King & Kayla and the Case of the Mysterious Mouse (King & Kayla #3)

Gr 1-3--King and Kayla return in a new mystery for the early elementary crowd. This time King's ball goes over the fence, but it is not in the neighbor's backyard when they look for it. Can this clever dog and his human find the missing ball? The author has a knack for writing humorous stories from a canine perspective. Youngsters will laugh at King's enthusiasm as each new thing becomes his favorite--playing fetch, running after his ball, eating grilled cheese, and making new friends. Young puppy Thor provides more laughs as he is constantly distracted by butterflies and birds. The digitally-colored and pencil illustrations have a lightness that matches the tone of the story, while the expressive faces of the characters add depth. Readers can see King's disgusted look as he smells something "BAD." The illustrations makes it clear what King means when he says that "Kayla makes mad eyes at" him. Budding detectives will have the benefit of both King's discoveries and Kayla's reasoning as they piece together the clues. VERDICT A welcome addition to collections supporting the transition from picture books to chapter books, this title will appeal to both dog lovers and mystery buffs.--Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN