Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head

Gr 4–6—The Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders is home to four orphans: Philipa, Sam, Thomas, and the newest addition, Max. Each child possesses an unusual skill, such as Max's knife-throwing routine, which is performed for the audience's amusement. There is an Odditorium where live performances take place and a Hall of Worldwide Wonders where unusual items selected by Mr. Dumfrey, the museum's owner, are on display. An Amazonian shrunken head is the museum's newest acquisition. When the shrunken head is unveiled at a live performance, a member of the audience passes out and later dies, solidifying the skull's reputation of being cursed. When the head is stolen, the four kids are determined to get it back—and solve the mysteries of the related deaths. From the opening sentence, Oliver grabs readers' attention, enveloping them with strong storytelling and rich language.