(Amazon.com, n.d.).
Cosmopolitan Best YA Books of 2021
People Magazine Best Book of Summer 2021
Publishers Weekly Best Summer Read 2021
Indie Next Kids’ Pick June/July 2021
Follow Stevie Bell into her next mystery. Stevie is asked to discuss a cold case of murders that happened at a summer camp in 1978. The new owner of the summer camp has asked Stevie and her friends to come out and solve the case. Stevie talks with the families of those affected by these murders and pieces together what actually happened. The reader gets snippets of flashbacks to 1978 that help unravel what happened and to whom. Stevie opens the box to this mystery, but is she in over her head?
(Johnson, n.d.)
(Johnson, n.d.)
The author of The Box in the Woods is a successful #1 New York Times bestselling author. Maureen Johnson has had several successful book published for teens, but enjoyed by a more general audience. Johnson's work has be discussed in several publications like Buzzfeed, The New York Times, and The Guardian. When Maureen Johnson is not busy writing her next bestselling youth book, she works for EA sports helping write video game scripts. Johnson has a great sense of humor which often comes through in her books. Although a book may be suspenseful, it does not mean there isn't room for comedic relief.
(Johnson, n.d)
This book is technically the fourth book in the Stevie Bell mystery series, although it can be read as a standalone. The first three books all follow the same storyline, but this book is the start of a new adventure. This book also resolves the plot by the end of the book. This is different from the aforementioned first three books in the series. This is a nice change for readers so that they do not have to wait years for closure at the end of a book. Maureen Johnson has confirmed that she will be continuing the Stevie Bell series, which is extremely exciting for teens and adults!
Maureen Johnson uses excellent storytelling in this books by utilizing a non chronological plotline. Readers are often taken back in time to the time where the murders took place. This helps give context to the mystery and keeps readers engaged in the story. The author also uses a fantastic blend of comedy and suspense. As someone who does not like to ready scary stories before bed, I found myself pleasantly surprised at how many times I found myself laughing due to witty dialogue.
This is a perfect summer read due to the setting of a summer camp. It gives nostalgic vibes and yet it doesn't take away from the mystery. This book was a fun read that I had a hard time putting down.
(Johnson, n.d.)
Teens love solving mysteries. A way to incorporate The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson into a library program would be to have a murder mystery night. This program would take planning as teens would need assigned characters. Teens would need to sign up beforehand to receive a character. They would come dressed up in character.
Murder mystery sets can be purchased online for a small fee, or a team of librarians could work together to create a murder mystery of their own.
If you are looking for the perfect summer mystery, The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson is the one for you! The mystery is held at a summer camp where you follow detective Stevie Bell sleuthing out the cold case that happened at Camp Wonderfall back in 1978. Because nothing says “summer” like investigating a murder.
There are no huge issues with this book. I would say two smaller issues that I would like to discuss. First, murder may not be seen as a subject that is suitable for teens. Although this books target demographic is teenagers, some parents may disagree that their children should be reading. I would argue that it is something the teens should have the option to read because it creates variety in text and brings awareness to real life issues. The second small problem I would like to mentioned is that Stevie and David do not always communicate in a healthy way. Stevie is the main character and is dating David, and sometimes there are red flags about their communication style. This does create a sense of real life, but it does set a bad example for teens who are learning what healthy relationships should look like.
This books is a fun read. It has the perfect mix of suspense and comedic relief. It keeps teens hooked because of the timeline flashing back and forward. It brings awareness to mental health issues such as anxiety and shows that teens can be successful even when struggling. It is an example of a great group of friends that help support one another. Maureen Johnson is a great write for teens. It is easy to get sucked into the story, which is important because some teens don't love reading. This is a book I would recommend for someone looking for the perfect summer thriller.
References
Johnson, M. (n.d.). About me. Maureen Johnson Books. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/about/
Amazon.com: The Box in the woods : Johnson, Maureen (n.d.). Retrieved June 18, 2022, from https://www.amazon.com/Angel-Greenwood-Randi-Pink-ebook/dp/B08BYDWBMC