TL;DR: If your kid’s brain is feeling a bit "fried" from a weekend of Roblox or endless YouTube shorts, mystery novels are the ultimate "reset" button. The Edgar Awards—basically the Oscars for mystery writers—just crowned their 2025 winners, and the list is a goldmine for intentional parents.
Top Picks to Grab Right Now:
- Best Juvenile (Ages 8-12): Mysteries of Trash and Treasure: The Stolen Key by Margaret Peterson Haddix
- Best Young Adult (Ages 13+): 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards
- The "New Classic" for Middle Grade: The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto by Adrianna Cuevas
- The Modern YA Must-Read: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Let’s be real: trying to compete with the dopamine hit of a MrBeast video is a losing battle. But there’s one genre that actually stands a chance at capturing a kid’s attention long enough to get them off the couch: the high-stakes mystery.
When kids say something is "Ohio" (aka weird or cringe), they’re usually reacting to the absurdity of the digital world. Mystery novels take that love for the "weird" and channel it into logic, deduction, and critical thinking. Instead of passively watching Skibidi Toilet for the 400th time, they’re actively trying to outsmart an author.
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (The Edgars) are curated by the Mystery Writers of America, and they do the heavy lifting for us by filtering out the "brain rot" and highlighting books that actually respect a kid's intelligence.
Ages 8-12 Margaret Peterson Haddix is a legend in the middle-grade world (you might remember Among the Hidden), and she’s still at the top of her game. This story follows Colin and Nevaeh as they navigate a mystery involving a "junk" shop and a long-lost key. It’s fast-paced, clean, and perfect for kids who love a good scavenger hunt. It’s also a great alternative for kids who spend too much time on Coolmath Games because it scratches that same puzzle-solving itch.
Ages 13+ This is a survival thriller that will keep even the most phone-addicted teen turning pages. Two girls are lost in the wilderness with a killer on their trail. It’s intense, high-stakes, and deals with themes of friendship and resilience. If your teen is into Among Us for the "social deduction" and betrayal aspects, this book takes those vibes and puts them into a grounded, terrifyingly real scenario.
Ages 9-12 Rafa is a kid who gets sent to a remote ranch after a "prank" goes wrong (we’ve all been there with our kids, right?). It’s part mystery, part ghost story, and deeply rooted in Cuban-American culture. It’s a fantastic pick for kids who want something a little spooky but still grounded in real-world consequences.
Ages 13+ April Henry is the queen of the YA "cold case." In this one, a teen starts a true-crime podcast to investigate a murder from 17 years ago. Given how obsessed Gen Z and Alpha are with YouTube true crime creators, this book is an easy sell. It’s a great way to talk about the ethics of true crime and digital footprints.
If you want to start with the classics that have stood the test of time, these former Edgar winners are basically mandatory reading for any young sleuth:
- The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin: The ultimate puzzle book. If your kid likes Minecraft for the complex builds and hidden mechanics, they will love the intricate plotting here.
- Holes by Louis Sachar: You probably saw the movie, but the book is a masterpiece of "intersecting timelines" that keeps kids guessing until the very last page.
- Greenglass House by Kate Milford: A cozy, snowy mystery set in a smuggler's inn. It’s the book version of a "cozy game" like Animal Crossing.
Mystery is a broad genre. Here’s how to navigate the "scare factor" for your family:
Middle Grade (Juvenile Category)
- The Vibe: Scavenger hunts, missing items, historical secrets, and "spooky but safe" ghosts.
- The Stakes: Usually social or financial (saving a house, finding a lost heirloom). Violence is rare and usually off-screen.
- Screenwise Tip: These are great for "co-reading." If your kid is struggling to put down the iPad, try reading the first two chapters of Vanished! by James Ponti aloud. The cliffhangers usually do the rest of the work for you.
Young Adult (YA Category)
- The Vibe: Psychological thrillers, cold cases, survival horror, and social commentary.
- The Stakes: High. We’re talking about murder, kidnapping, and systemic injustice.
- Screenwise Tip: YA mysteries often deal with heavy themes. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (a former winner) is a brilliant, verse-novel about gun violence and revenge. It’s powerful, but it’s a conversation-starter, not a "read alone and forget" book.
Mystery books are "high-effort" entertainment. Unlike a TikTok feed that feeds you content, a mystery requires the reader to hold multiple clues in their head at once.
Why this matters for Digital Wellness:
- Sustained Attention: It builds the "focus muscle" that gets atrophied by 15-second videos.
- Empathy: Seeing a mystery through a protagonist’s eyes helps kids understand perspectives—something often lost in the "comment section" culture.
- Logical Reasoning: Mystery readers are less likely to fall for "fake news" or digital scams because they’re trained to look for evidence.
If your kid finishes one of these, don't just ask "Did you like it?" Try these:
- "At what point did you figure out who did it?"
- "Did the author leave any 'red herrings' (fake clues) that totally fooled you?"
- "If this was a Roblox map, how would you design the final showdown?"
The Edgar Awards aren't just for bookworms; they are for any kid who likes a challenge. In a world where so much digital content is "junk food," a well-crafted mystery is a steak dinner for the brain.
Whether it's the 2025 winner The Stolen Key or a classic like The Westing Game, these stories offer the kind of engagement that screen time just can't touch.
Next Steps:
- Check your local library’s "Edgar Award" section.
- If you have a reluctant reader, try the podcast route first with something like Mars Patel to get them hooked on the mystery format.
- Take our Screenwise survey to see how your family’s reading habits compare to your community.