Mystery

The Curious Cat Spy Club by Linda Joy Singleton

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Albert Whitman & Company

Summary:  When Kelsey helps stop a runaway zorse (a cross between a horse and a zebra), she gets more than she bargained for.  The zorse belongs to Becca, one of the most popular girls in school.  Ducking into an alley to avoid a boy from school, the two girls discover a bag of kittens in a dumpster.  A third member, Leo, gets involved in the rescue, and the unlikely trio decides to form a club to protect the kittens until they can find them homes.  Kelsey has always dreamed of being a detective, and now she has a real mystery on her hands…who put the kittens in the dumpster?  As the Curious Cat Spy Club works to solve it, they uncover a whole pet-napping ring right in their neighborhood.  Recommended for grades 4-6.

Pros:  This well-paced mystery will keep readers guessing right up to the end.  In Nancy Drew-like fashion, the last few chapters involve an exciting run-in with the villain and more than one narrow escape.  There are interesting subplots that give the characters more depth, such as Kelsey’s and Leo’s family issues and Becca’s thwarted romance.

Cons:  Kelsey didn’t get to keep her kitten.  But the cover says this is an exciting new mystery series, so there may yet be hope.

Big Bad Detective Agency by Bruce Hale

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  When the houses of the three little pigs are trashed, there’s only one suspect:  Wolfgang, the big bad wolf.  He swears he didn’t do it, and the sheriff decides to give him one day to prove his innocence before putting him in jail.  Ferkel, the fourth little pig, is eager to play detective, and Wolfgang reluctantly agrees to team up with him.  They talk to Cinderella, Jack (of the beanstalk story), Hansel and Gretel, and others, but everyone seems to have an airtight alibi.  Time is running out.  Will the real culprit be found before Wolfgang gets sent to jail?

Pros:  From the author of the Chet Gecko mystery series, this is the first in a new series that would be good for third and fourth graders.  Plenty of action and humor will keep readers engaged until the last page.

Cons:  Another children’s book based on the story of the three little pigs?

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 by N. Griffen, illustrated by Kate Hindley

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Room 11 is having a bad day.  Not only do they have Mr. Carper, a.k.a. the worst substitute in the world, but someone is going around gluing things to people, and the whole class gets in trouble for it.  Then the worst happens…Patches, the new hamster, disappears!  Smashie didn’t really want to get a hamster (she thinks they have creepy feet), so she’s a prime suspect.  She and her best friend, Dontel, decide they better do everything they can to solve the mystery.  Smashie dons her Investigation Suit, and Dontel sharpens up his scientific reasoning as they attempt to figure out just what happened to Patches.

Pros:  Candlewick is getting a reputation for its one-of-a-kind children’s books, and this one fits the bill.  Sure, it’s a great mystery, perfect for third, fourth, or fifth graders, but it’s also got a level of humor that adults will enjoy as well.  “There are days when the only thing that gets me through is the thought of a glass of wine and two hours’ research with a copy of GQ,” announces Mr. Carper.  And he’s just one of a whole host of quirky and appealing characters that populate Room 11.

Cons:  Do nine-year-olds need this much quirkiness?  Smashie sometimes came across as too much of an oddball to really ring true.  I wonder if elementary readers will appreciate the kids in this story or just think they are weird.