January Month of Mystery and the Benefits of Reading Mysteries

Reading is the cornerstone of all academic success, but not every student is a motivated reader.  Our school-wide Mystery Reading event helps to transform reading from a solitary task into an exciting community adventure.  We have our school-wide mystery of the missing Golden Ticket box that engages our students in a “real” event in which analytical thinking is activated.  This kind of thinking can also be used as students engage in the reading of their grade-level mystery book.

Mystery stories are well suited for younger readers because they are inherently interactive. Unlike other genres, a "whodunnit" invites the reader to step into the role of a detective, leading to several key benefits:

During this January Month of Mystery we hope that every student becomes a "super-sleuth."  This shared experience levels the playing field for all readers, including those who may typically be reluctant to pick up a book. Clues are revealed as we proceed and the "culprit" will finally be revealed. Through this shared experience students will have not only solved a mystery but have also strengthened their reading stamina, vocabulary, and analytical skills for life.