DEPUTY SHEP
by Mary Stolz & illustrated by Pamela Johnson
The fourth burglary in Canoville occurs just before Deputy Shep begins the night shift, forcing him to disrupt his laid-back style with an active investigation. His troubles multiply when wealthy Mrs. Colly's bay mare disappears and when Fire Chief Dal disturbs the peace by wildly racing the fire engine through town. Deftly dealing with pressures brought to bear by the town's leading citizens, Shep recovers the stolen objects with the help of young Bert Peke, the mayor's son, who has discovered a pack rat at work. Though some of the quirky tongue-in-cheek humor about a town populated by dogs may be beyond young readers, this will answer requests for ``a funny story'' or a mystery; it's also a good choice for hard-to-help transitional readers or for kids who enjoy a warm, fuzzy world like Canoville. Illustrations to be plentiful, but not seen. (Fiction. 7-10)*justify no*