THE LUNATICK

Rosenblit’s debut middle-grade series starter,set in the anthropomorphic-dog world of Collywood, begins with an art theft and ends with a team of young canines trying to stop an evil scientist.

Roddy Weiler is the young pup of Rod Weiler, a legendary Collywood police detective, and he’s destined to follow in his father’s pawprints—indeed, much sooner than he expected. His interest is piqued when his dad investigates the case of a stolen Salvador Collie painting. Roddy enlists his crew of four skilled comrades to assist. Initially, circumstances point to criminal Al K. Bone and the young detective digs up details of one of Bone’s recent major transactions. Using clever disguises, cutting-edge tech, and investigative research, the squad unearths a much more wicked plot, and Roddy quickly realizes that he and his pals may be in danger. Rosenblit’s tale offers sophisticated descriptions and is as energetic as the young pups at its center. The fictional world of Collywood is filled with puns, such as “the Dogfather” and “Brad Pit Bull,” adding human references to the somewhat unconventional canine subject matter. Rod and Roddy are well developed characters, and their relationship provides insight into their close father-son relationship. As the members of the team investigate different elements of the case, the text encourages young readers to pay attention in order to piece clues together in this well-paced tale. The use of dogs as characters may feel juvenile to some tweens, but they’ll likely enjoy the elevated vocabulary and intense final scenes.

A mystery with an engaging plot that will leave readers itching for further series installments.