LitPick Review
When sisters Mae and Isla Donaldson begin to notice some strange things happening around their town of Cockermouth, they do what they both do best. Mae takes to writing things in code in her journal to help her recall details about things that she can refer to later on. Only she understands her coded writing. Isla, her younger sister, loves to draw everything in her sketch book. She draws things that catch her eye, including things that seem strangely happening in their town. So when the girls start to notice odd people like the Fells Angels motorcycle gang coming through town, or treasure hunters looking for a secret treasure possibly hidden within town, or even an unexplained fire that happened on Slate Fell, things turn very interesting for them. They decide to come together to see if they can find some answers to all the mysterious happenings in Cockermouth. What things do both sister uncover while being out and about with their parents?
Opinion:
I loved this first book in The Lakeland Mystery series! The first thing that hooked me about this book was that the two sisters, Mae and Isla, took to using different creative methods, writing and drawing, to help solve some suspicious activity happening in their local community. I loved how Warren Cabral developed these two girls to both be creative with their individual talents and have them help solve some of the mysteries that were happening around them. I feel this helps promote children in developing their own natural creative talents.
Another thing I loved about this story was that it kept me guessing. As I turned the pages, I along with Mae and Isla, started to try to solve the strange doings that were going on in Cockermouth. The mystery was light enough for young readers to follow along and help try to solve with the sisters, while not being too heavy or complicated for younger readers to enjoy. This is the perfect level mystery to start young readers off at being mystery readers.
The illustrations that were scattered throughout this entertaining young reader mystery was provided by Corryn Webb. The pictures were both done in black and white, and also color. I loved how they looked hand drawn and definitely complemented the written story being told. The colored ones were very vibrant to the eye. Corryn is a Welsh freelancer illustrator and designer who is passionate about creating unique and eye-catching illustrations for children’s books. She has a vivid imagination and an eye for details.
Warren Cabral is an author of numerous plays, musicals, short stories, and now his full-length children’s novels. At the age of 16, he worked as a newspaper journalist. After a 30 year career as an attorney, he returned to writing and penned a short Christmas story for his two nieces. From there, this new children’s full-length series, The Lakeland Mysteries, was created.
Overall, The Fire on Slate Fell is a story that will entertain readers young and old. The storyline is engrossing, the characters are a pleasure to get to know, and the illustrations perfectly tell the story in picture format. This is the first book in The Lakeland Mysteries series, and I look forward to seeing what the rest of the series has to offer readers.
