  | Wizard of Dark Street : an Oona Crate mystery Author: Odyssey, Shawn Thomas | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
In 1877, just after Oona, 12, gives up her apprenticeship to her uncle, the Wizard, and becomes a detective, he is stabbed, testing her skills.
Download a Teacher's Guide
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 6.40 Points: 12.0 Quiz: 145151 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 6-8 Reading Level: 5.70 Points: 18.0 Quiz: 55265 | |
Common Core Standards
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, & Rang
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → 5.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → 5.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, & Rang
Grade 6 → Reading → RL Literature → 6.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 6 → Reading → RL Literature → 6.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 6 → Reading → RL Literature → 6.RL Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
Grade 6 → Reading → RL Literature → 6.RL Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity
Grade 6 → Reading → CCR College & Career Readiness Anchor Standards fo
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → 5.RL Craft & Structure
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (-) (05/15/11)
School Library Journal (09/01/11)
Booklist (07/01/11)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (07/11)
Full Text Reviews:
Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2011 Despite being a Natural Magician, a rare person born with innate magical abilities, Oona Crate has no desire to continue to apprentice with her Learned Magician uncle-not since she cast a spell that went horribly awry and inadvertently caused the death of her mother and sister. She’d much rather work with logic, and although that seems to also be a rarity on Dark Street, one of the few remaining links between the world of men and the world of Faerie, Oona is determined to open up her own detective agency and use the nonmagical tools of reason and deduction to make a living. Her skills are put to the test when her uncle goes missing and the list of suspects is as long as it is bizarre: there’s Sanora Crane, the itty-bitty witch in training from under Witch Hill; the wealthy Iree twins, snotty Isadora and her handsome brother Adler; a hapless human boy; and finally, Red Martin, Dark Street’s biggest crime boss. Though the prose sometimes offers too much exposition, a sleuth in the land of Faerie (or the road that leads there) is a delightful premise, and the mystery of Oona’s missing uncle and the magical hijinks she encounters in her search for him are all entertaining. This is at heart a rollicking good whodunit with plenty of red herrings and suspicious characters to keep readers guessing until the villian’s ultimate revelation. Oona’s insistence on being herself is admirable, and although she concedes that magic may have some good to offer, it is ultimately her wits and cleverness that save the day. Readers who tended to choose chess over make-believe as youngsters will find a kindred spirit in Oona. KQG - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
Booklist - 07/01/2011 Twelve-year-old Oona Crate has lost her father, her mother, and her younger sister. Fortunately, she has been nurtured by her uncle, the Wizard of Dark Street. As a Natural Wizard (one born to magic rather than a Learned Wizard), Oona is unusual in her desire to become a detective rather than follow in her uncle’s footsteps. But when her uncle is attacked and vanishes, Oona must use every trick up her sleeve, including magic and critical thinking, to solve the mystery. Delightful cover art will attract Lemony Snicket and Neil Gaiman readers, who will enjoy the quirky characters and offbeat humor. Upbeat in tone, this delight is an excellent blend of fantasy and mystery with a variety of suspicious characters and enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing all the way to the end, which is open-ended enough to offer hope for a sequel. - Copyright 2011 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 09/01/2011 Gr 5–8—In 1877, Dark Street is a Diagon Alley. It sits between New York City and Faerie, open at midnight to New Yorkers and, after the Great Faerie War, firmly barred to Faerie by the Glass Gates. The vigilant Wizard of Dark Street tends its magical presence. By tradition, his niece, 12-year-old Oona Crate, is next in line to be his apprentice, but she has renounced her magical abilities because of an accident she once caused. Now she concentrates on detective work, which she must employ when her uncle vanishes right before naming his successor. Oona has a wide list of suspects to interrogate, including a witch, a blind man, a "Muggle" boy from New York, and obnoxious Isadora from across the street. Ably assisted by her talking raven and her Faerie servant, Oona sets out to prove that magic is no match for her powers of observation. This mystery has an intriguing cast of characters and classic detective elements. The concept of a magical street filled with quirky denizens will please readers, as will Oona's independent spirit. Boys and girls will appreciate the protagonist's magical Nancy Drew-type capers and her straightforward style. Less satisfying is her facile ability to forget that her magic once killed her family and to reclaim her magical heritage. Perhaps this disconnect as well as the lurking Faerie denizens will be dealt with in further volumes. Hand this one to readers who like their fantasy with a strong mystery thread.—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
