The Geronimo Stilton Series. Scholastic Books. $5.99 each (paper).

I don’t usually review an entire series at once, preferring to take the volumes on a book-by-book basis. Every rule has an exception, though, and Geronimo Stilton’s body of work is one of them. Stilton is the editor of the mega-circulation Rodent’s Gazette, but also spends a great deal of time solving crimes in his city. The series, encompassing more than a dozen volumes, recounts his crime-fighting efforts, various adventures in his daily life, and his quest for the &#8220big scoop” for his paper. He writes for children between the ages of 7 and 10 years old, although many kids a few years on either side of those ages will enjoy the way in which Stilton recounts his adventures.

Stilton writes a lot of books, but he doesn’t sacrifice quality for the quantity – the guy knows how to write for kids without making the stories too cheesy. In &#8220The Phantom of the Subway,” Stilton recounts his investigation into reports of a ghost in the subway tunnels in language that’s easy to understand, and with a kind of silly humor children will enjoy. For example, how many people will admit to stepping in cat poop? His efforts to prove what was really going on led him to hire an investigator from the local university, and together they solved the mystery.

In &#8220Merry Christmas, Geronimo,” one of two Christmas-themed books he’s authored – the other being &#8220A Christmas Tale” – Stilton recounts a disastrous holiday during which he broke his leg then left a candle unattended, which subsequently caught his house on fire. The fire made Swiss cheese of his Christmas plans, but the lesson about leaving candles unattended and taking care with fire is a strong one for children, and the story has a happy ending as Stilton is able to clean up his apartment in time to have a Christmas gathering with his entire family.

Sometimes the stories are more personal, like when Stilton recounts his efforts, in &#8220Four Mice Deep in the Jungle,” to overcome his fears of snakes, water, bugs and heights. His sister Thea and cousin Trap decide to fly him into the jungle, where he eats bug soup, climbs tall trees and plays with snakes. In &#8220All Because of a Cup of Coffee” he falls in love, and this book recounts his attempts to get the young Stephanie to notice him. In &#8220It’s Halloween, You ‘Fraidy Mouse!”, Stilton goes to a graveyard to research his latest book, only to encounter a variety of spooky adventures.

These and the other books in the series are gouda books for the kids. All have themes with which children can identify – a young crush, fears, crazy family members, and silly characters and plots that inhabit Stilton’s world. The text, too, will entice young children with its mix of normal text fonts and splashy picture-words that make the story funnier. For instance, when Stilton is nearly hit by a car when he didn’t look both ways crossing the street, the font that describes the screeching of brakes looks like tire tracks.