Mystery Log

Take a look at past "Mysteries of the Month" and "Clue Yourself Ins."

February 2010

Clue yourself in to symbols of love

• What Greek goddess helped start the Trojan War?
• What delicious sweet was invented by the Mayans and perfected by the Swiss?

January 2010

Clue yourself in to Black History Month

• Who established the abolitionist newspaper the North Star and edited it for 17 years?
• What famous writer, performer and poet read at the inauguration of President Clinton?

December 2009

Clue yourself in to holiday cheer

• What December day is almost as important to many German kids as Christmas?
• What seven-day holiday includes the giving of gifts and a karamu?

November 2009

Clue yourself in to days of thanks

• What day is dreaded most by turkeys across the U.S.?
• Which president made Veterans Day a national holiday?

October 2009

Clue yourself in to Fall Colors

• Why do leaves change colors?
• What university's football team — famous for their maize and blue uniforms — has won more games than any other program in college football history?

May 2009

Clue yourself in to May flowers

• What flower is the biggest in size – and smell?
• What animal do flowers rely on to spread pollen?

April 2009

Clue yourself in to April showers

• What forms a part of the hydrologic cycle?
• What produces the Lyrid shower?

March 2009

Clue yourself in to March madness

• Who invented the game of basketball?
• Who tries to forecast the crazy weather in March?

Feb. 2009

Clue yourself in to symbols of love

• Who is Valentine's Day named after?
• Who is the Greek goddess of love?

Jan. 2008

Clue yourself in to two–wheeled wonders

• Why were early bicycles called "swift footed"?
• Where were the first Harley–Davidson motorcycles built?

Nov. 2007

Clue yourself in to amazing timekeepers

• When was the first sundial used?
• How accurate is an atomic clock?

Sept. 2007

Clue yourself in to Halloween

• How did trick–or–treat get started?
• What should I be for Halloween?

Aug. 2007

Clue yourself in to autumn

• What makes leaves change color?
• How do hurricanes get their energy?

May 2007

Clue yourself in to American immigration

• What was it like to come to America?
• How tall is the Statue of Liberty?

April 2007

Clue yourself in to soccer

• What is soccer called in England?
• How tall was the tallest player in the 2006 World Cup?

March 2007

Clue yourself in to monkeys

• What's the difference between a monkey and an ape?
• How does a Capuchin monkey help disabled people?

Feb. 2007

Clue yourself in to famous flights

• How high did Amelia Earhart fly to set a new altitude record?
• How long did Charles Lindbergh's Trans-Atlantic flight take?

Jan. 2007

Clue yourself in to February

• How did Groundhog Day get started?
• What's happening in February around the world?

Nov. 2006

Clue yourself in to authors

• Under what name was Theodor Geisel commonly known?
• Where is Maya Angelou from?

Oct. 2006

Clue yourself in to Thanksgiving

• Who was Squanto?
• What is North Carolina's special tie to Thanksgiving?

Sept. 2006

Clue yourself in to Pluto

• How did Pluto get its name?
• What's the Kuiper Belt?

August 2006

Clue yourself in to frogs

• What's the difference between a frog and a toad?
• What does "estivate" mean?

May 2006

Clue yourself in to summer

• What exactly is summer?
• Why do mosquitos bite? (And other summer questions.)

April 2006

Clue yourself in to breakfast

• Where do people eat toast topped with spaghetti for breakfast?
• What are the world's cereal grains?

March 2006

Clue yourself in to transportation

• Did you know the first automobile dates back to 1769?
• Commuters: Don’t be a pain on the train.

Feb. 2006

• Clue yoursef in to beluga whales. Did you know they were great singers and impressionists?
• Clue yourself into coyotes. They enjoy a howling good time each night.

Jan. 2006

Q. What was it like to arrive on American shores?
A. The ideas of hope and opportunity inspired millions of people to voyage to America. Learn more.

Nov. 2005

Q. Who was Jim Thorpe?
A. Jim Thorpe was not only one of the greatest stars of professional football in its early years, but also one of the most popular. He was a coach as well as a player. And, in 1920-1921, he served as the first president of the association that later became the National Football League. Learn more.

Oct. 2005

Q. What is a levee?
A. Levees are the oldest and the most extensively used method of flood control. They are constructed by piling earth on a surface that has been cleared of vegetation and leveled. Learn more.

Sept. 2005

Q. It's not a state, but it's really great/ A "capital" city that's worth the wait./ It's a symbol of our nation/ And political vocation.
It's a place where freedom rings /And the state bird sings
From cherry blossoms on the bank/ To pandas at the zoo;
You'll find history and beauty here/ And fun and learning, too.

Where is it?
A. Washington, D.C.! Learn more in N is for our Nation's Capital: A Washington, D.C. Alphabet.

May 2005

Q. In the time of the ancient Egyptians
Thousands of years in the past
A nine-year-old boy became pharaoh
But his reign would not long last.
The boy's short life was a mystery . . .
What did he look like? And when was his birth?
The answers were lost to history
Until a fabulous find was unearthed
Through a crypt and its golden possessions
The answers have slowly unfurled.
And today this space has taken its place
As one of the wonders of the world.

What is it?
A. King Tut's tomb! Learn more about King Tut in the Wonders of the World series, published by KidHaven Press™.

April 2005

Q. I'm a pure form of energy; The only energy that you can see. I move very quickly, so it's reckoned, at speeds of 186,000 miles per second! When I bend it's called diffraction; while reflection is a different kind of action. I bring out the color in land, sea and sky.
Now take a guess: What am I?
A. Light! Learn more about light in the KidHaven Science Library series, published by KidHaven Press.

March 2005

Q. If studying change is your wish, you should know that I'm born looking like a fish. But as I grow, I lose my gills; I begin breathing air, and my legs start to fill. My fish tail shrinks, and I walk on land. My webbed feet can grip on soil or sand. I hibernate all winter, then when spring comes along "Croak" and "Ribbit" are the ways I sing my song.
A. The frog! Learn more about frogs.

Feb. 2005

Q. One U.S. state is home to these wild birds and animals:

• The willow ptarmigan
• The caribou
• The Dall sheep
• The polar bear
• The Chinook salmon
• The tundra hare

Where do they all live?
A. In Alaska! Learn more ...

Jan. 2005

Q. Who is the planet's strongest creature? It's not the bear, who can uproot a tree. It's not the gorilla, who can lift the weight of two cars. It's not the anaconda, who can crush with its coils.
It's not the elephant, who can push over a building. The planet's strongest creature can lift 800 times its own weight, the equivalent of a human hoisting a 65-ton tank! Their secret? These creatures are all muscle — no bones about it! Who is it?
A. The rhinoceros beetle! Find out more.

Dec. 2004

Q. Lots of kids love me (adults love me, too). My home's in a barn, not your house or the zoo. With a toss of my mane I go running and jumping; The sight of me racing will get your heart thumping! My ears swivel quickly to catch every sound; My eyes are the largest of any creature around. You may know my breeds, like "Pinto" or "Appy".

I guess you can say I make lots of folks happy. Who am I?
A. The horse! Find out more.

Nov. 2004

Q. The state bird is the Oriole. The U.S. Naval Academy is located here. Fort Frederick, in this state, is a still-standing 18th-century fort. Our grandparents probably recognized football star Johnny Unitas, who played for the Colts. Which state is this?
A. Maryland. Find out more.

Oct. 2004

Q. Who am I?
I was born in Raleigh, N.C. in 1808. I became the 17th president of the United States following the assassination of President Lincoln. I was also the first president to be impeached. People sometimes confuse my name with another president, Andrew Jackson!
A. Andrew Johnson. Find out more.

Summer 2004

Q. Prototypes and preps, suspension systems and wheel work, decals and design. It's not a plane, train or car — but it can still get us from here to there in a hurry.

What is it?
A. Bicycles sure have come a long way from the Velocipede — or "boneshaker" — of 1863. Today's bikes are aerodynamically styled to provide the best ride on the road, the trails or the race course.

April 2004

Q.They start out on a spindle and end up in your closet. A lot of kids argue about them with their parents! What are they?
A. Your clothes. Find out more...

March 2004

Q. They've got names like cerulean, aquamarine, blizzard, periwinkle and denim. They come in a familiar yellow box. What are we talking about?
A. Blue Crayons.

Feb. 2004

Q. You can chomp it ... you can melt it ... you can say it to the camera ... are you in the "moooo-ed" to solve this one?
A. Cheese. Learn more by reading Made in the USA: Cheese.

Dec. 2003

Q. What do these words have in common: rotor, fuselage, cabin, blade, Sikorsky, Black Hawk?
A. All these words are related to the helicopter. Rotor, fuselage, cabin and blade are all parts of a helicopter. Igor Sikorsky, born in Russia in 1899, built the first helicopter in 1939. The Sikorsky Aircraft Black Hawk helicopter — which can lift 9,000 pounds — is used in the U.S. military. Learn more by reading Made in the USA: Helicopters.

Nov. 2003

Q. What do your parents put over you that keeps the rain and snow off you?
A. A roof! See how construction workers build a house's roof [pdf, 94 kb]. Want to know more? Ask your librarian for Made in the USA: Homes.

Sept. – Oct. 2003

Q. What's sweet, hard and goes on the top of a cupcake?
A. Jelly beans! Ever seen a jelly bean factory? Take a look [pdf, 113 kb]
Want to know more? Ask your librarian for Made in the USA: Jelly Beans.