Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms

Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms is a captivating mystery filled with magic tricks, nosy triplets and a small boy who is much older than he looks.  This story also has a number of funny, wacky parts that made me laugh out loud.  Stuart Horten, whose name can be shortened to “shorten” moves to a small village where he learns that his Uncle Teeny-Tiny Tony Horten was a great magician and mysteriously disappeared a number of years ago.  He begins gathering clues to find where Uncle Tony’s secret magic workshop is located.

I really love to read mysteries – especially for kids and this story was no exception!  There were a few parts that did cause me to pause and re-read just to make sure I understood, but overall the characters, plot, and setting are all wonderfully descriptive and interesting.  This is a great read for children from grade 3 and up.

Keep your eyes open for the second book featuring Stuart Horten in Horten’s Incredible Illusions that was just published this fall.

Title: Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms
Author: Lissa Evans
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Publication Date: 2012
Page Number: 272 pgs.