Cover for Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat: Inca Cat Detective, #7

Because Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.

Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.

IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.

This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.

Heidi M Simone

76506
Without this program, I would not have sampled this book. The cover, title, and blurb are cute, and it does have good ratings, including the OBC one. However, I do not have children, so the book wouldn't be for me. Based on what I read, the book does seem to be edited well. I like how light and happy Inca's tone-of-voice is as she describes being on a beach in Sri Lanka, being excited to see the elephants, and while Fromage dropped his ice cream. Between the light tone and the book's illustrations, it seems like an enjoyable read for children. The only thing I can see to improve, based on the sample, is the formatting of the book. It seemed almost every couple of sentences was its own paragraph, which can make the writing seem a bit choppy. I would either combine more of these mini-paragraphs or maybe add more illustrations. Though this seems like a fun book for kids, I do not plan on reading it as I don't have any of my own.

First Ten review added on July 30, 2018, at 6:36 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gravy

60847
As I am not among the target audience for this book, I would not have sampled it, and the sample did not change that. Because of this, I will not be reading it.

Though the illustrations are not my taste, I love that they are consistent through the series.
I didn't see any errors, but I gather that Fromage really likes ice cream! I still love the inclusion of Charlotte, and am also impressed with the inclusion of the new animals (like the elephants).

I am unsure if this book had an official review, but it having one or not in no way affects my opinion.

First Ten review added on July 30, 2018, at 6:15 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mercelle

204747
Judging by the cover and title, I was eager to read this book because I've read other books in the series. The OBC review urged me on when it mentioned that in this installation, the cats go on vacation. Upon reading the first ten pages, I liked that at the beginning of the book, the author gave a brief but elaborate explanation on each of the characters. Because I noticed no errors; I'll conclude that the text underwent professional editing. I will, therefore, read the rest of the book and refrain from changing anything about the bit I read.

First Ten review added on July 30, 2018, at 4:33 am by Mercelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

klwoodford

710593
This is an adorable book! The cover is very cute, and I think it will attract young readers. The description is wonderfully written. The reviews are very positive for the most part. Despite all this, I would not have sampled this book if not for this program. The reason is that I am not in the recommended age range nor do I have children in that range. Still, I'm glad I sampled it. The writing is very descriptive. It is also repetitive, which I think can help young readers journey through this book. The sentences and paragraphs vary in length but are primarily short, which I think will be beneficial for readers in the suggested range. I love that this book introduces great vocabulary words, such as contentment, unanimous, and basking. The illustrations are eye-catching and spaced out enough to where they don't overshadow the writing, but instead, compliment it. My favorite so far is Inca with the ice cream. I also appreciate that a character list is introduced right away for those who have not read the first 6 books in the set. One thing I noticed is that on the page right after the character list there is text that reads, "LET's GET TO THE EXCITING STUFF!" As seen, the S is lowercase when the rest is capitalized. I believe this is a typo. Other than that the book is perfect. Unfortunately, I will not be finishing it. I am too old to really get into the story.

First Ten review added on July 30, 2018, at 1:15 am by klwoodford.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kat Berg

330891
I really love the pictures that accompany this book! If I were looking for a fun kids book, for myself or some child, I would definitely pick this up based on that alone. The blurb and the review are also appealing and make me want to read the book. I appreciate that there is an introduction to the main characters before the story begins. I would not hesitate to read this, even though it is out of order.
There are not a lot of words on each page, so it shouldn't be overwhelming for children who are just starting chapter books. There are colorful pictures interspersed regularly, which will help push a reluctant reader forward, and they are in color! So many chapters books you might get one or two colored pictures but mostly black and white. I imagine that part of the reason this is possible is that this is an e-book. There are a couple of things that I am not sure about. The first is where "Yippee!" (loc. 32) and "Yummy!" (loc. 53) are suddenly found in the middle of the column instead of lining up with everything else. This break in the style format style occurs in several other places as well and does not seem to be an error, but it rather looks like one. If the author were going to change something, for me, that would be it. I also do not care for the PowerPoint style bullet points used when Snoopy Cat is wondering about Meena's mother catching hold of him in her long trunk. (loc. 128) The book seems to be professionally edited, and I did not notice any errors. I do plan on finishing this short and delightful book. I will also probably recommend it to children, parents, and teachers I know who are constantly looking for new, engaging reads.

First Ten review added on July 30, 2018, at 12:48 am by Kat Berg.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Sarah_Khan

89585
At first glance, I wold not have picked up this book because I am not the intended audience. The first ten pages were professionally edited. I thought the list of characters in the beginning might have been too confusing for kids. I also thought the book could use more illustrations. I did not read any OBC review and I doubt it would have made me read this book, since I am still not the intended audience.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 10:59 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Vickie Noel

249577
As a teacher, I'm always on the lookout for a good children's book, and Serendipity Mystery is a perfect pick I would have made outside the program. I'm not disappointed in any way after sampling; it's near perfect. I say "near" because there was a change of information during the elephant ride encounter. Inca supposedly was on Meena's back before Cara and Fromage showed up, being placed on mama elephant's back by mama elephant herself. However the last sentence and the subsequent picture referred to all three cats on mama elephant's back and none on Meena. Some children may not notice the slight difference, but I know a couple of them who will. If it can be adjusted, that would be great. I saw no typos or grammar errors and really loved the pictures. There was also a favorable OBC review which got me ready to check out the book.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 7:53 pm by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Samantha Simoneau

638408
Prior to reading the sample, this isn't a book that would interest me right away simply because I'm an adult and my kids are not quite old enough for chapter books. However, after perusing the Amazon page, this definitely seems like the kind of book I would want to read with or buy for my kids in a few years. It sounds fun and we all enjoy books where animals act like people. The mystery-solving and travel angles add nice layers of experience. My first impression is that it will be funny, exciting, and educational. It certainly has high praise on the Amazon page! People say it's well-written, that the mystery is as good as any adult novel, etc. I'm impressed already. After reading the sample, I think this book is cute. It made me smile because I could easily imagine all the characters. The illustrations are brightly colored and visually pleasing, as well as funny. I like that the fact that they are in Sri Lanka allows for young readers to learn about a distant place and perhaps different cultures. The list of characters and their pictures is helpful at the beginning. I didn't find any errors. My only issue was that I found the fact that the text is divided into one or two sentences at a time with line breaks in between a bit distracting. I'm accustomed to traditional indented paragraphs. However, maybe a kid adjusting to chapter books would find the text easier to follow in this format. I don't think it's a big negative. Thanks for the free book! I'll probably read it with my kids soon.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 7:24 pm by Samantha Simoneau.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Dolor

363055
Without the First Ten program, I wouldn't have chosen to read this book because I am not the target audience for this book. The cover looks great for cat lovers like me, though. Reading the official OBC review, the blurb, and the first ten pages had changed my original hunch. Though it is written in a memoir style, I love the author's way of narrating the events. It's awesome and captivating. To begin with, I love Inca's family and detective team pictures. I have known from this book that in general, kitties hate to travel. In Colombo, Inca and her family woke up every morning to soft golden sands and a brilliant blue ocean with white, frothy waves. Wow! I'd surely love this, too. I have not found any error in the first ten pages, so I consider this book a professionally-edited one. I have no improvement suggestion for this book, too. Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi is the seventh installment in The Inca Book series. A standalone read that follows the adventures of Inca and her detective helpers in solving the case of the missing sword and gold coins which were stolen from the Colombo Museum.

#Children #Mystery #Detective #Animals
#Teamwork #SriLanka #FreeBook

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 6:50 pm by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Izesicle

237751
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to read or sample this book based on the fact that I reviewed another book in the same series and I liked it.
I am going to buy and read the whole book because the sample and illustrations were a delight. I also like the Sri Lanka setting.
Based on what I read, the book seems like it was professionally edited. I didn't notice typo or grammar errors.
What I like the most in the bit I read is that there was a list of characters to remind me of them.
What could be improved is nothing that I could think of .
The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 5:38 pm by Izesicle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

JuliaKay

344511
I like this title, and I think the cover is cute. I know there are are a lot of kids who will be drawn to this book. I reviewed another one from this series, and the story was actually pretty good. The blurb and reviews are good and do the book justice. This is a genre that I actually do read because I have three children who love animals. I would have chosen to sample this book even without the program. I do think that the way Inca "talks" is kind of immature just because she is a detective. I think it is fun how this book is written in a diary style; kids seem to be into that right now. It is also enjoyable that Inca is on vacation right now. I think the name Fromage is great for a French cat. It is all enjoyable that there is a little history about Sri Lanka in there as well! When I read and reviewed a book from this series, one of this editing issues that I had with it was that there were a lot of instance of multiple exclamation points. I am happy to see that this book has cut down on that. There were no errors that I noticed, and it seems to me that this book has been professionally edited. I probably will consider reading this one with my kids because they would like the adventure with furry friends.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 5:12 pm by JuliaKay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

CrescentMoon

56447
After reading the blurb, I wouldn't pick this book up because I don't read children's books since I'm not around kids or have my own kids. But this definitely sounds like a cute fun story for kids to read. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors. I thought the writing was very simple and straightforward which I think is perfect for kids so it's easier for them to understand. The illustrations were great. I love how the beginning included a tiny picture for each animal character and descriptions of them. I like how the cat described her furry family as well. I'm not the target audience for this book but I definitely think schoolteachers with young students and parents with young children could easily read this book with their kids.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 4:34 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

kfwilson6

517343
As a reviewer of a previous installment in the Diary of a Snoopy Cat series, I was already inclined to be interested in this book. I thought the one I read previously was a fun story for elementary aged children as it had a little bit of mystery without much complexity. I thought this 7th installment in the series sounded like another fun adventure for Inca & Company as they embark on a journey to a different country. The setting of Sri Lanka definitely sparked my interest as I've heard it's a lovely place. I was disappointed to read from the OBC reviewer that cultural and sight-seeing aspects were not as central as I would have anticipated, but nonetheless, my previous experience with Inca made me interested in this tale as well. After reading the sample one thing I saw that Kristi improved on from book 5 was the introduction of the characters. I was quite lost by all of the characters and had to read their introductions twice when reviewing, making a particular effort to memorize who is who. The layout of the introductions with pictures in Serendipity Mystery is incredibly helpful. I'm glad Kristi included this. I love the illustrations. The expressions on the characters' faces are always amusing. In particular, the image of Inca reading Serendipity Mystery before the first diary entry is clever and cute. I did not like the lack of clarification about what UNESCO is. As an adult, this is not an acronym I am familiar with so I wouldn't expect children to know it either. As I suspected though, this book is fun, enlightening, enjoyable, and professionally edited. I will definitely be reading the rest of Inca's Sri Lankan mystery.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 2:39 pm by kfwilson6.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Alice Heritage

173569
I wouldn't have sampled this without the program as I am not in the market for a children's book. I also won't read the rest of it on the basis of the first ten pages now for the same reason, though I've got the free copy and might read it for inspiration if I ever want to write a children's book. It seemed professionally edited as I noticed no errors in the sample. I liked Inca's sardonic tone best - for example, she mentions that Polo is small but thinks he is big, in a knowing way. This makes her an appealing character as a narrator. Nothing really needed to be improved - this seems all set to appeal to those in its target market. I've seen a couple of OnlineBookClub reviews, which didn't affect my decision.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 2:28 pm by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jennifer Fernandez

833594
Based on the cover, I would not have chosen to read this book. Not because there's something wrong; it's just that it looks like a book for kids. I don't have kids so the topic really doesn't interest me. But if I had a kid I would surely pick this book. The reviews I saw were pretty good and I know kids like detective stuff. I will not read the whole book because it's too childish for me but, again, kids would definitely love it. I have a friend with kids and I know they would like it. Maybe I'll recommend it to her or buy it for them. Based on the sample I read, I think the book is well edited. This is important for children's' books since it exposes them to correct language early in their lives. The pictures where very colorful and creative. They were very pleasant to see. I read on the official review that the book could do with more cultural facts about Sri Lanka and I agree. Cultural exposure is good for the kids. I really think this is a great book for children and can be very entertaining to read it with them.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 1:42 pm by Jennifer Fernandez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Yoli García

139064
I would not have sampled this book without this program because my youngest child is not in the age range of this book. The OBC review did not convince me to read it for the same reason. After I read the sample pages, I thought the book was professionally edited. I liked that the story’s location is in Sri Lanka. I also liked that the story mentions cultural facts about Sri Lanka. An example is having eight World Heritage Sites. I liked the pictures but the book could have more. I will not read this book because my child is not ready for it. However, seems like kids who are in the chapter-book stage can learn about Sri Lanka with this story.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 1:30 pm by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ritah

236447
Based on the cover and title, I would have sampled the book because I'm already familiar with the author and characters. I enjoyed Diary of a Snoopy Cat (Inca Cat Detective Series Book 5) and recommended it to people I know with kids looking for a good read. I read the official review for Serendipity Mystery and then sampled the book. I like that this time the characters are on vacation, though I wish that Terrance, Monk, and Polo had joined them on the holiday away from the cold weather back home. This book also appears to be professionally edited as I did not find any errors in the pages I read. I will be reading this one just because I already like the characters and I'm curious to know which mystery they'll be solving this time.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 12:03 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

micoleon13

97247
This is a nice cover page which would attract the attention of a child, although I personally would not choose it. The OnlineBookClub review was complementary and outlined a story that some children would be interested in. It follows the same theme as the other book in this series, trying to catch a thief with help from various other animals. It still is not a book that I would read. The pages which I read were well written and edited and I liked how it incorporated interesting facts about Sri Lanka which is not a common setting for children's books. Although I won't be continuing to read this book, as I don't have any children, a suggestion for improvement would be to add more pictures of the team's adventures.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 10:32 am by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

IsabelMay

229878
The cover and the description helped me remember that a similar story had been featured on OBC from the same author. I wouldn't have sampled it on my own, but I wasn't impressed by the sample either. The choice of words such as ''reputed for, portly, oodles, stature'' etc. made the book seem more appropriate for older children. There is a small editing/formatting error on the very first page which stands out - there are two lines of text in all caps, but one letter is in lowercase. I didn't find the storyline too intriguing. The illustrations are too small in the sample and there aren't many of them so I think children would be bored. I won't be reading the rest.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 9:46 am by IsabelMay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kendra M Parker

654688
I had been looking at this book for a while, but I had not taken the opportunity to read it yet. This has looked like something that my daughter would really enjoy, but I haven’t had the opportunity to look closely at it yet. The official review for this one was very interesting in how it explained the series and the characters in the book. As I began reading the first ten pages, I was impressed to see that they were very well written and cleanly edited. I liked how it quickly addressed the primary cast of characters in the diary format. It was a nice thing to see how Inca introduced his sister by calling her the Siamese cat, deftly explaining how he was as well. The full color illustrations were also very appealing, and I think my daughter is going to really enjoy reading this book with me.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 8:05 am by Kendra M Parker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Annelore Trujillo

97769
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, title and cover. I actually really enjoy children's books, and I like finding new ones to share with my Godchildren. I read one of the other books in this series, and I liked it. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. Unfortunately, I did see errors right away. In the description of Terrance, there is a space missing after a comma. On the next page, there's a sentence in which all of the letters are capitalized except one "s". On another page, there was a comma in the middle of a sentence where it shouldn't have been. While I liked the style and energy of the book, I won't read books with my Godchildren that aren't professionally edited.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 3:34 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ladycraic

356160
I would not have chosen to sample Serendipity Mystery apart from First Ten due to my disinterest in the cover and the title. The blurb effectively outlined what this brief children's book would be about. Hence, I was more excited to read the first few pages of this children's book. I will have to say, the first few pages displayed a slow-moving plot, but despite that, I plan on reading the rest. I mean, I get to witness a solved mystery under 30 minutes. This book seemed professionally edited and I didn't notice any grammatical errors.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 12:47 am by ladycraic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Chelsy Scherba

75151
This is such a cute book. I really love the illustrations and the diary format. Charlotte the hamster is especially cute, and I really love all the cats. I think it’s fun that they go to Sri Lanka and kids can learn a little bit about a different country. The reviewer wished there were more cultural references, but I’m okay with this book being more of an introduction than an exhaustive list of locations and culture. I think the story is great for all ages. Little kids will have fun listening at bedtime and older kids will enjoy trying to read for themselves. I would have definitely enjoyed this series of books if I were still a kid. I will probably read the rest because I got a free download, but I wouldn’t ordinarily seek out this type of book since I don’t have kids. I didn’t see any errors and think the book looks terrific.

First Ten review added on July 29, 2018, at 12:23 am by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Azeline Arcenal

120828
After reading the first ten pages, I decided not to finish reading the book. The sample wasn't interesting enough for me. While reading the sample, I like how simple the writing was which makes it a good book for younger readers. Inca seems like an interesting character and I like how the book introduces Sri Lanka. I do like the book cover and title so if I were to sample the book based on just the cover and title, I probably would have chosen to sample it because they both look interesting. While reading the sample, I didn't notice any grammatical errors either. I also read the official OBC review for this book which was helpful in solidifying my decision on taking a pass on this book. There isn't anything I would change anything about this book.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 11:44 pm by Azeline Arcenal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

CinWin

717915
The cover of "Serendipity Mystery" (Diary of a Snoopy Cat) by RF Kristi is extremely cute and really portrays what the book is about. I wouldn't have picked it out or read it if it wasn't the BOTD because I have no 8 - 12 year-olds in my life. I really enjoyed the first 10 pages. It reminded me of the "Pete the Cat" stories only for older children. The writing of it in diary form is unique and perfect for the young reader. I would not have changed a thing. I won't be finishing it because it is written for children, but I would highly recommend it to parents with kids in that age group. They will be really interested to see if Inca, the Siberian Cat, finds the stolen ancient sword! I saw no grammatical errors and there was a good onlinebookclub review.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 11:00 pm by CinWin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

va2016

119030
The title and the cover are very indicative of the story of the book. The plot of the story that I read in the Amazon summary does not impress me that much. There are 3 Amazon customer reviews, which is not enough for me to decide if I should pursue this book or not. If not for the First Ten program, I would have skipped this book. As I sampled through the book, I found the book suitable for children. The narration revolves around 5 cats which form a brigade of detectives and tasked to solved crimes. The narration is juvenile, and won't be very interesting for adults. Since this is a children's book, I am going to skip this. I found the book professionally edited. There are no mechanical or grammatical errors. There is nothing specific that I liked about the book, nor do I have any recommendations for improvement. I found one OBC review that gave a 3 out of 4 stars rating for book, but my decision to not to read the book is based on my own sampling.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 10:14 pm by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sicily Joy

783035
The cover, description and the reviews all made me want to quickly download the book. Who wouldn't want to read about detective cats chasing after stolen treasure in Sri Lanka? The positive official review also made me want to read this book. However, after sampling the first ten pages, I realized I was unable to get into the book. I will not be finishing the book. The story was too much telling and not enough showing. In other words, I wanted it to get into the action quicker and have less exposition. I think that either more action from the beginning or more dialogue would help the story's pacing. However, I did find the story really easy to read and think this book will appeal to the target audience (7-12 years old). It was well-written, I found no errors and I believe it was professionally edited.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 8:49 pm by Sicily Joy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

RebeccasReading

444118
This is not a book I would normally read. It's a children's book, which I have no use for. After reading the sample, my opinion is the same. This seems like a cute story for children, but it's not something I would read. The concept of a cat detective is very cute and original. I was surprised that there weren't more pictures in the sample. It also seemed to me that the writing was a little advanced for a child of 7 years old (the recommended age on the description). However, I don't have any children, so I'm not an expert on their average reading level. It seems to be professionally edited.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 8:27 pm by RebeccasReading.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Seraphia Bunny Sparks

84383
After reading a few pages of, Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi, I have decided that I will finish reading this book. When I first saw the cover for this book, I was enchanted. I am an avid cat lover, and this cover grabbed my attention. I also enjoy reading mystery novels, so I figured this book would be a good fit. If I had not read a sample of this book, I would have picked it up. The cover, title, and blurb piqued my interest in the story. As I read a few pages, I find myself pulled in. I appreciate that the author gives the reader character profiles. At the beginning of the book, we get to see the various characters, their names and a brief description of them. I think this is cute, especially for children. I love the little illustrations used in the book. They are eye-catching. I love seeing the cat reading a copy of the book. I appreciate how each picture is different and tells a part of their trip. I like how the author writes in diary form. To me, this is cute and a fun way to read the story. Based on what I have read this book appears to be professionally edited. This book does have an official OnlineBookClub review. The reviewer engages my interest in the book. The reviewer speaks positively of the story overall. Like the reviewer, I wish the author had included more history on Sri Lanka in the story. I think more depth about the country would have added to the story and the learning experience for the kids. I will be finishing this story about detective cats.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 7:59 pm by Seraphia Bunny Sparks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Catherine Hsu

104096
If I had not read the sample I would not have read the book as I do not really read children's books. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind for the same reason. However, I did like the writing, which used figurative language like "My furry family and I were behaving like flower buds in the warm sunshine," which was more advanced than I had expected. If I were to read a book to a child, I would choose this, but I would not purchase this book for myself. It was professionally edited. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 7:58 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Anon_Reviewer

697534
I probably would have checked this book out because I am a huge fan of children's fiction. Besides, a 4/4 rating from the OBC Official Review and a 4.6 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon is not something one easily ignores. The first ten pages of the book were superb! I found the diary format to be simple and easy to follow, perfect for young readers. I loved the illustrations throughout the book as well, especially the one of Inca on the beach holding ice cream. I did not notice any errors and enjoyed the sample very much. It would be exciting to read this out to my nieces as a bedtime story.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 5:39 pm by Anon_Reviewer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Mely918

754630
I don't think I, personally, would have been very interested in this book based on the cover and title. It seems more like a book geared towards a younger audience. Reading the first ten pages confirmed that to me. That's not to say I did not enjoy the sample that I read. I really liked the writing style of this book. The reader is basically reading a diary that was written by Inca the cat. I think this format made this book flow very well. I also like how all the animals end up going on an adventure while on a simple vacation in Sri Lanka. This book definitely seems like it would be a great read for young children. The visuals help to make this book all the more appealing as well. There were no grammatical errors from what I read. The official review is very positive and makes me a bit more interested in this book. However, since it is more of a young children's book, I probably won't be reading it.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 3:49 pm by Mely918.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Nelsy Mtsweni

501450
I would have chosen to read or sample the book because the editorial review made the book sound more and more interesting. The cover of the book is also inviting. Yes, I already have the copy of this book in my Amazon account and I cannot wait to finish reading the rest of the book, because I want to find out how will Inca and Company or Solo find the stolen objects. I like the choice of English words; they were not too bombastic. This will make it easier for young children to read smoothly without consulting a dictionary. I identified one grammatical error from the first part I have read: "and a sleepy Charlotte," instead of: "and sleepy Charlotte." Apart from this error, I cannot think of anything else to be improved about this book. Thank you.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 3:00 pm by Nelsy Mtsweni.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Scerakor

45879
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. My kids aren't in the proposed age range for this book and therefore I wouldn't have any use for it. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. What I liked and enjoyed most about the sample is the interactions the kittens had with the sea turtles. This was an excellent way to teach the reader something new about these animals, show the kittens' curiosity, and use a bit of humour. That being said, like I mentioned before, my kids aren't in the target age range for these novels and I won't be reading it. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 2:49 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ahlily

511376
I will eventually finish reading this book with my daughter. I love how the cats refer to their human as their mom and I think it will help children understand that pets aren't just animals, they are a serious commitment and become part of the family. I love the simplicity of the sentences and description, while also being of a slightly higher level for children to read on their own or for parents to read to younger children and have them still understand everything fully. I'm not a huge fan of the art because it seems too clunky, but that's just my personal taste. The cover art and long title did deter me from thinking this would be a good children's book because it just seems bulky, especially the long word of "serendipity," which I feel too many adults don't even know the word these days. But it is great to introduce children to complex words like that, they just need additional explaining from the parents' end. Also, I like how this is a book in a series, but can also stand alone without the reader feeling lost. Overall, this seems like a fantastic children's book. I didn't see any typos on what I read.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 2:16 pm by Ahlily.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Mary WhiteFace

649293
A cat with its own detective agency called Inca & Company searching for a missing ancient sword. In addition, she gets help solving the case from other animals. If that's not enough, Inca keeps track of all of her adventurous cases in a diary. The cover and title are adorable. What's not to love? Even without the First 10 program, I would want to read this book.

Reading the first ten pages reinforced my desire to read it. The style of the author is delightful. The premise of a cat detective is fun. Inca has a total of seven animals in her agency. They include herself, three additional cats, a hamster, and two dogs. The illustrations add a nice element to the story. Children and adults should both enjoy this narrative. This could be a good fit for a parent to read as a bedtime story.

The book may have been professionally edited. I do not have any suggestions for improvements. There is an Official OnlineBookClub Review, but I did not read it before writing this. I had already made up my mind that I wanted to read this book, and if the first ten pages are an accurate indication of what I will find in the rest of the story, I will recommend this to my ten year old granddaughter when I finish.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 1:06 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

daniya__shah3

760745
The book sounds intriguing, adorable and mysterious, all at once. The concept of Cat Inca's own Detective agency is unique. I liked the sour and sweet relationship between Inca and Cara, the author has given the cat very human-like characteristics which is a good point since it will easily hook kids. However, I felt that although the illustrations look decent overall, the one on the cover does not. It looks more like a rough Illustration. Since it is a book meant for kids, the cover counts towards attracting readers. I think it could use some improvement. As far as the errors are concerned, I did not find any. I wouldn't have chosen to read this one if it weren't a part of this program and I wouldn't continue this either.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 12:02 pm by daniya__shah3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

lavellan

403587
I probably would have not read Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat if it had not been a part of The First Ten program. While the Book of the Day review was positive, the book is not age-appropriate for me. The book seemed like it was professionally edited and I did not notice any errors while reading. I enjoyed the unique setting in Sri Lanka and the fun illustrations. The picture with Inca dressed as a mermaid was particularly cute. The story flow was a bit simplistic for my liking. However, I think that it is a good fit for its target audience. I will not be reading the rest of the book because I am not a part of the target audience nor do I have any young children I could read the book with.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 11:59 am by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

CataclysmicKnight

67089
I've read a LOT of reviews about this one so far, so if there was an opportunity to get this for free I would've gotten it whether it was the book of the day or not. So far I'm agreeing with the positive reviews - it's cute and sneaks some informative bits in with what flows perfectly like a diary. The writing is smooth and I haven't seen any errors yet, so I'd assume it's professionally edited. I also enjoyed the way the images work like photos in the diary, capturing the days as the kitty writes them. In fact, thus far I have nothing negative to report at all! The first ten pages were almost 20% of the book, so with as little time as it'll take to finish it I definitely want to read what happens in the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 11:57 am by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kibet Hillary

294669
The book is written well. The paragraphs are small and hence kids will find it more enjoyable than if the paragraphs were longer. Kids will also be exposed to a variety of animals such as turtles hence adding to their knowledge. The cover page is not that captivating although it communicates much about the book. Therefore, I would not have read this book by interacting with the cover page. There are a number of reviews of this book on Online Book Club and these are what motivated me to read this book. I rate it 3 out of 4 stars. It is my opinion that the author should have included more paragraphs and reduce the length of the narration before the next pictures.
I will continue reading this book to completion. I would love to know how the detectives went around finding the lost sword.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 11:51 am by Kibet Hillary.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

MsTri

255145
I got excited as soon as I saw this cover and title; I've already read 3 or 4 of Inca & Co's stories, and I've loved them all, so I have no doubt that I will love this one with them trying to hunt down a missing sword as well, even if it doesn't have quite enough info about Sri Lanka in it (according to the OBC review, the only one I read; I didn't bother with the synopsis). The sample was phenomenal, and my favorite part was when Fromage dropped his ice cream on the sand, just as Charlotte predicted, and then continued to eat it! As always, this book seems to be professionally edited, and I have zero suggestions for changes.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 11:20 am by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

lesler

463405
Had I not sampled the book and just looked at the cover, I would have chosen to read the book, as it looks like a perfect edition for my elementary school classroom. Upon sampling the book, I will still continue to read it, but my ideas have shifted on where I will use it. It seems directed towards early elementary children, but the words are not accessible to average readers from ages 6-10. The sentence structure was not simple enough for emergent readers to be intrigued by. This book appears to be professionally edited, with no grammatical errors or typos that I noticed. I liked that the book was written in a diary format from the perspective of a cat-my students will love that point of view. As stated before, I did not like the word choices used in the book. They would turn off my average readers.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 10:42 am by lesler.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Cristina Chifane

418146
If it had not been for the first ten program, I would not have sampled the book. Although I think the title sounds appealing, the cover has nothing special to draw my attention in any way. Since the book is the seventh in a series, I would prefer reading the first one although the Amazon blurb mentions the fact that it could be read as a standalone. There are no editorial reviews, but customer reviews praise it for its entertaining value. I have enjoyed the brief presentation of Inca and the members of her detective agency at the beginning of the book. The first-person point-of-view and the diary form of the book are quite enchanting for children. The sentences are easy to read and the storyline flows smoothly. Children usually love animals, so they will probably get fond of Inca and her smart companions. The book also contains interesting information about the island of Sri Lanka. My guess is Inca and her friends will keep the readers tuned in to a wonderful adventure. I am glad I did not find any spelling/grammar mistakes in the pages I have read. I agree with the OBC reviewer the book is more appropriate for younger children. All in all, the book does seem like a great read for children six to ten years old. I will not be reading it now simply because it is not part of my reading goals at the moment, but I will recommend it to my friends with children this age.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 10:37 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Laura Ungureanu

620179
This is a children's book about a kitty named Inca and her friends. There are four kitties, one hamster, and two dogs. They form a detective agency called Inca & Company. The company is on vacation in Sri Lanka when they hear about the disappearance, or theft, of an antique sword. I really appreciate the way this book portrays a country like Sri Lanka. It is not something I usually read about, so it feels unique. I didn't know Sri Lanka had eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites on a single island named Galle, where the detective company is. It is lovely that the book is structured like a journal, it might inspire kids to start a journal on their own. There is nothing I would change.
I would have checked this book out anyway, but I won't continue to read it because I enjoy adult books for myself and I don't have a child to read it to. It is professionally edited.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 9:54 am by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

cpru68

517613
Inca has experience with solving mysteries, and while on a relaxing family vacation in Sri Lanka, it is discovered that a valuable sword has been stolen. With the help of her detective friends, the author sets up the story to delight young children. I liked how other animals were incorporated in the story such as the turtles and the elephants. The human like qualities given to the animals was a nice touch which I think kids will enjoy. For example, when the one cat is enjoying an ice cream cone, and another warns that it is going to land on the ground and it does, that is a great example of human qualities. I found no errors in the portion I read, and I have no suggestions to make. I thought the illustrations helped make the book all the better. I don’t have kids in this age range anymore, so I won’t be finishing this one. But, I am so happy to have had the chance to read it through the online book club so I can send it out to friends who do have kids who will enjoy the series.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 9:03 am by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

desantismt_17

604219
The very first review I did for OnlineBookClub.org was a different Inca Cat Mystery. Based on my enjoyment of that book, I was going to read this one. Had I not already been familiar with the series, this book’s title would have caught my eye, and the description would have hooked me. A children’s mystery featuring a kitten detective and her friends solving a mystery abroad? Sign me up. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. The family tree of Inca and her companions is a great way to start this story, especially for young readers. It both lets the readers know who all the characters are and gets us up to speed from previous books to avoid confusion. The story starts with Inca enjoying Sri Lanka and looking forward to the holiday. It takes a few pages for the mystery aspect to get going, but the book’s title and Inca’s explanation that she and her friends are famous detectives makes it clear there’s an investigation coming. Having decided to read based on knowing this series, the OnlineBookClub.org review didn’t add anything to my decision.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 8:44 am by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

FictionLover

759820
If I hadn't read the sample, I don't think I would have selected this book to read. The cover does not convey what the book is about. After reading, I would buy it for a child, especially since the illustrations are excellent. This book was easy to read and seems professionally edited, I didn't see any mistakes in what I read. I think my favorite part was the description of Fromage eating ice cream. The illustration of the Inca cat draped on a rock like a mermaid was a close second. I didn't see any review about this book at the onlinebookclub and that did not effect my decison.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 8:16 am by FictionLover.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

gali

50066
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as I am not the intended audience. The cover is cute, and the blurb gives a good sense of the content. I like the idea of a cat detective, and I also love the illustrations. The sample opens with an introduction of the cast, which I found helpful. This time the adventure takes place in Sri Lanka, which adds to the charm of the book. While on vacation in Sri Lanka, the cats stumble into a new case. Although the concept is delightful, the writing was a bit juvenile to my taste. I won't read the book, as it was meant for kids. The official review didn't sway my decision either way.

First Ten review added on July 28, 2018, at 7:39 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 48%

Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat earned a score of 48%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 48% plan to read the whole book.

IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.

Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.

Go to main Bookshelves page for Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat