Bookshelf Blurb: In the English world of lost properties, a Section 13 should never happen–especially in the form of a 13-year-old boy who is missing his father. A bit of Watson & Holmes, magic and mystery explode in this debut novel by a former US Air Force Stealth Bomber Pilot.

America’s Review:

When I read the author bio on this book I was intrigued. James R. Hannibal, author of The Lost Property Office, was a US Air Force stealth bomber pilot and Predator mission commander. Given this impressive vitae in the form of a middle grade read, I had to peruse what mystery and mayhem would be found. In less than 24 hours I had devoured over 300 pages–and with a few left, I stayed up even later to finish!

Our main character, Jack Buckles, is left in charge of his annoying and somewhat bratty little sister Sadie, while his mother goes to find his MIA father. Mr. Buckles Senior is a salesmen who did not come home from his last job forcing his mother to leave the United States in search of her husband in England. Sadie, bored with her tablet within minutes of her mother’s departure, forces Jack to leave the safety of their hotel room, and here begins the twist of the book.

The use of modern day devices and speech will help the young readers when they are suddenly immersed in historical London. Hannibal links the past to the present with the skills soon discovered in the Buckle men as Jack must determine who is father is and the man he wants to become. Sadie leads them to the Lost Property Office where they must complete forms, but alas these are not ordinary forms. The Ministry created the Lost Property Office to help find what was lost and also to keep things hidden–including people.

In the classroom:

Jack is a seer of things beyond the obvious; he can hear, see and sense the shadows of our past giving him the opportunity to solve mysteries of long-ago; however, crimes cannot be solved without a partner, so much like Holmes & Watson, Jack stumbles on a peer who can help him interpret his senses. Find a peer for this assignment, as group work makes it more complicated to agree on visions–as Jack soon discovers!

In the social studies classroom it is fun to challenge your students to create a what-if scenario. This would be a three-part essay. One: If they could go back in time, what time period would they chose and why? Two:  Research the event and historical aspects of this time period. Three: Create a different ending to the story giving specific examples of who might have made a difference decision to change the fate of the event.

Using CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2 for grades 6-8: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

The Lost Property Office by James R. Hannibal (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | 9781481467094 | November 8, 2016)