A Thief at the National Zoo (Capital Mysteries Series #9) Book

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Early chapter book mystery series set in landmarks of Washington, D.C. from the author of the popular A To Z mystery series.

Children's Literature

AGERANGE: Ages 7 to 10.

Our young detectives, KC and Marshall, find themselves behind bars as they search for clues to solve their latest case in the book, A Thief at the National Zoo. While helping with baby tigers, KC and Marshall meet Sunwoo and her father Mr. Chu who is lending a precious jewel called the Tiger's Eye to the National Zoo. They hope this exhibit raises awareness and money for the endangered tigers. While on display in a crowded room, the lights blink and the gem disappears without a trace. The children discover three things: KC is not allergic to tigers but to pepper; someone bumped KC when the lighters were out; and that there had to be two thieves. The children use these clues to figure out how to save Mr. Tutu from going to jail for a crime he may not have committed. The author, Ron Roy, has a gift for creating puzzling mysteries written with simple plots and vocabulary. KC and Marshall come across as average young people who utilize all their intuitive abilities. The best part of this book is that the reader feels like they are a part of solving the crime as each clue presents itself. Even though a zoo can be a boring setting, Ron Roy adds excitement to this, and the reader learns about endangered animals and the great things that the real National Zoo is doing to protect animals from extinction. Look for other books in the "Capital Mysteries" series where more then politics happens in our nation's capital. Reviewer: Julia Beiker