Review of Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat

[EternalD]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat is a children's book that, under the pretext of solving a crime/mystery, ends up teaching children lessons and values. In most books, readers are introduced to a series of animals that behave similarly to what happens in the animal world. Leopards, monkeys, elephants, pythons, turtles, you name it, are several animals that appear in the book. Besides, of course, the members of the detective agency: cats, dogs, and the hamster named Charlotte.

RF Kristi created a series of books with the same protagonists. So the first point to make is that this is not a unique book. In every book in the series, the Inca cat leads a detective agency that relies on other members to solve the mysteries. In this book, an old antique sword disappears from a museum, and the detective agency will have to solve the problem.

Positive things worthy of praise can be found in copious supplies. What shines through, though, is the message of tolerance and companionship. Even though Inca shows the traits of a cat (an animal that generally is individualistic and lazy), it is still a good role model for children. When the mystery is solved, the cat is the first to congratulate all the other animals and say that the mission was only successful because there was a "joint effort" of all the animals. This message is music for all parents who want to teach their children good values.

The criticism I'm going to make is debatable, but I think the language of the book can sometimes be complex for the target audience. I'm not sure a child will understand the meaning of "enthralling" or the verb "scamper." Some parents may say this is a way to get the child to look up new words in the dictionary. I take their point, but the reality is that a child of this age group will not want to look up new words in the dictionary. The book is an end in itself.

Is the problem mentioned above relevant? I tend to think so, but the truth is, there are only three or four difficult words that kids will find challenging. Considering that what was mentioned is not a consensus, I don't think it's fair to give a score that isn't four out of four stars. Any child from 5 to 10 years old will love this book. I recommend it to all children in this age group.

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Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat
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