9898438-0-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2013917470 First Edition Printed in the U.S.A.

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Maybe a Mystery “We’ve been going uphill for ages. This was a dumb idea.” Jessica stumbled on the uneven dirt path. Her cousin Sophie had brought her to the middle of nowhere to torment her. “It wouldn’t be dumb if you’d worn sneakers instead of those fancy sandals.” Sophie glared at Jessica’s feet. Looking up, she pointed to the right. “Check out Pine Lake. The water’s sparkling in the sun.” Jessica glanced in that direction, then sat down on a boulder. What good was a lake in the distance? She tucked her hair behind her ears, pulled a bottle of fingernail polish out of her purse, and started painting her thumbnail her favorite shade of pink. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sophie lower her arm. “I’m not going to let you make me miserable. Follow me—or stay here with the wild animals.” Wild animals? Jessica’s gaze darted around the thick pine trees surrounding her. Then she leaped to her feet, knocking the open bottle onto a rock. •1•

Sophie stood with her hands on her hips and looked at her with disgust. “Pick it up, or the woodsy police will give you a ticket.” Jessica grabbed it, then tried to wipe off the dirt that had stuck to the oozing fingernail polish, but there was no saving the bottle. She held it up in the air. “It’s all your fault.” “My fault? I didn’t ask for you to spend the summer at my house. You staying with us while your mom and dad are gone was our mothers’ idea. We haven’t seen each other since we were little kids, but they thought you should stay at my house for the summer?” “I know.” Jessica stared at the bottle in her hand and felt tears welling up in her eyes. She wouldn’t cry in front of Sophie. “Here.” Sophie pulled a plastic bag out of her pocket and handed it to her. “This is left over from a snack the other day. Put the bottle in it. There’s a trash can at the end of the trail.” Jessica carefully dropped the sticky bottle and brush into the bag and put it in her shorts pocket. “Flip that rock over too. Pink nail polish doesn’t belong in a forest.” Sophie glared at her partially painted fingernails. When Sophie continued up the hill, Jessica walked beside her but kept her eyes open for those wild animals. When a bush rubbed against her legs and a small leaf stuck to her shorts, she quickly brushed it off. “Can you tell me what the purpose of this walk is?” “Didn’t you think the lake was beautiful? Isn’t it great just being in this forest?” •2•

Jessica looked around and yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. “I don’t like forests. I like shopping. I prefer city things.” For probably the tenth time today, she wondered why her parents had sent her to a town in a forest. She liked living in London, England. Her house there overlooked a nicely groomed park. She didn’t have to walk around in all this nature. “Maybe the outdoors will grow on you. Pretend we’re on a great adventure.” “I think twelve’s a little too old for that.” “I’m twelve too, and I don’t think so. My dad says you’re never too old to use your imagination.” “Okay. We’re on a great adventure.” Jessica lowered her voice to a whisper. “We’re going to find a bunch of spies around that bend in the path.” Sophie seemed startled, then grinned. She must not have known Jessica had a sense of humor. As they rounded the next bend, Jessica pointed to the ground. “Look. There’s a briefcase.” Sophie giggled. “You’re really getting into this.” “No, I mean there really is a briefcase.” Sophie looked in the direction Jessica pointed. “There is!” A black leather briefcase, something like her dad used to carry papers to meetings, lay on its side, next to a big pine tree. Jessica knelt beside it. “No!” Sophie shouted when her cousin reached for it. “Don’t you watch all those spy movies? The briefcase is booby-trapped.” “You must be kidding.” Jessica poked at it with her finger. Then she picked it up off the ground. “Gee. Nothing •3•

happened.” Setting it on a boulder, she pushed on the latches. “It’s locked up tight.” “We’d better take it to the sheriff ’s office.” “Good idea. Maybe they’ll give us a reward for bringing it to them.” “Don’t count on it. It’s more likely that my mom will let us have something sweet for dessert.” Jessica laughed. “What is it with your mom and sweets? Last night’s dessert was a bowl of apples, so I had to cut mine up to eat it with these.” She tapped a finger on her braces. “She’s sure sugar will kill us all. I hadn’t thought about your braces. Let Mom know, and she’ll get other kinds of fruit.” Sophie bent over their discovery. “Now, let’s see this thing. Seems like an ordinary briefcase to me.” “How many briefcases have you seen?” Sophie stood. “Lots.” Jessica stared at her in disbelief. “Well, lots on TV.” Jessica rolled her eyes. Sophie walked around the area, checking under bushes and pushing aside pine branches. “What are you doing?” “I’m making sure nothing else is hiding here.” “It’s just bushes and bugs.” An insect flew around her a couple of times. Sophie stopped and pursed her lips in an annoyed way. “There might be a tent or sleeping bag. This could be from a camper.” “You think someone went camping and took along something people carry to a business meeting?” •4•

Sophie circled a tree. “People do strange things.” Yes, like this. Sophie stood and brushed her hands off on her jeans. “Let’s get this to the sheriff so we can see what’s inside.” She grabbed the briefcase and started walking down the trail. “I’m glad we’re getting out of here long before it’s dark. I don’t want to have to wonder about whatever bad guy dropped this thing when owls are hooting and bats are flying.” Jessica glanced around the forest nervously. “Owls and bats? If they’re out at night, where are they during the day?” “They must be asleep.” Jessica stared up at the treetops. “What if someone wakes them up—by accident?” “I don’t think that can happen.” Sophie checked her watch. “This is taking longer than I want it to. Follow me.” She took off running down the path they’d come on, veering to the right, then down a steep, narrower path. Jessica ran as fast as she could in her sandals. Her feet started to hurt, and the pain inched its way up her legs until they turned to Jell-O. Gasping for breath, she made a mental note to use her mom’s exercise equipment when she got home and kept her focus on Sophie. Her sandal strap caught on a root in the path, but she jerked it free and stayed on her feet. A tiny image of long, brown hair in a ponytail, faded blue jeans, and a white T-shirt leaped over a small stream. Sophie hit the ground on the other side with both feet and kept running. “Wait,” Jessica yelled as loud as she could. •5•

Sophie ground in her heels and came to a full stop as Jessica hurtled down the hill toward her, her arms flailing at her sides. As she got closer, Jessica decided not to jump the stream—she knew she couldn’t make it—so she held her arms straight out and stepped from one rock to another. About halfway across, Jessica asked, “Why didn’t we come back over the bridge like when we left?” “This way is faster. I usually run all the way home and jump over this stream in my backyard. I forgot about your sandals.” “They’re fine where I’m from. We have sidewalks. There is no stream in my backyard. And you must admit the shoes look pretty good.” She paused, thinking about which of two rocks to step on next. Only one more rock to go and she was over. “I’m more of a sneaker kind of girl.” Out of the corner of her eye, Jessica saw Sophie lift up her right foot. “See?” “Can’t look now.” Jessica carefully stepped on the last rock she needed to cross the stream. When it shifted from side to side, she flapped her arms to keep her balance, then jumped to land. “Made it.” Sophie was standing in front of her with her eyes closed. She’d probably been waiting for a splash. She opened one eye slowly before opening the other. Yep, she had. “Let’s get this to the sheriff.” Sophie held up the briefcase. “Slowly this time.” Sophie shrugged and said, “If we’re going to walk slowly, let’s at least take the shortcut through the woods into town.” “No problem.” They walked past Sophie’s big white house, then through the woods. Jessica asked, “Do you know your sheriff ?” •6•

“Yeah, I’ve spent some time in the sheriff ’s office.” Jessica stopped. “Were you arrested?” Sophie stopped beside her. “No. When I think I’ve found a mystery, I drop in and talk to her about it. Besides, her office is the most exciting place in town.” She took a step and waved her on. Jessica stepped beside her. “The sheriff ’s a woman?” “Yep.” She thought about the hard-as-nails sheriffs and police officers she’d seen on TV and in the movies. “Is she tough— like a human bulldog?” “Of course not,” Sophie replied. “She’s normal.” She seemed to be thinking about her for a moment. “Sheriff Valeska is tall and has brown hair, but you usually can’t see it because she has a sheriff ’s hat on top of it.” Sophie turned to Jessica and looked her over. “I don’t think she wears makeup or fingernail polish.” Jessica grimaced. She wouldn’t leave the house without perfect makeup and hair. “Sheriff Valeska is really nice, but she says my love of mysteries tries her patience sometimes.” Sophie grinned. Jessica laughed. Then she pictured her cousin’s description of the sheriff and grimaced again. When they got to town, they walked several blocks, past businesses and houses. Then Sophie led her through the door of the sheriff ’s office. It surprised her when they walked inside that a pretty woman in a uniform sat at a desk, and Sophie said, “Hi, Sheriff.” “Hi, Sophie.” The sheriff smiled. “Sheriff Valeska, this is my cousin Jessica Ballow.” •7•

“Pleased to meet you, Jessica. Sophie’s mom told me you were arriving yesterday.” Glancing from one to the other, she said, “Other than being about the same height, you’re strikingly different.” Standing still while someone scrutinized her wasn’t easy, but Jessica did her best to be polite. “Our moms are almost identical, but Sophie has her dad’s brown hair and brown eyes, and I have my mom’s blonde hair and green eyes.” “I think you’ll enjoy your summer in Pine Hill, Jessica.” The sheriff pushed back from her desk and smiled broadly. “Now, Sophie, I know from experience that you came here with a mystery. What’s up?” Sophie set the briefcase on the sheriff ’s desk and sat down on one of the avocado green plastic chairs in front of it. Jessica stayed out of the way and stood off to the side. After describing where they’d found the briefcase, Sophie asked, “So, do you think it belongs to a spy?” Sheriff Valeska laughed. “I doubt that.” She picked up the briefcase and examined it. “The bus stops at McGuire’s Motel just outside of town. Nellie McGuire rarely remembers to turn on her No Vacancy sign when the motel’s full. My guess is that someone got off the bus thinking they could get a room there but couldn’t. The sign for Cutoff Trail is across the street from the motel, so they took it, hoping it was a shortcut to Pine Hill and another hotel. But it’s a steep hill—” “No kidding.” Jessica sighed. “When we ran home, I was so out of breath I didn’t think I’d ever catch up with Sophie.” “You aren’t the first person who’s gotten tired on one of Sophie’s treks through the woods.” •8•

Jessica relaxed. Maybe she didn’t need to work out. “Go on, Sheriff,” Sophie begged. “Oh yes. The briefcase owner probably got tired when he or she neared the top of the hill and set down their luggage.” Leaning back in her chair, she added, “My guess is that there’s a suitcase near the place you found this briefcase.” Sophie’s brown eyes sparkled. “Ooh, we’ll have to search again.” The sheriff shook her head and grinned. Sophie scooted to the front of the seat. “Come on, Sheriff, Let’s see what’s inside.” “Please open it!” Jessica urged the sheriff. Jessica watched her push on the latches, then push again. When they didn’t budge, the sheriff reached for the phone. “Homer, this is Mandy Valeska. I’ve got a locked briefcase here that needs to be opened. Okay. Sure.” She hung up the phone. “Is he coming now?” Sophie leaned forward in her chair, nearly tipping it over. “No.” “What?” both girls said at the same time. “He’s got a woman up at the resort that accidentally locked her baby in the car. He’ll be here in about a half hour. I need you two to be very quiet while you wait. I have a lot of work to do.” She faced her computer and started typing. Jessica sat in the chair next to Sophie, tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair until the sheriff stopped typing and frowned. She tucked her hand into her pocket and glanced around the room, her gaze coming back to •9•

the big clock on the wall every few minutes. A half hour with nothing to do was a very long time. Finally, when she didn’t think she could sit still a minute longer, a small man wearing worn jeans, a red flannel shirt, and wire-rimmed glasses that sat on the end of his nose entered the sheriff ’s office. “Mr. Winston!” Sophie called out and turned toward Jessica. “He’s our locksmith, so now we get to see what’s in the briefcase. This is it.” Sheriff Valeska moved the briefcase to a table in the middle of the room. “Here you go, Homer.” He set a small leather satchel on the table, then picked up the briefcase and turned it from side to side, carefully examining the two locks. Then he reached into the satchel and took out a tool. “This will only,” Mr. Winston said as he put it into one of the locks, “take a minute.” Jessica heard a small click. He repeated the process on the other lock. “There you go.” He put his tool back in his open bag, closed it, then picked up the bag and practically ran to the door. “Thanks for coming, Homer,” the sheriff called after him, “but don’t you want to see what’s in the briefcase?” “No time.” He gave a quick smile and waved as he went out the door. “Got to get over to Simpson’s Shoes . . .” His voice faded away as the door closed behind him. Sheriff Valeska turned toward Jessica and Sophie. “Are you girls ready for the big reveal?” They crowded next to the sheriff as she popped the briefcase open. •10•

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Flying Fluff Poof ! White things flew into the air. Sophie grabbed a handful, then opened her hand to see what they were. “It’s raining feathers.” Opening the briefcase was better than she’d imagined. “Catch them, girls. We need to get these back in the briefcase.” Sheriff Valeska rushed into a back room and returned with a white trash bag. The three of them grabbed feathers out of the air and dropped them into the bag. When a deputy walked in the door, he stopped and stared wide-eyed at them until the sheriff said, “Hank, help us clean this up.” Moving into action, he picked feathers up off the floor, adding them to the plastic bag. A few minutes later, Jessica looked up and around. “There aren’t any more feathers floating in the air.” The sheriff said, “I’ll clear them off this table and we’ll be done.” Sophie turned toward Jessica and giggled. “No, we won’t. Jessica’s covered. She must have been right in front of the •11•

briefcase when it opened.” Sophie started plucking the feathers off her, then paused and studied a handful of them. “Hurry up.” Jessica shifted from one foot to the other. Sophie turned the feathers over in her hand. “You know, there are little bits of white, fluffy stuff mixed in with the feathers.” Jessica lifted a feather off her wrist and dropped it in Sophie’s hand. “Okay, I get the message.” Sophie dropped them in the bag, then walked around Jessica, looking her over. “She’s clean.” Sophie peered into the open briefcase, then picked up two feathers that had stuck to the side and dropped them in the bag. “All the feathers are in the bag now.” Sheriff Valeska scowled. As she put a tie around the top of the plastic bag, she said, “But you added another set of fingerprints to the inside of the briefcase. Yours.” She shook her head. “While there isn’t anything illegal about feathers, I can’t think of any reason someone would carry them around in a briefcase. I’m going to have a deputy dust this for fingerprints. And I’ll have to get your fingerprints, Sophie, so he'll know to ignore them.” “My fingerprints!” Sophie said excitedly. The sheriff laughed. “Someone else might be annoyed at having their fingerprints taken, but Sophie’s excited.” “I’m learning that she’s one of a kind,” Jessica said. Sheriff Valeska got out the fingerprinting materials, took all ten fingerprints, then pulled out a wipe and handed it to Sophie. Sophie stared first at the wipe then at the black ink on her fingertips. Having the ink on her fingers might •12•

be fun. Then she could show people and tell them what had happened. Jessica rolled her eyes. “Wipe it off, Sophie. It won’t be fun to walk around with ink on your fingers.” Yeah, it probably would have been. Sophie gave in and took the wipe. “Other than when we first opened the briefcase and, of course, when I got fingerprinted, this wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped.” “Nope,” Jessica said. “Not much excitement here. A pillow fight would have given us feathers—and fun.” “I’m not sure I agree.” As Sheriff Valeska walked toward the back room with the briefcase and bag of feathers, she said, “I don’t want to get you girls going again, but it’s a bigger mystery than I expected. A briefcase full of feathers?” She vanished out of sight through a doorway. “Now what?” asked Jessica. Something at the edge of Sophie’s vision caught her attention. She squinted and peered out of the corner of her eye. Almost cross-eyed, she reached up and plucked a feather out of her hair. “I guess all the feathers didn’t land on you.” Sophie held it up. The sheriff thought they had a mystery. Solving it would be much easier with their own feather. “This can be our first clue.” “Actually, it’s Sheriff Valeska’s clue. It’s now property of the sheriff ’s office.” “Sheriff ?” Sophie called out. “Yes, Sophie?” the sheriff answered from the storeroom. “Can we borrow the feather I just found in my hair?” After what seemed like a long pause, she said, “Well, since you found the briefcase and there are so many feathers, •13•

go ahead. But remember you’re just borrowing it and have to bring it back.” “Gotcha.” Sophie rushed over and opened the door with one hand, clutching the feather in the other. She said to Jessica in a low voice, “Let’s get out of here before she changes her mind.” “Absolutely.” Once out the door, Sophie went straight to a bench on the sidewalk and motioned for Jessica to sit next to her. When Jessica was seated, Sophie covered her mouth with her hand and said, “See that man?” Jessica leaned closer. “I can barely hear you.” “I said, ‘See that man?’” Sophie replied in a slightly louder voice and gestured to the right with her thumb. Jessica started to turn that way. “No! Be subtle. Don’t let him know you’re watching him.” Jessica hummed softly, and with an almost believable casual look, turned that direction. “I see a man in a brown suit and a rust-colored tie.” “That’s him.” “That’s who?” “That’s the man who stole the money from the bank and left it in the briefcase in the woods.” “You’ve lost it. By the way, I thought the briefcase belonged to a spy.” “Spy, bank robber, it could be either one.” “And don’t you always have strangers in this town?” “Well . . . there are always tourists at the resort—but look at that guy.” “I can’t.” •14•

“Why?” “He’s gone.” Sophie whipped around. “He was wearing a suit. Almost no one wears a suit in Pine Hill. Even the tourists. They dress in brand-new, relaxed-type clothes. Sometimes I think I could find a price tag hanging off them if I got close.” Jessica giggled. “They can’t be that bad.” “The clothes are. But the people are usually okay. They just want to relax. As the ads say, ‘Come to Pine Hill in the mountains to unwind. Let clean air and sparkling water revive you.’” “You’re kidding.” “Nope. Men leave their suits behind. From what I can tell, it’s tough to relax in a suit and tie.” Sophie pulled her shirt tightly around her neck like she was wearing a tie. Her breathing cut off and she let it go, gasping for air. “Whew. I can see why.” Jessica settled down next to her on the bench. “Let’s work out a plan of action.” “Agreed. First we need to find out all we can about this feather.” “Good plan. Let’s get on your computer and Google ‘feathers.’” Jessica started to stand. Sophie grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. “It isn’t that easy.” “Huh?” “I’m surprised you haven’t asked about a computer before. Or cell phone access.” “Mom said she’d text me when she arrived in the Middle East where Dad’s working, and I knew that wouldn’t be •15•

until later today. I’d just assumed you hadn’t needed to text or call anyone on your phone.” “I don’t have a cell phone. It wouldn’t matter much if I did anyway. The reception in town is okay but not great, and almost zero outside of town.” Jessica pulled her phone out of her bag. “Nothing.” “Told you. You might have service a block away. They say it’s because of the mountains.” Jessica tucked her phone back into her purse. “Well, it’s easier to use a computer with a larger screen for something like this anyway.” “Um . . .” Sophie looked down. This felt more than a little embarrassing. “Is your computer broken?” “That’s just it. Mom likes things that are old, and doesn’t like things that are new. She also thinks I’d find a way to get in trouble on the Internet.” Jessica sprang to her feet. “You don’t mean—” Sophie sighed. “Yep. We don’t have a computer. Well, other than the one Dad has in his office since he works at home, but that’s only for his business.” “How do you do projects for school?” “I go to the library.” “Great. I like libraries.” Jessica sounded kind of nervous when she quickly said, “Is it a brick building like all of these?” Sophie nodded, then stood. “We do seem to like brick here. The library's only a few blocks from here. I go there a lot.” On the way there, Jessica stopped in front of a drugstore. “Let’s run in here, Sophie. I want to replace the fingernail polish I dropped.” •16•

“Sure.” Sophie followed Jessica through the cosmetics section to an area with dozens of bottles of nail polish. “So many colors.” “The choice isn’t just about color. There’s frosted or not, and other things, too.” Jessica scanned the shelves, searching through lots of polish. “I found it! It’s the perfect pink.” She held up a bottle of nail polish. Sophie shrugged. One pink looked pretty much like another. “It’s the same as the one that got ruined. It was my favorite.” She clutched it to her chest and rushed to the cash register. When they were standing in line, Sophie felt like a jerk. “Um, I think that was my fault.” She tapped the top of the bottle in Jessica’s hand. “You know, that it fell. I think I should pay for it.” “How ’bout we split the cost? It was stupid of me to be doing my nails in the middle of a hike.” Sophie pulled money out of her back pocket, gave it to her, and Jessica took the rest out of her purse. Stepping into the library made Jessica feel at home for the first time since she’d arrived in Pine Hill. She had to play it cool, though, because if Sophie knew she spent a lot of time in libraries, her cousin might figure out that she was the extra-smart type. Then she might not fit in here, just like she didn’t seem to fit in anywhere else. Sophie typed “birds” in the online catalog. A long list of books flashed onto the screen. “Wow. Twenty-two books. Something in here should solve the mystery.” •17•

Jessica peered over Sophie’s shoulder and laughed. “The first two are books for little kids, and the third one is a turkey cookbook.” Sophie paged through the list. “Here’s one that sounds good. Birds of North America. And here’s another one that might help. Raising Ducks and Geese for Fun and Profit. Maybe the feather is from a duck or a goose.” She checked through the rest of the list and sighed. “Only two useful books out of twenty-two.” After writing down the two call numbers, she tore the paper in half. “I’ll find this one and you find the other one,” she said as she handed Jessica the bottom half of the paper. “Let’s meet”—she looked around the room, then pointed at a couple of chairs—“there.” Jessica loved wandering through the stacks, seeing what this library had to offer. It took her longer than she’d expected to return with the book she’d been assigned. Sophie was already flipping through her book, so Jessica sat and started checking hers out. A minute later, Sophie sighed as she closed the book and set it on the table next to her chair. “Is yours useless, too?” “It’s only helpful if you want to buy a few ducks or geese and stick them in your backyard.” Sophie grinned. “Interesting thought, but I don’t think Mom and Dad would go for it. Mine showed pictures of birds, but no up-close feather photos. “We’ll have to find another way to get answers.” Placing her hand on her stomach, Jessica said, “I’m starving. Do you know when we’re having dinner?” •18•

“Mom can’t leave her antique shop until the last customer leaves. Then she comes home to cook dinner. Dad isn’t good in the kitchen.” Sophie shuddered. “Let’s hurry to your house. Maybe the customers left early.” Sophie patted her pocket. “I’ll be happy to have the feather in a safe place at home.” As they walked, Jessica thought about the briefcase full of feathers. They could just leave the whole thing to the sheriff, but Jessica already knew Sophie well enough to be sure she wouldn’t like that idea. She figured Sophie must be thinking about the feathers too, because she hadn’t seen her stay quiet this long. When they turned onto the shortcut through the woods to Sophie’s house, her cousin finally broke her silence. “We should be working on our mystery.” “Cousin, we just found a briefcase. I admit that having feathers inside it is strange, but we don’t know for sure that there is a mystery.” “The sheriff said it was a mystery. I think bad guys chased a criminal through the woods, and the criminal dropped the briefcase.” “And the guy chasing him didn’t notice when he tripped over it?” Jessica shook her head. “It was off to the side of the trail, so he wouldn’t have tripped. Anyway, think about the mystery.” Trying to appear very serious, Jessica said, “I’ll give it my deepest thought.” Sophie rolled her eyes. “Why don’t I believe you? The big question is: why did someone leave the briefcase out •19•

in the open on the path, where anyone could see it, and why was it filled with feathers?” “That’s two questions.” “Whatever. Do you ever get that funny feeling that someone’s watching you?” Sophie asked as she glanced around. Jessica shrugged. “Sometimes. Why?” “How about now?” Sophie stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Nothing.” Jessica stared up into the tall trees, then around to the path behind them. “Everything seems normal, at least as normal as a forest ever seems to me.” “I keep getting the feeling that someone’s watching.” Sophie snapped her fingers. “I know. It’s the guy in the brown suit.” Jessica studied the ground. Pushing a rock to the side with her foot, she studied it. Then she raked a pile of leaves aside. “What are you doing?” “I’m looking for your mind. You must have lost it around here because you seemed intelligent just a short time ago.” “Funny. Let’s be quiet and see if we hear anything.” A loud cracking sound made them both jump.

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E

3

Hiding Secrets Jessica whispered, “What was that?” “A branch breaking.” The girls looked at each other and Sophie whispered, “It could be just an animal.” A chill went through Jessica. “You’re telling me it’s either a wild animal or a criminal?” “That does sound bad.” Sophie peered over her shoulder one last time, then whispered, “I’ll beat you home.” “No, you won’t,” Jessica whispered back. A second later, Sophie took off running, and Jessica chased after her. When the heel on Jessica’s sandal caught on a tree root, she grabbed the tree’s trunk and swung around it, barely stopping herself from falling. Her shoes seemed to catch on everything in her path. If running from spies and thieves was going to be part of her life in Pine Hill, she would, unfortunately, have to wear sneakers. Sophie’s big, old, white house came into view around a bend in the path. They ran up the steps, pulled open the wooden screen door, and skidded to a stop. •21•

“We’re home,” Sophie called out. Jessica’s racing heart started to beat a little more normally when her aunt April answered from the kitchen, “Dinner in twenty, girls.” They fell onto the sofa, panting. Sophie set the feather on the coffee table and between breaths said, “Let’s examine the evidence.” Jessica picked up the feather and studied it. “Remember the fluffy white things that were with the feathers?” “Yes, but I don’t know what they were.” “That’s another piece of the puzzle that’s missing.” “You know, it’s complicated enough just finding out about this feather.” Sophie tapped her chin with her finger. “We should ignore the fluffy stuff for now.” “Good idea. I’ve thought about feathers enough. Let’s hide this and take a feather break.” “Agreed. For now.” Sophie grabbed it out of Jessica’s hand and walked into her bedroom. Jessica followed her. “Where can we keep the feather that’s safe?” Jessica glanced around the room. Under the lamp? No, it might blow out if someone opened the window. In the drawer in the nightstand? No, too obvious. Maybe . . . she noticed Sophie kneeling in her closet. “What are you doing?” Jessica pushed clothes on hangers out of the way and knelt beside her. “Do you have some kind of secret hiding place?” “The best.” Sophie used a bent hanger to pry up one of the floorboards, then reached in and pulled a metal box the size of a big paperback book out of the hole. “That’s great! Did you make this hole?” •22•

“No. The board’s been loose all my life. But I was reading a book where a loose board in a closet hid a treasure.” “So you threw down the book and ran to the closet.” Sophie nodded her head. “You can’t imagine how excited I was when I pried up the board, and inside I found a metal box.” “And?” “And it was empty.” She sighed. “Too bad, but it makes a great hiding place.” Sophie dropped the feather in the box, fit it back in the hole, and replaced the board. After dinner, Sophie, Jessica, and Sophie’s dad, Lucas Sandoval, waited for Sophie’s mom to bring the bowl of fruit, but she came through the kitchen door carrying a yellow box instead. “Dessert?” Her mom hadn’t given them an actual dessert in months. “I knew you girls would be hungry after wandering around in the woods all morning, so I bought you a surprise at Bananas.” When she set the open box on the table, they leaned over to peer inside. “I see slices of cake and a plastic container with,” Sophie picked it up, “strawberries in it. Wow! Strawberry shortcake.” She set it down and licked her lips. “Correction,” Mrs. Sandoval said. “Strawberries on banana shortcake. You know how Abigail Bowman is about bananas.” Sophie laughed and turned to Jessica. “She puts them in everything in her bakery, but the weird thing is that it’s all good. I guess you could say she’s bananas about bananas.” •23•

Jessica groaned. “She was trying out a chocolate chip cookie when I stopped in today.” “With bananas?” Jessica grimaced. “No. She wanted to see if other people liked things without bananas.” They all laughed. Mrs. Sandoval snapped her fingers. “I almost forgot. I bought some cream for you.” She went back into the kitchen and returned with two cans of whipped cream. “I’ve got some paperwork to do, so I’ll leave you guys to it.” Mr. Sandoval said, “Dessert is a special occasion for us. You need to visit more often, Jessica.” He put strawberries on cake, covered it with whipped cream after reading the directions on the can, then put a spoonful of his dessert in his mouth. “Mmmm.” Jessica and Sophie made their shortcake. Then each grabbed a can of whipped cream. Sophie stopped to read the directions on the can. As Jessica squirted hers, she said, “Uncle Lucas, you and Sophie act like you’ve never seen a can of whipped cream before.” “We haven’t.” He put the can down and took a bite of shortcake. “What? Really?” Sophie said, “Well, we’ve never seen a can of whipped cream in this house.” Slowly eating a bite, she enjoyed the thrill of having dessert. “Yum.” “Now I understand why you had to read the directions and you have two cans for three people. You’ve got enough •24•

here for you and your closest friends.” Mr. Sandoval laughed. “None of us knew we had too much. Oh, this is so good.” Jessica tasted hers. “It is. And the banana shortcake is delicious.” She wiped off some cream that splashed on the table, then asked, “This table is big and heavy. It seems old, so I wondered, is it an antique?” “Almost everything in our house is an antique. Mom loves them, and she doesn’t like much that’s new.” As Sophie took another bite, her mind shifted to the mystery, and she pictured a man running with a briefcase through the woods. “You know, Jessica, I like my theory about spies in Pine Hill.” Mr. Sandoval made choking sounds. Sophie ran into the kitchen, coming back with a glass of water. Her dad took a sip. “Spies?” he croaked, then took a long drink of water. “Sure, Dad.” Sophie explained what had happened that day. He sat back and laughed. “I know I’ve told you over and over to use your imagination, but you might be overdoing it, Soph.” “You wait and see.” Sophie knew they’d stumbled upon something exciting. She knew a mystery was waiting to be solved.

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I hope you enjoyed the first three chapters of The Feather Chase. It's available in e-book, paperback and hardcover from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.