Duration: 14/11/19 – 14/11/19
Rating: 3.5/5
Author: Kelly Oliver
Publisher: Beaver’s Pond Press
Important Info:
Thank you to the author Kelly Oliver and Booktrib for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review!
This book will be available on 19th November 2019
Disclaimer:
This book is mainly written for younger audiences (~10 years old) hence this review, which is written by someone almost a decade older, may not be the most accurate presentation of the book but of course, if you want to know more about the book, please keep reading :))
When I first heard about the book I was super intrigued because come on, who does not love a good middle grade mystery novel with ANIMALS in it. It was a mini dream come true for me and I was very excited to read it.
Overall, I would say this was quite an enjoyable and quick read. Despite my huge reading slump, I was able to fly through the book and was fairly entertained hence if you are looking for a good easy read, this title would be for you.
I would recommend this book for younger audiences who are fans of Nancy Drew mysteries since this book, as mentioned above, is directed at younger audience in terms of the style of writing and plot etc and older audiences may not enjoy it to its full potential.
What I really enjoyed about this book was how engaging and fast-paced the plot was for a middle grade fiction. The plot developed really quickly and there wasn’t a moment in the story where I felt was boring or can be shortened. I also really liked the main character, Kassy, who was very spunky and witty and her passion towards journalism is very admirable. There are beautiful illustrations found within the book as well which is just an amazing addition to the story.
One honourable thing in this book is the author’s discussion and portrayal of how a young child may feel about changes in the family and how family issues may affect them. I think this is an important discussion that should be more talked about especially in middle grade novels and I think it is wonderful the author has included this. While I do feel that the family issue within the story can be more developed but I understand the constraints as it may disrupt the flow of the plot.
Some areas for improvement is the element of “mystery solving” in the book. Maybe it was altered to cater to a middle grade audience but I feel it could have been more intense and exciting. I also wished that element of animals and petting zoo was featured more in the story because that was what really drew me to the book and it was a little disappointing that it was not touched on much in this story. It would have been an incredibly fun and informative addition to the story.
While this is not my favourite middle grade of all time, it is a really fun and easy read and it definitely helped alleviate my reading slump. I did really enjoy this story and I definitely recommend to younger audiences who are into mysteries.
Once again, thank you to the author and Booktrib for sending me a free copy and please check this book out and show your support!
Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Kassy O’Roarke wants to win the Thompson prize at her school newspaper. Her pesky little brother Percy and his key-stealing ferret try to help . . . and that’s when the trouble begins.
Apollo the cougar cub goes missing from their family’s petting zoo. Kassy puts her detective skills to the test to find him before Animal Control does. Can Kassy outsmart the dogcatcher and rescue Apollo before being grounded for life?
Join Kassy’s fun-filled adventure cracking riddles, detecting clues, solving a whole zoo of animal trouble, and learning it’s not what you have, but what you give that matters.
Eternal chapters 