It all begins with a "side trip" with Mimi and Papa, but for Christina and Grant it becomes so much more! Someone has stolen historical artifacts from James Fort and the lead archaeologist has been accused. With the help of some new friends, a dog named "Clue," and some knowledge about America's history, this mystery is as good as solved.

This is the story of The Mystery at Jamestown--The First Permanent English Colony in America. With the 400-year celebration of Jamestown now underway, this collection by Carole Marsh is right on time! My boys and I were captivated by this suspenseful yet humorous mystery as we learned about the people of Jamestown.

Mrs. Marsh has a truly wonderful writing style that kept us on the edge of our seats. All through the story, she added interesting historical information that made learning fun. We felt like we were walking right along in historic Jamestown! At the back of the book, there are many great Internet links about how the Colonists lived, Colonial Williamsburg, Pocahontas, and what the archaeologists are finding at the original Jamestown site.

While reading this book, I used the coordinating Teacher Guide, also written by Mrs. Marsh. This page-by-page companion to the book offers lesson plan ideas for vocabulary, science, math, geography, writing, and so much more. There are even recipes, discussion questions, quizzes, and activity pages. Though this book is only 32 pages long, it is packed with valuable resources and is a must-have!

The Jamestown Storybook is another title in this series. Also a smaller book of 32 pages, it tells about The Virginia Company, Pocahontas and the Powhatan Indians, John Smith, and James Fort. Once again, there are educational activities, including some Powhatan vocabulary words! In Jamestown--America's First Permanent English Settlement, there is a timeline of events and over 30 pages of activity sheets. You will learn to build your own ship (out of a milk carton), make a canoe like the Powhatan Indians, and write a journal entry as a woman of Jamestown, just to name a few.

Did you know that the settlers did not harvest their first crop of corn until the fall of 1609, which was more than two years after they landed? How about the fact that they often ate turtle as their meal? Within the 95 pages of the Jamestown Trivia Book, you will find little-known facts about daily life in Jamestown as well as the amazing artifacts that have been uncovered. There are also interesting trivia bits about the ships, crew, and journey. We learned that Captain Christopher Newport only had one arm and that Pocahontas was just a girl of eleven when she befriended John Smith and assisted him and the settlers!

Finally, my boys really enjoyed coloring the black and white Jamestown Mural. It's almost three feet long and filled with wonderful pictures of everything studied in the. These materials together make a complete Unit Study on Jamestown. Priced at under $8.00 each, the items are a fun and creative way to educate children and celebrate the 400-year anniversary of a major part of American history.

Product review by Amy Christy, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May 2007