SEBASTIAN (SUPERSLEUTH) AND THE PURLOINED SIRLOIN

The seventh adventure starring Sebastian, the sheepdog-detective, zips along at a pace as fast as that of the others. When Sebastian and his ""human,"" Detective John Quincy Jones, learn that Sebastian is to inherit money, they celebrate. John buys Sebastian a large steak, which is sitting in John's car (along with a silver tea-service belonging to the Chief of Police) when the car is stolen. John is frantic to get the car and tea service back, and Sebastian is frantic to regain his purloined sirloin. By the time the mystery is solved, they've broken up a ring of car thieves. Unfortunately, Sebastian's inheritance just covers replacing the tea service (not recovered) with enough left over for a fast-food meal for Sebastian. Young readers will enjoy Sebastian's tongue-in, cheek narration and his frustration at the ineptitude of humans, although his self-congratulatory style becomes tedious; his penchant for disguises is always funny. Complicated; much of the vocabulary will be difficult for the younger readers suggested by the format. Uneven, but will be enjoyed by Sebastian fans.