About the Holiday
Do you and your kids love mysteries? Then the month of May is for you! That’s to be expected as May is all about mysteries! Established by Booklist, which is part of the American Library Association, Mystery Month highlights all things mysterious and offers webinars, articles, awards, recommendations, and more! Mysteries, with their unusual situations, puzzling clues, usual suspects, and plenty of unexplained phenomena, are great for getting kids—even reluctant readers—to fall in love with books. With so many classic and new mysteries to investigate, this month’s celebration may just last all summer! And if you like your mysteries fun and educational, you’ll love today’s book!
Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop: A Tiny Treasure Hunt
Written by Jamie Michalak | Illustrated by Kelly Murphy
Dakota Crumb—a tiny mouse with an enormous talent for treasure hunting—receives a letter from her cousin Julien imploring her to help him find a rare book about lost treasures that has been hidden somewhere in Paris. Julien has left her one picture clue as to where it might be, and Dakota loses no time in rushing out the door to follow the trail.
Illustration © 2025 by Kelly Murphy, text copyright © 2025 by Jamie Michalak. Courtesy of Candlewick.
She discovers the image on the door of the quaint Le Mystère Café et Librairie. Inside, all is quiet, but another clue is waiting for her. She finds and grabs the item hinted at, only to discover another clue that leads her upstairs “past spying eyes.” Once on the second floor—the Children’s Room—Dakota scans the room for the object she needs and spies it in a most dangerous place! Can she possibly collect it? With courage and pluck, she nabs it from the “sleeping monster” and hurries away.
The hunt is still on! Dakota hasn’t found the rare book yet, so she follows the newest clue, which takes her to yet another and then on a wild climb up a long rope. At the top she finds “a most mysterious place!” Lights shine from inside this tiny shop, but it’s flanked by two large stone-cat bookends. Will Dakota find the treasure book at last? Or is it a trap?”
Illustration © 2025 by Kelly Murphy, text copyright © 2025 by Jamie Michalak. Courtesy of Candlewick.
With trepidation Dakota opens the door. “‘Surprise!'” It’s a party for Dakota! And who’s at the door to greet her? Her cousin Julien, holding her present—the “rare and priceless” treasure book she’s been seeking! Dancing and tasty treats await. “And the mice celebrate until Paris twinkles like birthday candles.”
The fun doesn’t end after the story as Dakota invites readers to a treasure hunt of their own, presenting more than 30 items for them to look for on the pages throughout the book. In addition, Kelly Murphy’s wonderfully atmospheric illustrations are so jam-packed full of whimsical elements that enterprising adults or older siblings could easily make up multiple treasure hunts for kids to enjoy.
Illustration © 2025 by Kelly Murphy, text copyright © 2025 by Jamie Michalak. Courtesy of Candlewick.
Whether your kids are already fans of Dakota Crumb or are meeting her for the first time, Jamie Michalak’s newest treasure hunting adventure is a delightful seek-and-find caper full of mystery, intrigue, and gentle suspense. Michalak’s charming storytelling and rhyming clues will have children feeling like sleuths themselves as they hunt along with Dakota for each new item. When Dakota discovers that her cousin planned the whole quest as a special birthday gift and surprise, kids will love being included in this ingenious expression of family love.
Kelly Murphy’s lovely illustrations are infused with the ambiance of Paris as Dakota finds her way to Le Mystère Café et Librairie, where her adventure takes place. Each nook and cranny of this enchanting establishment are filled with clever details that will enthrall kids. From the warmth and delicious pastries of the café to the captivating staircase to the enticing Children’s Room with its resident canine “monster,” and the final party room overlooking Paris, Murphy’s incredible eye for detail and feel for character and mood envelopes readers in this cozy bookshop.
An immersive romp, Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop will thrill mystery fans and I-spy puzzle lovers, alike and will be asked for again and again. The book makes a fantastic gift and is highly recommended for home bookshelves and all library collections.
Click here for my review of Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter and Interview with Jamie Michalak! You’ll also find a Dakota Crumb Activity Kit!
Ages 3 – 8
Candlewick, 2025 | ISBN 978-1536223309
Jamie Michalak is the author of Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter, illustrated by Kelly Murphy; the Frank and Bean books, illustrated by Bob Kolar; the Joe and Sparky series, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz; and many other acclaimed titles for young readers. She lives in Rhode Island. Visit her at jamiemichalakbooks.com.
Kelly Murphy is the award-winning author-illustrator of The Boll Weevil Ball and illustrator of Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter by Jamie Michalak; Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters and Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters, both by Jane Yolen; and many other picture books and chapter books. She lives in Rhode Island. You can visit her at kelmurphy.com.
Mystery Month Activity
The Case of the Missing Object Game
This fun game combines memory building with just the right amount of suspense and spookiness when played at night or in a room that can become totally black when the lights are turned off. If you play in the daytime, just have the players leave the room while you take away objects.
Rules
- Gather a number of small objects (the number will depend on the ages of the players. For younger players, gather 5 – 7 objects. For older players try 12 or more)
- Lay the objects out on a table or the floor
- Tell the players to look at the objects for a certain amount of time. The time will depend on the ages of the players—a longer time for younger children, shorter for older kids (or to make the game more exciting)
- When the time is up, turn out the lights or send players out of the room.
- Remove 1 to 3 objects. To make the game more difficult rearrange the remaining objects
- Turn the lights back on.
- Let children guess which objects have been removed.
- Repeat until all the objects are gone
- For an alternate game, instead of removing objects, add one or two
You can purchase Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop from these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop
Picture Book Review
celebratepicturebooks.com 