4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi is an illustrated children's book for young readers aged 7 to 12. It is the seventh book in the Inca Cat Detective Series, starring a globetrotting detective cat, Inca, and her gang of crime-solving companions. In this story, the team is away from their home in London, vacationing in beautiful Sri Lanka when they hear a national treasure, an ancient sword, has been stolen from the Colombo Museum. Inca is determined with the help of her team and her new found island friends to get to catch the culprit.
What I liked most about this book was the multi-cultural influence. Inca and her family are French living in England. The author uses everything from humor, like naming Inca's little brother Fromage and noting his obsession with cheese, to simple description, "this tiny island also had beautiful temples , and caves with centuries-old drawings," to more imaginative, yet factual descriptions, like the characters needing to watch out for cows on the road. Sri Lanka is described in a way that children could both relate to it and be enticed by it even if they have no prior knowledge of the country itself.
The book is an easy and enjoyable read. The characters each have a distinct personality and are likable. There may be some words younger readers could be unfamiliar with, but the author does a good job explaining most of them with context. It would not be enough to interrupt the flow of the story. I feel the content and plot would be too basic for many 10 to 12-year-olds and is better suited for ages 6 to 9, with the younger children having it read aloud to them since it may be a bit long for them. The plot moves quickly with a few small problems and victories throughout. The way the detectives figure out who the thieves are, which is the main plot, fell rather short though. It was too simple and quick. This was mostly made up for by the events that followed that did create a little more suspense and a nice ending.
Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was how the author shows respect for animals. None of the animal characters harm one another and they demonstrate great teamwork. Inca and her friends meet a sea turtle, Rani, and an elephant, Meena, who they develop a friendship with and assist in solving the mystery of the stolen sword. I did not like that the snake was portrayed in a stereotypical evil way, but it does make sense from Inca's perspective being a small cat lost in the jungle. I appreciated that the author also explains cultural traditions where animals help do work and participate in special occasions with humans.
This is the type of story I would have loved to read as a child and I truly enjoyed it as an adult as well. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it is a fun, entertaining story that works in cultural details suitable for children. I would recommend this book for any children ages 6 to 9 who enjoy mysteries and stories about animals.
******
Serendipity Mystery
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Brittany J's review? Post a comment saying so!
