by Betty Ren Wright ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1997
Is there a burglar in Miss Beane's house? The elderly woman fell while investigating noises in her home, and is hospitalized. Nine-year-old Chad, who has always wanted a dog, is only too happy to take care of her Labrador retriever, Benson, while she recovers; a neighbor, Mrs. Keck, temporarily adopts Miss Beane's parrot, Baby. While searching Miss Beane's house for Benson's favorite toy, Chad and his friend Jeannie hear sounds and resolve to find out who the burglar is. Baby provides a clue, and Chad decides that the prowler is Cap Colby, an odd, older boy from the neighborhood. After all of the red herrings are disposed of, however, Cap helps Chad and Jeannie apprehend the real burglar. Wright (Haunted Summer, 1996, etc.) offers readers an intriguing mystery, an interesting subplot, and believable characters, but Benson steals every scene he's in. (Fiction. 7-11)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-590-25235-6
Page Count: 116
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1997
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by Mary Amato ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 2010
A mystery, a school story, sibling rivalry and the loss of a pet blend surprisingly well in this engaging chapter book. Charmingly awkward fifth grader Edgar Allan decides to solve a series of minor thefts that are plaguing his teacher, Ms. Herschel. Clues are plentiful—and rhymed—but the competition to solve them is fierce. Edgar’s nemesis, Patrick Chen, seems to have the inside track since his dad works in forensics. Edgar, however, finds that the friends he makes along the way provide the winning edge. Including transcripts of Edgar’s ingenuous interviews as well as poems written by a number of class members in her narrative, Amato provides a clear picture of both social and family dynamics while keeping the story moving smoothly along. The author’s characteristic humor is somewhat muted, but examples of amusing wordplay abound. Some readers may guess the identity of the culprit more quickly than Edgar and his friends do, but whodunit is not really the point. Solving puzzles, making friends and learning to see the world more clearly are the true aims of this adventure. (Mystery. 7-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2271-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
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by Barbara O’Connor ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 31, 2010
"The short, sad life of Tooley Graham was over," doesn't sound like a happy conclusion but is pitch perfect in this short, simple and endearing middle-grade novel that follows on the heels of The Small Adeventure of Popeye and Elvis (2009). Owen Jester is focused on several things during his summer vacation: finding a way to keep his trapped "pet" bullfrog alive and happy, locating what fell off a train with a loud crash! one night and keeping annoying next-door neighbor Viola—who knows everything—out of their business as he schemes with his two best friends, Stumpy and Travis. The discovery of a sleek, red two-person submarine in the brush alongside the tracks changes everything. Can three young, girl-hating boys and a willing and very able—and tolerant—girl move a submarine to Graham Pond? If they manage that, will they ever be able to pilot it? In the heat of a languid Georgia summer vacation, in the dreams of irrepressible youth, anything is possible. O'Connor has spun a lovely read that perfectly captures the schemes and plans of school-age kids in the long days of summer. (Fiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: Aug. 31, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-374-36850-0
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2010
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