It's Good To Be Library Bound!

"The novel builds to an exciting climax that takes magic in stride and suggests that further mysteries await the DMS trio."-Publishers Weekly 

"This paranormal mystery will be of interest to young readers looking for something spooky but not violent or scary." -Booklist

"[The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow] moves briskly and includes magic, action, and suspense." -SLJ

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow
Publish date: 12/1/15
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Illustrator: Roman Muradov
Ages: 9-12
Grade Level: 4-7
Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book
Limited Edition Library Bound

Eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow is less than thrilled that her family is moving thousands of miles from civilization to the quiet country town of Ashpot, Connecticut, where she’s absolutely certain she’ll die of boredom. 

As if leaving Manhattan and her best friend, Lizzy, the only other member of the elite Detective Mystery Squad, weren’t bad enough, Fairday is stuck living in the infamous Begonia House, a creepy old Victorian with dark passageways, a gigantic dead willow tree, and a mysterious past. 

Before she can even unpack, strange music coming from behind a padlocked door leads Fairday up a spiral staircase and into a secret room, where she finds an ancient mirror, a brass key, and a curious portrait of a red-haired lady. 

These seemingly unrelated items prove to be the first in a series of clues that takes Fairday, the visiting Lizzy, and their new squad member, Marcus, on an amazing adventure.

Can the members of the Detective Mystery Squad piece together the puzzle before it’s too late? Or will whatever’s causing trouble find Fairday and her friends first?

“Remember, young lady, you have to think beyond what you know to be real. You have to see with your mind as well as your eyes.” The old man pulled his glasses down to the end of his nose and looked at her. “Be careful, Miss Morrow. Please be very careful.” 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson

Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson are co-authors of the Fairday Morrow series. They met freshman year of high school in English class, where they discovered they liked the same books. Their friendship grew, and over the years they went on to work as servers together, go to the same college for a short time, and they even became roommates for a while. Many books were discussed, but none were ever written. Now, after the release of their first middle grade novel, The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow, Stephanie and Jess are continuing to build suspense in book 2: Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library. 

If you're interested in engaging readers with tips on crafting stories, host an event with Stephanie and Jess. The authors discuss their journey collaborating on a mystery series in a Google Slides presentation or conduct writing workshops to inspire creative thinking. The workshops focus on using visualization to inspire writing; older students get to be the editor. 😮

Camp Summerset, Summer Reading Group, NY

To learn more about booking an event with Stephanie and Jess, visit their website: fairdaysfiles.com

The next case in the DMS files is open! Catch the book buzz in Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library.

The Detective Mystery Squad tries to stop a bookworm from eating words in stories. The mystery unwinds as three young sleuths uncover a world where books are alive and legends guard a library that doesn't exist.

Preview the book

While you're here, check out what's happening on Fairday's Blog. Fairday and Lizzy are bookworms who can't get enough to read. They love sharing their thoughts about books they like and engaging readers with creative posts.
Stay for a spell and take a look around!

View Book Reviews

Fairday and Lizzy love to discuss books, and they invite you to join in the reading fun. Lizzy's review focuses on middle grade and Fairday reviews children's picture books her little sister, Margo, picks to share.

Click to read articles

Fairday's Story Album is packed with articles about writing, reading, and collaborating on books. If you're working on a manuscript or publishing a book, stop by this page to find out what it takes to bring a story to life.

Click to view riddles

Fairday pretty much thinks in rhyme, and on Mondays she writes a rhyming riddle that clues readers in on the theme for the week. If you're in the mood to tease your brain or love working out word puzzles, give it a try!  

Click for contest details

Drawing is a wonderful tool to inspire writing, and the next DMS drawing contest is on! Students can send in a drawing of a scene or character from The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow or Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library, and they'll be entered to win an awesome mystery prize pack.

Click to visit an enchanted forest

If you want to relax and let your mind wander take a walk in a literary forest. Follow the links through the post to keep on track. Watch out for tricky cats and sipping snakes. You'll need to keep your wits about you to find the right path through the trees!

Click to view drawings

If you'd rather contemplate the magic of twisted lines, stop by to check out Jessica Haight's illustrations. Featuring: original sketches for The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow and Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library, plus other inconceivable tangents of endless imagination. Enjoy the whimsy!