Children’s Mystery, "Monsters Below," Named B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. - Sept. 3, 2014 - PRLog -- MT. AIRY, N.C.— The children’s chapter book mystery titled, “Monsters Below,” has been named a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. The award is given to books published by small or independent presses that the Book Readers Appreciation Group considers as good as books published by major publishing houses. Written by award-winning novelist Laura S. Wharton and her middle school aged son Will, the book is the first in the Mystery at the Lake House series which is geared toward children ages 7-12.

In “Monsters Below,” readers are introduced to Jock Avery, who has just finished fourth grade and is about to spend the summer with his grandparents at their home on Longleaf Lake. Jock is excited when he learns his grandparents have new neighbors, including two children, Lynna, also 10 years old, and her younger brother, Chip.

Spending the summer on a lake would be ideal for any boy or girl, but Chip, who once visited Loch Ness and claims to have seen its monster, is convinced that there is a monster in Longleaf Lake. Though Jock refuses to believe it is the Loch Ness Monster, when he starts hearing strange sounds coming from across the lake, he starts to wonder what could be causing them.

Soon Jock, Chip, and Lynna decide to investigate the mysterious noise. Full of fun adventure, and all the joys of summer from bike riding to sailing, bird watching to Grandmother’s baked goodies, and good books for the characters to read, “Monsters Below” will be enjoyed by boys and girls alike, and adults will find it a pleasant way to recall their own childhoods or share in the adventure by reading it aloud to their children.

A few notable features that make this book unique are that Jock enjoys reading adventure books called the “Sam Justice” series, so readers are given snippets of those books as Jock imagines himself acting like the hero of that series, providing stories within the larger story. The book also includes a bird watching checklist, the kids’ favorite recipes, a diagram to teach children about the different parts of sailboats, and an interview with middle schooler/author Will Wharton about how his mother and he wrote the book.

About The Authors

Laura S. Wharton lives with her family in North Carolina. She is the author of The Pirate’s Bastard (a Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction nominee), Leaving Lukens, also a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree and a Reader’s Choice Award winner, and other books.

Will Wharton is the co-author of this book as well as The Mermaid’s Tale, the second in the Mystery at the Lake House series, and the author of Blossom the Possum Learns to Swim, a tale of encouragement and hope for young readers. To learn more about the Whartons or their books,   visit www.JockAveryAdventures.com or www.laurawhartonbooks.com.

Mystery at the Lake House #1: Monsters Below
Laura S. and William L.B. Wharton
Broad Creek Press (2012)
ISBN: 9780983714828