Brezenoff, Steve. Grand Canyon Burros That Broke.

Brezenoff, Steve.  Grand Canyon Burros That Broke.    Capstone/Stone Arch 88p $23.99  978-1-4342-3788-0     2013  elem  VG      series: Field Trip Mysteries (Stone Arch)       Realistic Fiction

The art club members are going on a field trip to the Grand Canyon.  There they will paint, sculpt, or photograph the natural wonder.  At the rim, the students discover that three burros have been stolen.  The students, Egg, Cat, and Gum, first accuse Anton (the class bully) and his family of the theft.  Anton in turn accuses Cat.  Amidst some very hard feelings, the group ascertains that the burros are trained to move only for their owner and his cowboys.  Slowly Egg hits on the solution and informs the Rangers.

The text is clearly written and includes conversations, descriptions and action.  The actions of the students are age-appropriate but also show they have excellent deductive skills.  The reading level will attract reluctant readers, who will meet with regular success.  The illustrations enhance the text, and are done in almost a cartoon style that will be familiar to students.

Extra features include information about the author and the illustrator, some vocabulary, and a fictional article about the trip.  There are also writing and talking prompts related to the topic.  This title is perfect for readers in grades 3-5 and older reluctant readers.  The series is fun to read and also introduces a lot of factual information.  The Field Trip Mysteries series is fun to read and introduces a lot of factual information about various famous locations.

     

Mystery–Fiction, Travel–Fiction, Grand Canyon-Fiction --Joan Theal