CRIME CATS: MISSING by Wolfgang Parker

A Halloween costume allows Jonas to talk to the neighborhood cats which is an asset when the cats start to go missing. Jonas and the Crime Cats (Neil and CatBob) are determined to capture The Beast that is roaming their town so the cats can be free and safe again.

This was a great read!! I liked the character of Jonas, who is trying to find his way and figure out who he wants to be in the midst of bullies and embarrassing but well-intentioned parents. Themes in the story include friendship, pets, pet safety and bullying. Looks at the question of what makes someone a hero. I normally skip the Halloween themed books but in this case it was there more to establish the setting of the story and some of the events rather than being a major focus of the book. Includes cat care tips in the back. I would definitely read more books in this series!

4 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

Kindle version of this book is available for $2.99 at the time of this writing. Definitely worth the purchase price, in my opinion!

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the author for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

LENDING A PAW by Laurie Cass

Minnie is the assistant director of the library in Chilson, MI, and she made the county bookmobile dream a reality thanks to a generous donation from Stan Larabee. On the bookmobile's maiden voyage, Minnie and her cat, Eddie, find Stan's body in an old farmhouse. Stan was part of a long-standing family feud and was also manipulative in business dealings, leaving Minnie with several suspects for his murder.

This was a delight to read! A good mystery with a lovely setting and characters. Eddie the cat is fabulous. The author does a great job describing cat behavior! Minnie is likable and the core group in her community makes for great support for the main story. I will not hesitate to read more books in this series!

4 out of 5 stars - great for fans of cozy/light-hearted mysteries. Book 2 (pictured below) is out now.

PICTURE BOOk: Here Comes Trouble! By Corinne Demas

Toby the dog can not stand cats! Especially Pandora, the snooty cat next door. When Pandora stays with Toby's family for awhile, the animals get into all sorts of trouble. Will they ever learn to get along and become friends?

Cute chapter book for Toby, the star of Always in Trouble. Kids who enjoy animal stories will get a kick out of Toby and Pandora. I bought this book as part of a preview pack of books from Scholastic for our upcoming spring book fair.

3 out of 5 stars
No AR rating yet

BOOK FAIR PREVIEW: Dog in Charge by K. L. Going AND Ruby's New Home by Tony and Lauren Dungy

This year, Scholastic didn't give me a lot of new picture books to preview for my fair this year. Here are two I did receive:

Good Dog! Smart Dog! Very Best Dog! Dog's family runs to the store, leaving Dog in charge of the cats. But five curious cats can get into a lot of mischief! Poor Dog! What will his family do when they see the mess the cats have left?

For me, this book is eye catching first of all because of the great illustrations by Dan Santat, one of my new favorite illustrators. In reading this story, I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a search and find book or a counting book. It's not strong enough in either regard to be "sold" on either of those factors. But if the purpose of the book was just to give kids a fun pet story, it succeeds. I know my students will love Dog and his kitty friends.

3.5 out of 5 stars
AR level of 1.7

Recommended for: pet lovers!

Three kids learn to take care of a dog. More importantly, though, they learn to share a dog when their family gets a new puppy.

Cute story, realistic problem that comes with a good solution. Told simply and clearly for young readers.

3.5 out of 5 stars
AR level of 2.2

Recommended for: pet lovers, dog lovers

GRAPHIC NOVEL: Warriors - Warrior's Return by Erin Hunter

[This post brought to you by "Steve Rodgers."]


Greystripe and Millie leave the old home of the Thunderclan and progress to another farm where they meet a good, old friend of Greystripe, Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw gives them instructions for finding the Thunderclan. But the trip isn't smooth. There are all sorts of dangers to cats - cars and two-legs for example. But the trilogy has a happy ending.

I give this 5 out of 5 stars - there's lots of action in this story. I liked the appearance of Ravenpaw in this story. He's a very good character and he has his own graphic novel series.
AR level of 2.5


I would recommend this book to kids first grade and older.

GRAPHIC NOVEL: Warriors - Warrior's Refuge by Erin Hunter

[Another blog by "Steve Rodgers."]

Greystripe and Millie are together again, still searching for the Thunderclan. First, they run across a street, and then they go to a farm. They meet a family of cats there who are friendly to them. After the farm, Greystripe and Millie find the old home of the Thunderclan, but no one is there.

This is another good, short graphic novel. I like the parts where Greystripe is teaching Millie how to hunt.

I give this one 4.5 out of 5 stars; it was a little slower than the first one.
AR level of 2.2

I recommend this book for kids in first grade and up, especially cat lovers.

GRAPHIC NOVEL: Warriors - The Lost Warrior by Erin Hunter

This blog post comes to you from my son, who is using the name "Steve Rodgers" for blogging purposes (it has been an Avengers-heavy summer!). Enjoy!

This book is about a cat named Graystripe. He has lost his clan and is stuck in a 'two-leg' house. He's become a house cat, but he used to be a Warrior. He decides to run away to find his clan - the Thunderclan. Along the way, Graystripe meets a cat named Millie who decides to join him on his quest.

I like the graphic novels because they are shorter than the regular books and the regular books don't have any pictures. I also like these stories because they are about cats.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. The detail of the story is great and it was easy to understand.
AR level of 2.3

I think kids in grades 1 and up would like this book. If they like cats, they would like this book even more!

MONDAY: That Cat Can't Stay

I saw this book on the shelf at a local bookstore and I really enjoyed it. A family of cat lovers are drawn to strays. When they bring each one home, the dad gives his same standard speech about why the cat can't stay with them. The family (usually the mom) puts on a good show of how dangerous it is going to be for the cat to be let go, but how they'll do it anyway and the dad relents (such a softy deep down!). In the end, though, the Dad finds his own special pet.

The illustrations are great - I love the cover title (check out the cat tails) and the looks that the cats give the dad as they snuggle up to him. As long as you don't think too hard about how the family is manipulating the dad, the story is delightful. Little kids will enjoy the dad's rant, especially because it repeats, so they can join in after a few readings.

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