4 out of 4 stars
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Serendipity Mystery: The Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi is a charming middle-grade detective story told in the voice of Inca, a plucky Siberian cat who is the head of the eponymous Inca Detective Agency. When Inca and her feline siblings travel to Sri Lanka with their human mom, they initially have a relaxing time. But when Mom reads in the newspaper that a valuable sword was stolen from the museum in Colombo, it’s time to solve the mystery.
This lovely story is presented in simple enough language for young readers to enjoy on their own without talking down to them. The story had humorous aspects but doesn’t have a lot of silly “slapstick” moments.
As well as the adventure aspect, the author also includes opportunities for kids to learn about wildlife, such as when Inca befriends Rani the sea turtle and Meena the elephant. Inca also teaches life lessons such as the benefits of being organized and prepared through her well-considered actions during each chapter.
Kids on the older end of the middle-grade spectrum will probably finish the story in an afternoon. It is a quick and fun-filled read with beautiful and imaginative illustrations to inspire the minds of young readers. Even adults who like both animal and mystery stories are likely to enjoy this fun, feline-led adventure.
Kids who love animal adventure stories will delight in this book. I was always a great animal-lover as a child, and cats were among my favorite animals. I was reminded of watching movies such as The Aristocats. The characters are dynamic and well-rounded. The story has just enough peril to make things suspenseful.
I give Serendipity Mystery: The Diary of a Snoopy Cat four out of four stars. The book was professionally edited and nicely formatted. There was nothing I disliked about this family-friendly tale.
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Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat
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