The Multiplying Mysteries of Mount Ten by Krista Van Dolzer (review)

Twelve-year-old Esther Lambert is thrilled to go to Camp Vermeer to hone her art skills, but when her directionally challenged stepfather drops her at Camp Archimedes instead, she has no real option but to stay. There she engages in rivalries with the "math nerd" campers, who consider her "an alien from the planet Creativity," but she quickly discovers that she can utilize her art skills to solve complicated problems. Something odd is afoot, though, as Esther finds a mysterious note from the Sphinx, offering a mystery and noting that if it doesn't get solved, someone will die. Racing against the clock amidst a slew of dropped clues, Esther must figure out which campers the mythological creatures in the story stand for. The story is deliberately exaggerated, and it's a lot of fun as readers participate in Esther's journey and solve puzzles alongside her, from substitution ciphers to guessing which camper is which creature based on the clues. Esther's artistic perspective combined with the math campers' allows both parties to work together to solve the mystery, and math and art skills are praised in tandem. Kids interested in art may recognize many allusions to famous artists, and pop culture references to Marvel movies and Comic-Con proliferate the story. The ending successfully twists readers' expectations, and those who like thought puzzles will enjoy this book. NB