6 reviews for Mystery of the Min Min Lights (Australia 1)

1. WorldTrek Publishing – February 11, 2019

   Mystery of the Min Min Lights is a fantastic chapter book for kids who love to travel and/or read about other countries and cultures. It broadens horizons without being didactic and fosters compassion and understanding of others without being preachy — exactly the kind of book we need more of today. – Andrea Wang

2. WorldTrek Publishing – February 11, 2019

   Mystery of the Min Min Lights is the ninth book from Pack-n-Go Girls, the chapter books that take girls around the world on incredible adventures! (I should add that my son adores these books, so they aren’t just for girls!) Wendy Lee isn’t sure about having to spend a year in the Australian outback when her mom is on assignment for work, but at least she makes friends with Chloe, who invites her to stay at her family’s sheep station. Yet soon she discovers that someone is stealing the sheep – and what does this have to do with the spooky lights that can be seen at night? To solve the mystery and help her new friend, Wendy must dig deep to be brave and do what it takes to catch the thief. As always, readers will learn about a new part of the world, as facts are woven naturally into the story. I love that the main character (the non-Australian character who is having an adventure in Australia) is Chinese American. Usually the “normal” character is a white Westerner, so this is a great change and adds another layer of complexity and richness to this wonderful tale. -All Done Monkey

3. WorldTrek Publishing – February 11, 2019

   On this adventure is Wendy, a Chinese American girl from San Francisco. She is with her mother in Australia for six months. Luckily for her she befriends Chloe and Jack, the kids next door. They invite Wendy to their sheep station in the outback. While there they have a few incidents of seeing min min lights and are wondering what is happening to the missing sheep. Throughout the story Wendy (and the reader) is learning about Australia, the slang and the outback. This book is such a fun way to explore Australia from home. At the back of the book there is information about Australia including a map, facts, weather, food including a recipe, and a table of Australian slang and what it means. Then there are pages to record things like where to go, what to do, what to pack, etc. It is perfect for planning your own trip. I love how these books take diverse kids and have them explore a new country with a new friend in the country. There is always a mystery to solve and and adventure to be on. So if your 6 to 9 year old is ready for an adventure, be sure to check out the Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures. – Crafty Moms Share

4. WorldTrek Publishing – February 11, 2019

   When I was a young girl, I loved learning about history through the American Girl books. I loved how facts and other cultures were blended in a story. Mystery of the Min Min Lights brought back that nostalgia, but instead of teaching history we’re looking at contemporary characters that are relatable and learning about their culture. This story focuses on Wendy, a Chinese-American girl, who moves from California to Australia. She meets her neighbor Chloe and her brother Jack. Their family runs the sheep station, but there’s been something odd lately. Is it aliens? Are their theives? What will happen to Chloe’s family if they can’t support themselves by running the sheep station? In America, we forget how Australian English has some unique phrases! I loved that Diller put unfamiliar phrases in italics to help readers practice using their context clues to puzzle through the meaning. After we finish the story, there is a section that provides information about Australia, key phrases mentioned, a recipe, weather, and a notebook for readers to plan an imaginary trip. If you are looking for a light and fun intermediate book, this is a great read! – Middle School Librarian from the Black Lagoon

5. WorldTrek Publishing – February 11, 2019

   Wendy Lee, the protagonist in The Mystery of the Min Min Lights by Janelle Diller, is an American visiting Australia. The book is part of the “Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure” series introducing young readers (6-9 years old) to destinations around the world. The book gives children exposure to Australia and Australian culture. It concludes with a “What to know before you go” section including a recipe for Lamingtons (yum) and even a ‘Say it Like an Australian’ section, mate. What is intriguing about the book is that Wendy Lee is Asian American and she is, well, simply Asian and American. Wendy brings the perspective of an American experiencing a different culture whilst representing the diversity of the United States. As she says in the book “She was mostly American. But she was also still a little Chinese.” Wendy has an adventure with her neighbors while being exposed to Australian idiom, dialect, and norms out on their sheep station. Part of the beauty of the book is that it normalizes Wendy’s experience as typically American while recognizing her ethnic background. I am heartened to read the author’s dedication noting that “all little girls should get to see themselves on the pages of the books they read.” The Mystery of The Min Min Lights is a great little book for new readers and a simple way to introduce Australia to children of all cultures. – A Little Mandarin

6. WorldTrek Publishing – February 11, 2019

   Nine-year-old Lee Wen Chi, who goes by Wendy Lee, has just landed in Australia. Her mom is working on six-month-long software project here, and Wendy decided to accompany her rather than stay back in San Francisco with her grandparents. Wendy’s a bit worried about how different it all is, but then it turns out her neighbor’s a fun nine-year-old girl, yay! Chloe Taylor invites Wendy to stay for the weekend on their sheep station. Something weird is going on at the station–strange blinking (Min Min) lights come on, and then sheep go missing. Could, um, a UFO be stealing sheep? Interestingly, the min min light is a real-life light phenomenon that’s been reported in Australia. According to Wikipedia, Australian folklore says “the lights sometimes follow or approach people and disappear when fired upon, sometimes very rapidly, only to reappear later on, and anyone who chases the lights and catches them will never return to tell the tale.” What a charming book! The characters–Chloe and her little brother Jack, and Wendy–are endearing, believable children. The mystery is fun (Min Min lights! UFOs vacuuming up sheep!) and creatively imagined. There’s a lovely sense of adventure surrounding the entire tale–the parents are supportive and in the tradition of the Famous Five et al., mostly hang out in the background and let the kids deal with the issues at hand. I did feel that the book was a bit heavy-handed at times while explaining Australian slang, but the target audience (6-9 years) probably won’t find it so. Overall, the author does a great job of showing the contrast between Chinese American Wendy’s SF upbringing and the heat and dust of a sheep station. The book also has a handy index at the back for young armchair travelers, with facts about Australia, travel tips, food and yes, slang. – Brown Paper Blog