# 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. 9 chapters, about 65 minutes.

## 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.

## 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.

## Chapters

1. Whispers and Watching Eyes
2. The Mystery Team
3. The Hidden Door
4. The Underground World
5. Secrets of the Otters
6. The Threat Above
7. The Secret Keepers
8. Saving the Tunnels
9. Friends Forever