Trial+By+Journal

__Bibliographic Material__ Title: Trial By Journal Author: Kate Klise Illustrator: M. Sarah Klise Grade Level: 3rd-7th Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: HarperCollins Language: English ISBN: 0380816725

__Summary__ Sixth grader Perry Keet’s disappearance has rocked the town of Tyleville. When his co-worker at the Tyle Park Zoo, Bob White, goes on trial for the accused murder, fellow sixth grader Lilly Watson is selected to sit on the jury. As a school requirement, Lilly is to keep a journal during her time being sequestered during the trial, and records everything from her hotel stay, to her fellow jurors, to confessions made on the witness stand. This twists and turns of this thrilling mystery are told through Lilly’s diary entries, newspaper articles, and courtroom transcripts.

__Book Review__ //Trial By Journal// is a thrilling legal/murder mystery that will get the reader hooked from the first page. Not only is the story enticing, the characters are alarming, and the unique story telling (through journal entries, illustrations, courtroom transcripts, and more) keeps the reader hooked on every page. This book is challenging enough to entice older readers, but funny and exciting enough to hook younger readers as well.

__Analysis of Literary Element:Illustrations__ The enchanting illistrations done by M. Sarah Klise in //Trial By Journal// completely enhance the thrilling story that is being told. Not only are there pages of illistrations to go along with Lilly’s journal entries, but the newspaper illustrations, and depictions of Priscilla the Gorilla’s watercolor drawings are striking as well. Most noticeably is the large drawing of the climactic event that occurs toward the end of the book, which really helps explain what is happening in the story. Without these illustrations, the story may not be as effective as it is.

__Author Bio__ Kate Klise is an author who spans many genres. She has written many picture books and middle-grade novels, all illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. Other of Kate Klise’s books include //Regarding the Sink, Regarding the Trees, Regarding the Fountain,// and //Letters from Camp.// She has also written two young adult novels, and written freelance articles for People Magazine. She lives in Norwood, Missouri.