NATE THE GREAT GOES UNDERCOVER

When Nate the Great's dog Sludge refuses a pancake, he provides both Nate and readers who are equally alert with the clue that helps first graders' favorite detective break the case of Oliver's scattered garbage. For Nate, solving the mystery involves a trip to the library, spending the night in a doghouse and a garbage can, and even being sprayed by a skunk, but then, ""detective work is not fun and games."" It's lots of fun, however, for readers, who will have no trouble following the prescribed short, easy reading sentences that Sharmat transforms into crisp, tough-guy humor.