Trapped!: The 2031 Journal of Otis Fitzmorgan

As you may know from my earlier reviews, my family and I are big fans of the "Crime Through Time" series of books. The plots overall are really gripping, and the writing keeps it interesting for all ages. "Trapped!" is the latest one I have read with my niece, and it may be the best yet. (It's hard to pick a favorite, though.) This one is a combination sci-fi and mystery novel involving art fraud aboard the futuristic Space Elevator. The story itself is great, with a driving, fast-paced plot with lots of twists and turns. What makes this series really great, I think, is the way it brings in scraps of info through sidebars and extra pages that my niece really loves. There's easy-to-understand mini-articles on everything from DNA to asteroids to John Wilkes Booth! It really connects the story line to whatever the kids might be studying in school without being distracting or too "educationsal" in the eyes of the kids. I highly recommend this book.