Bloody mansion, bloody water, bloody statues, oh my!

The Case of the Bloody Statue by Chi-hyeon Ahn, illustrated by Kang Gyung-hyo, and translated by Gloria Ohe is the second book in the Mystery Science Detectives Series and is a problem solving treasure trove. When a schoolmate comes off a bit weird, Kihan decides to investigate what may be the reasoning and this leads to him and the detective team finding the bloody mansion. Now, they have to find out why there’s blood everywhere and how their schoolmate is connected.

There’s so much to love about this series and particularly this book. The characters are super cute and there’s an awesome character guide that give lots of detail as to who they are and how they interact. Additionally, there’s a map of their mysterious town and it seems like each book is in a different location on that map, which is also very cool. A great way to anticipate coming stories.

It’s also cool to include things like streamers and various electronic devices throughout the story. I loved the live streaming videos from the ghost hunters. The kids are all very smart as well and the interviews were fun! Finally, the extra lessons in between the chapters are fantastic! There’s so much available for kids to use their executive functioning skills.

The only issue that popped up to me was at the beginning. It seemed to dive straight in without reasoning in the prologue. It was a bit abrupt and it’s not clear why Kihan is so focused on investigating her.

The illustrations are so freaking cute and beautiful. They’re perfect for the middle grade readers’ attention and will definitely keep them engaged. It helps push the story along and is interactive. Great job! Additionally, they pop with not only their coloring but the style of each child. They have their own personality down to their hair as well. It’s so cute and animated (literally).

Great for kids around 8-12, perfect middle grade graphic novel. Easy to read alone and also great for group reading due to the problem solving. Highly recommend!

Check out the first book of the series, The Case of the Forest Fingers.

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of The Case of the Bloody Statue from Chi-hyeon Ahn via NetGalley

This is a great book for your kids who like adventures and figuring out things that others might think are spooky and scary. These kids figure out things that people think are supernatural, go out and figure out what is going on. When they are done, they report on their findings. They even give you some real lessons within the book on certain things you learn about within the book to give you a more scientific exploration of what is happening. Great book for young learners.

I received an electronic ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley.
The Mystery Science Detectives are back to solve their next case. Readers see them try to engage with another student who seems sad. Khan offers their services if she needs help. She rejects the offer and walks away. After this, the team observes various incidences and decides to explore the location someone saw her enter - the mysterious spooky mansion in town. They brave the maze, bleeding statues, scary entry, and locking rooms to figure out what is happening and who is "haunting" this home. I appreciate the science woven through the story and the opportunities for readers to be part of solving the case. The fact pages and puzzles engage readers and let them feel they are part of the detective team. Be sure to study the artwork as well for more clues and fun.
Don't miss the intro to book three at the end.