2 out of 4 stars
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What an interesting concept for a series of books for young readers! Inca, the main character, is a cat who is also a detective solving mysteries and having adventures around the world. She has a team of partners that include hamsters, humans, dogs and more cats. In Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula, Inca and her team travel to Korea for a cooking competition. They encounter obstacles along their way and work together to resolve them. This is the 8th book in the series authored by R.F. Kristi. The book does a fantastic job of introducing Korean history and language at an appropriate level for the intended audience.
The best part of Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula is the illustrations. The animals’ personalities are evident in their adorable outfits. One cat, Fromage, is French, sassy and wears a beret. The drawings of Korea and cherry blossom trees were beautiful, and some of the pictures were very humorous. The book also introduces children to advanced vocabulary like “diminutive” and “patisserie.” There are well-written analogies and metaphors throughout the book that make it an entertaining teaching tool for both parents and educators.
I was impressed with how R.F. Kristi included the divide between North Korea and South Korea without discussing politics that would be overwhelming for children. She gave a brief history, mentioned the demilitarized zone and showed the difficulty of moving between the two countries. And she did this in an uplifting but honest way. It also is well-timed right after the recent Olympics in Seoul. I also love that she defined Korean and French words throughout the book to add a multicultural lesson.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I cannot rate it higher than 2 out of 4 stars. This book needs editing. The plot lacks structure and a clear narrative. It is difficult to keep track of the sequence of events because sentences often do not connect to each other. The book starts by introducing the cast of characters but there are too many to remember. The concept and illustrations are wonderful, but the book needs to be refined.
I would recommend this book to readers between the ages of 7 and 9. It is perfect for any children that love animals, adventure and geography. I think parents would also love following Inca oer adventures throughout the series and this could be a great book for an older child to read with their younger sibling.
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Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula
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