Review by B Creech -- Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Sn...

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 10 Oct 2019, 11:16

[Following is a volunteer review of "Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat" by R.F. Kristi.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat: The Inca Book Series (Number 7) by R. F. Kristi is the charming story of French cats Inca, head of the Inca & Company detective agency, Cara, Fromage, and Charlotte (Fromage's hampster). They are on vacation with Mom in Sri Lanka.

Mom rented a beach cottage in a small seaside village in Sri Lanka called Galle. Inca and the others were enjoying romping on the beach every day. They made two special friends; Rani, a giant sea turtle, and Meena, a baby elephant. Mom read in the newspaper that someone had stolen an antique sword from the museum in Colombo. Inca was interested in what Mom said since she was head of Inca & Company. Mom told the gang Solo, a detective from back home, and his dog Terrance were on their way to Sri Lanka to investigate the theft at the museum. Inca and the others were excited to see Terrance; he was also part of the Inca & Company agency. Solo and Terrence arrived and began investigating the Colombo Museum theft. Terrence told Inca things that Solo found out during the investigation. Inca was determined to solve the crime. Do Inca and the gang have any hints of their own about the stolen sword? Do they snoop in Solo's clues? Who will solve the crime first?

Kristi has written a delightful tale of Inca & Company's visit to Sri Lanka. He has included descriptions of historical places in Sri Lanka where Mom took Inca and the others to visit. Such as a tea plantation; the site of the oldest human-planted living tree; and a game park with wild animals.

Adorable illustrations of the characters found throughout the book will give younger children a better comprehension of the story. What I liked most about the book were the illustrations. They provide the reader with a specific impression of each of the characters as the story unfolds. What I disliked most was a part of the story where Mom left the cats and dog in the car with the windows slightly lowered. So many pets have died from heat and cold due to being left in a vehicle. I felt this was inappropriate to have in a book; especially a children's book.

The book was well-edited. I found only two minor word typos. I enjoyed reading this children's book and would recommend it for my grandchildren. There was one scene I feel might be scary for younger children. Inca is in the woods at night looking for Fromage when she is confronted by a giant python snake, which she was afraid was going to eat her. Children accept most things they hear as truth, so I feel this scene could have been left out without taking anything away from the story. Overall I think this book is an excellent choice for children ages 5-11 and would recommend it to parents and teachers alike.

I give Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R. F. Kristi 4 out of 4 stars. If I could give half points, I would have given the book 3.5 stars due to the pets left in the car and the encounter with the python snake. However, I did not feel inclined to deduct a whole point for those as the rest of the book was well written with a wonderful storyline for children.

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Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat
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Dentarthurdent · Post by **Dentarthurdent** » 24 Oct 2019, 12:05

Hey! This is such a thorough review, of quite an interesting-sounding book. I like how you've pointed out the possible implications of leaving pets in unsuitable places, like cars. Great job!

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 25 Oct 2019, 19:04

Dentarthurdent wrote: ↑24 Oct 2019, 12:05 Hey! This is such a thorough review, of quite an interesting-sounding book. I like how you've pointed out the possible implications of leaving pets in unsuitable places, like cars. Great job!

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