Written for children who are just beginning to read chapter books, Dog Den Mystery features a Jack Russell terrier with a nose for investigation.
Dog Den Mystery, the first book in the Jack Russell Dog Detective series by Darrel and Sally Odgers (Kane/Miller Book Publishers, ISBN 1-933605-18-9), is an exciting mystery for young dog lovers.
The story begins when Sarge, Jack Russell’s human companion, gets transferred to a new job, and they move to a new home in Doggeroo. Sarge, by the way, is a police detective and an inspiration to Jack’s first detective case.
The first thing that Jack notices in his new yard is an old boot. Jack doesn’t think anything of the boot until it goes missing. Who took the old boot? Jack doesn’t really care because it was never his toy to begin with. However, when Jack’s favorite toy, a squeaker-bone, disappears, Jack knows that there is a sly and cunning thief in Doggeroo.
Jack decides to investigate the disappearance of his squeaker-bone. The first possible suspect he meets is Lord “Red” Setter. However, after Jack interviews Red, he decides that Red doesn’t have what it takes to be a sneaky dog thief. Besides, Red’s play ball has also gone missing.
Jack’s food bowl and his special knit blanket from Auntie Tidge are the next items to go missing. Jack leaves his yard and, using his nose, goes off to find the thief.
Following the faint scent from Auntie Tidge’s knitted blanket, Jack comes to an old and empty house. Inside he finds his belongings as well as other dog toys.
Who does this dog den belong to? Could it be that someone is planning a dognapping? You’ll have to read Dog Den Mystery to find out.
My two favorite parts about Dog Den Mystery are “Jack’s Facts,” which give quick little insights into the mind of Jack, (“Jack Russells . . . like to hide underneath blankets. If we can’t see you, you can’t see us. This is a fact.”) and Jack’s Glossary, which helps explain some of the words used in the chapters (“Terrier-tory. The ground or land claimed by a terrier.”).
Dog Den Mystery is the fun and exciting adventure of a budding dog detective. It’s a great book for children who love animals, especially dogs, and for children who love to play detective.
