Peko Pal
The Secret of Oxford Elementary
When Brandt and Carter spot eyes watching from a storm drain at Oxford Elementary, they discover a secret colony of talking river otters living in tunnels below their school. With new friends Maya and Jasper, they race to save the otters' hidden home from construction without giving away the secret.
- Ages
- 5–7
- Length
- 1 hr 5 min, 9 chapters
- Feel
- Gentle
- Wi-Fi to play
- Not needed
Why parents pick it
Two brothers and two classmates track down a mystery hiding under their own school: wet pawprints, scratch marks, and a pair of eyes in a storm drain. The clues are things a child can follow along with, like eyeshine, tracks and old yearbooks. It is a warm, funny adventure where the friends solve a problem by working together and by being careful about what to share.
Good fit if your child…
- loves animals, especially otters, and likes knowing real facts about them
- enjoys detective stories where the clues add up bit by bit
- likes secret clubs, hidden doors and exploring with friends
Listen to a preview
From Chapter 1
The big otter statue stood proudly in front of Oxford Elementary School, its painted smile greeting every student who walked through the doors. Brandt ran his hand along the statue's smooth stone tail as he and Carter headed toward the playground for lunch recess.
"Did you know our school is the only one in Berkeley with an otter mascot?" Brandt said to his younger brother.
Carter looked up at the statue. "I like otters. They're funny when they swim on their backs."
As they sat down with their lunch boxes under the big oak tree, Brandt noticed a group of fifth graders huddled together near the fence. Their voices were low and excited.
"My brother said he heard splashing sounds coming from under the gym last year," one boy whispered.
What happens
Brothers Brandt and Carter overhear older kids whispering about tunnels under Oxford Elementary, then glimpse a pair of eyes blinking from a storm drain. Careful, notebook-loving Brandt and bubbly Carter team up with research whiz Maya and animal expert Jasper to form the Mystery Team. Together they gather clues, from wet pawprints to scratch marks and an old yearbook photo, and slip through a hidden door in the school storage room.
Listeners follow a classic mystery full of flashlights, secret passages and clever teamwork. Along the way, children pick up fun facts about river otters, how they swim, dig and use tools, and why some secrets are worth protecting.
For the grown-up
What they get from it. Children see how a team shares jobs, from note-taking to research to animal knowledge, and how careful looking can solve a mystery. They also hear about otters' eyeshine, tool use and burrows, and about the Ohlone people's long history on the land.
Before you play it. It stays gentle. There is some nervous excitement in the dark tunnels and worry when construction threatens the otters' home, and one short swim through a flooded passage, but everyone is safe and the tone is playful throughout.
Ask your child afterwards:
- Which clue would you have followed first, and why?
- Why do you think the friends decided to keep the secret?
- If you found a hidden door at school, what would you hope was behind it?
Chapters
- Whispers and Watching EyesWhispers about tunnels, eyes in a storm drain, and a notebook that comes out again.
- The Mystery TeamFour friends compare clues and a school mascot starts to look suspicious.
- The Hidden DoorA painted-over hinge, a breeze from nowhere, and a panel that swings open.
- The Underground WorldDown the stairs, someone is waiting who says something nobody expected.
- Secrets of the OttersA week of visits reveals a nursery, a workshop and a very old room.
- The Threat AboveAn announcement at assembly puts everything underground at risk.
- The Secret KeepersA librarian knows more than she has let on, and she hands over a camera.
- Saving the TunnelsFour kids have to convince a roomful of grown-ups to protect a place.
- Friends ForeverThe school year ends, and the friends make a promise by the statue.
Themes
Common questions
- What age is The Secret of Oxford Elementary for?
- It is written for ages 5–7.
- How long is The Secret of Oxford Elementary?
- 9 chapters, about 1 hr 5 min in all.
- Is The Secret of Oxford Elementary scary?
- It stays gentle. There is some nervous excitement in the dark tunnels and worry when construction threatens the otters' home, and one short swim through a flooded passage, but everyone is safe and the tone is playful throughout.
- Does it need Wi-Fi?
- No. Once it is on the Pal, it plays without Wi-Fi.
Playing it on the Pal
Press the button to play or pause. Tap left or right to skip back or ahead 15 seconds, double-tap for the previous or next chapter, or triple-tap left to start the book over. Up and down switch to another book. It picks up where you left off.