The Adventures of Presley Pickens--Case of the Home Burglaries

A series of home burglaries have hit the small town of Rocky Mountain View. The local police are bewildered by the lack of clues and can’t seem to put a stop to this rash of crimes. As soon as nine-year-old Presley Pickens witnesses a classmate’s home being investigated for one of these burglaries, she knows she needs to help. Along with her dog, Argo, and best friend Ashly, she is on the case! Through a series of twists and turns and narrow escapes, Presley finds herself closing in on who she believes are the thieves. Along the way she must deal with a group of older boys who are out to torment her and make her life miserable. She must also deal with the resistance of her parents, who are concerned about her safety in dealing with dangerous criminals, and upset that she is running around town dressed and acting inappropriately for a young lady from an upscale family. Despite this, Presley pushes on, determined to put an end to these crimes and find out who’s behind them. She soon finds herself in a position where she has no choice but to go straight into a dangerous situation on her own where a crime is in progress. She knows she must stop these thieves once and for all and put an end to this madness!

Nine-year-old detective Presley Pickens is on the case again in this crime mystery sequel to The Adventures of Presley Pickens. A rash of home burglaries have hit her small town. The police are bewildered by the lack of clues and can’t seem to put a stop to these crimes. After learning that a classmate’s home has been hit by the burglars, Presley knows she needs to help! With the support of her friend and mentor Detective Jason, Presley, along with her dog, Argo, and her best friend, Ashly, set out to solve this crime mystery. Immediately she encounters a group of twelve-year-old boys who seem to be out for revenge and make her life miserable. As things unfold, she begins to learn things about these boys that make her suspicious and leads her on an adventurous journey discovering much more than just clues. Through a series of twists and turns and narrow escapes, Presley, Ashly and Argo begin to close in on the thieves. Presley, the middle child of a status-driven upper-class family, must also deal with the resistance she is getting from her parents, who feel that her involvement with this investigation is not only dangerous, but also bad for her reputation or the reputation of her family. Presley’s mom believes strongly that Presley would benefit greatly by going off to finishing school and stop running around town pretending to be a detective. Despite the resistance from her parents and the bullying from the twelve-year-old gang of boys, Presley pushes on, determined to solve this mystery and put an end to these crimes. She soon finds herself in a position where she has no choice but to go straight into a dangerous situation on her own where a crime is in progress. She knows she must stop these thieves once and for all and put an end to this madness!

Christy Scollin graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 1977 with a degree in Animal Science and a Children’s Center Certificate for teaching pre-school. After graduating from college, Christy enjoyed a career in the field of science which included working as a biochemist, a hospital lab histotech, a winemaker, and part-time instructor at Mendocino College, teaching a chemistry lab class, where she co-authored the lab book used by the students. Although she was enthusiastic about her work in the field of science and working with animals, she has always enjoyed children. While in college she worked with children in the Head Start preschool program, the city recreation department after-school program, and at local summer camps. After having two children of her own, she spent time volunteering in their school where she worked with the children in the classroom and also helped to set up a science lab for the school to encourage children’s interest in science. Christy’s enthusiasm for writing and children led her to start writing children’s stories in 2012. Her first two middle-grade books, The Adventures of Presley Pickens and The Adventures of Presley Pickens- Case of the Home Burglaries are the first two in a series about a spirited nine-year-old girl detective. Prior to that, her writing included several short stories and two memoirs, Our Journey to Mount Whitney- Hiking the Big One, and Our Quest for Mt. Langley and Matterhorn Peak. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators since 2013, she has attended numerous conferences and workshops and is currently a member of a local Ukiah, California children’s writers’ group. For fun, Christy loves the outdoors and adventure. Along with her husband, David, she enjoys backpacking, climbing peaks, and traveling to destinations in the U.S. and abroad. At home, besides writing, she enjoys spending time with her two sons and their wives, her grandchild, and her array of pets which include a dog, a cat, chickens and sheep. She also enjoys working in her garden.