These stories are small format books that make for a quick and easy read suitable for lower and middle primary school children. Geronimo Stilton is a very likeable character, and his adventures are fun and exciting. He is the editor of The Rodent’s Gazette, a big newspaper in New Mouse City on Mouse Island. Sounding cheesy? Geronimo is a mouse, and these books are rodent themed in a big way. The characters names are rodent or cheese related, and there are plenty of themed words like fabumouse and enormouse, as well as lots of references to paws, tails, whiskers and cheese. The mini mystery books are shorter stories than those of the regular series, but are still written in the same style. There are colour illustrations throughout, and some words in the text are written in different colours, fonts, shapes and sizes. This makes the text fun and challenging. There are several clues in each of the books to engage and encourage the reader to play detective too. These mini mysteries are a fabulous introduction to the main Geronimo Stilton series, and the Thea Stilton series (Thea is Geronimo’s sister).

Geronimo Stilton: The Super Scam, paperback, 77 pages, published by Scholastic Inc in 2012. This is the first book in the Geronimo Stilton Mini Mysteries series.

Geronimo gets an urgent letter inviting him to the grand opening of a new superstore. His nephew, Benjamin, is very keen to go, and Geronimo can’t say no. When they finally arrive, they are given a set of free headphones to use, and suddenly they are so happy, dancing and buying everything in sight. When Geronimo is knocked down by another shopper, he realises that something isn’t right with the new superstore, and he enlists Benjamin and his friend Bugsy Wugsy to help him find out what’s really going on.

Geronimo Stilton: The Lake Monster, paperback, 77 pages, published by Scholastic Inc in 2012. This is the second book in the Geronimo Stilton Mini Mysteries series.

Geronimo’s arch enemy Sally Ratmousen, the editor of The Daily Rat, the main rival to The Rodent’s Gazette, publishes a scoop article and photo of a lake monster. Geronimo heads to the lake with his sister Thea, nephew Benjamin and friends Petunia and Bugsy Wugsy to try to get his own version of the story. Along with his photographer Snapson, Geronimo attempts to photograph the lake monster, but it doesn’t quite happen the way he expects. Something is fishy about this lake monster, and Geronimo is going to find out the truth.

Geronimo Stilton: The Mouse Hoax, paperback, 76 pages, published by Scholastic Inc in 2012. This is the third book in the Geronimo Stilton Mini Mysteries series.

When Geronimo is given a painting by the famous artist Pablo Mousehasso there is a mysterious message on the back of the accompanying note. Geronimo must work out the mystery aided by his nephew Benjamin, and his friends Petunia Pretty Paws and Hercule Poirat.