Regarding the Fountain

An epistolary mystery set in Dry Creek Middle School, chronicling the saga of a broken water fountain through letters, memos, newspaper articles, and sketches. When the school requests a replacement fountain from Flowing Waters Fountain Company, artist Florence Waters begins a correspondence that leads to unexpected revelations. The simple task of replacing a water fountain becomes a catalyst for uncovering long-buried secrets about the town's history and water supply. Fifth-grader Flo Gardner, Chief Editor of the school newspaper, compiles documents and investigates alongside her classmates as they piece together clues about their community. Multiple narratives emerge through the diverse collection of documents, revealing the interconnected nature of small-town relationships and the impact of the past on the present. The format invites readers to play detective while exploring themes of environmental responsibility, local history, and the power of persistence in pursuing truth.

Readers appreciate the creative epistolary format told through letters, memos, newspaper clippings, and illustrations. Many note it works well for reluctant readers and makes the mystery engaging. Parents and teachers report success using it as a classroom read-aloud. Readers highlight the humor, particularly the characters' punny names and the amusing back-and-forth correspondence. Multiple reviews mention it teaches kids about civic engagement and questioning authority while remaining light and fun. Common criticisms include that the format can be confusing for some younger readers and that the mystery's resolution feels rushed. Some mention the illustrations could be clearer. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (130+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 Sample review: "My students were completely invested in solving the mystery. The format kept them engaged and they loved picking up on all the wordplay." - 5th grade teacher on Amazon "The letter format was unique but made it hard for my 8-year-old to follow the story thread." - Parent reviewer

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🌟 Author Kate Klise collaborated with her sister Sarah Klise, who illustrated the book, making it a true family project. 💧 The entire story is told through letters, memos, newspaper articles, and other documents, making it an early example of the epistolary novel format for young readers. 🏫 The book sparked two sequels: "Trial by Journal" and "Letters from Camp," following the same creative documentary-style format. 📝 Kate Klise worked as a correspondent for People magazine before becoming a children's book author, which may have influenced her documentary-style approach to storytelling. 🎨 The unique format of the book has made it popular among teachers for demonstrating different forms of written communication and encouraging creative writing assignments.