A Free Junior Detective Activity That Turns Reading Into an Investigation
The adventure in Crazy Eights: Myla Maps Out a Mystery now extends beyond the page.
The Cadet Club Field Kit is a free printable companion for readers ages 8–12, created by J.C. Moran, author and award-winning board game designer. Drawing on her experience designing board games, Moran created an additional mystery that unfolds alongside the book, giving readers clues to follow and a case of their own to solve as they read.
Readers participate in their own investigation throughout the story. Each part of the activity connects to a specific reading checkpoint, encouraging them to observe, remember details, and use what they’ve read and learned, in order to move their own case forward.
How Does the Cadet Club Field Kit Work?
The Field Kit centers around Myla’s own field map, five clue cards, and a final password.
Readers begin with Myla’s map of her hometown. As they progress through Crazy Eights, they encounter five specific checkpoints where they open a corresponding clue card.
Each clue contains a question that connects to the chapter the reader just completed. The information needed for the answer comes directly from the story, rewarding readers for paying attention along the way.
Each correct answer then correlates to a letter on Myla’s map. After collecting all five letters, readers unscramble them to discover the password that cracks the case.
Successfully solving the case leads to one final reward: a printable Cadet Club certificate.
A Mystery That Unfolds Throughout the Book
The investigation develops alongside the story from beginning to end.
Each clue corresponds to a specific point in Crazy Eights, so readers continue building their case as they progress through the book. Answers come from details within the story, making observation and reading comprehension an active part of the experience.
The activity reflects the way Myla approaches a mystery herself: observing what’s happening, noticing important details, and thoughtfully assessing the evidence before moving forward.
For young readers who enjoy puzzles and figuring things out, the Field Kit adds another reason to stay curious about what comes next.
A Mostly Screen-Free Detective Activity
The Field Kit keeps the experience intentionally simple and hands-on.
Readers need:
Crazy Eights: Myla Maps Out a Mystery
A printed Cadet Club Field Kit
A pencil
Their detective skills
Readers complete the investigation using paper and a pencil as they make their way through the book.
At the end of the investigation, a grown-up spends about 90 seconds scanning a code to check the reader’s final password. A correctly solved case unlocks access to a printable Cadet Club certificate.
Designed for Home, Homeschool, Classrooms and Libraries
The Cadet Club Field Kit can be used by individual readers, families, classrooms, and libraries.
The materials print on standard, 8.5-by-11-inch paper and can be printed in either color or black and white. Heavier paper is recommended (but not required) for Myla’s map because readers use it throughout their investigation.
Teachers and librarians may print as many copies as they need for their readers.
Young detectives can even get a little help if they become stuck. Grown-ups can reply to the Field Kit email for a nudge from J.C. Moran, while leaving the readers to ultimately solve the case for themselves.
Ready to Start the Investigation?
The Cadet Club Field Kit is free and always will be.
Parents and grown-ups can request the Field Kit by email, print the materials, and have everything ready for their reader to begin investigating alongside Crazy Eights: Myla Maps Out a Mystery.
For readers who enjoy clues, puzzles, and the satisfaction of figuring something out for themselves, the Field Kit adds a hands-on mystery to the reading experience and gives them a case of their own to follow from beginning to end.
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