Sly The Sleuth And The Pet Mysteries

Grade 2-3–Young Sly forms her own detective agency to solve mysteries in the neighborhood. However, she only takes on cases that will also interest her cat, Taxi. The three cases presented here involve a variety of pets. Sly observes as well as she listens, and when she mixes in some creative problem solving, voila! Maione's pen-and-ink illustrations add plenty of personality. All in all, this is a promising start to a mystery series for beginning chapter-book readers.–Pat Leach, Lincoln City Libraries, NE

Gr. 2-4. Why is Kate's cat so fat? Why does Jack's fish hate him? Why is Melody's dog acting crazy? In the first of a simple chapter-book series about detective Sylvia, "Sly" solves the mysteries of the pets on her block, dyes her hair blue (short-term), and talks to her cat, Taxi. Some of the detective work is a bit convoluted. But Sly's first-person account makes her friendship and bickering with the kids, grown-ups, and pets on the street as much fun as the mysteries, and Maione's lively black-and-white pictures capture the neighborhood characters and the animals they love. Hazel Rochman