Animals – Page 16 – Sneak Peek Books

Hero Dog!

There’s been a break-in on Orange Street, and 9-year-old reporter Hilde is determined to crack the case. As Hilde begins interviewing witnesses, she soon discovers a string of missing sweets. Cupcakes have disappeared. A pie has gone missing. Many believe that Mr. Macintosh’s dog, Zeus, is the culprit. With the help of her sister Izzy, can Hilde discover the thief’s true identity?

Hero Dog! is a fast-paced mystery designed for younger readers. The story begins with Hilde’s “reporter’s toolbox” that teaches new vocabulary. As she interviews her sources, Hilde shows the importance of being observant and models questioning skills. Illustrations from her reporter’s notebook repeat key details of the story as well as questions she needs to answer. The end of the book has questions and activities that will encourage readers to check for understanding. Readers will want to follow the clues and see if they can solve the mystery along with Hilde. Hilde Cracks the Case: Hero Dog! is an excellent story that has the added benefit of teaching younger readers skills they will use in their daily life.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The Royal Island

In book seven of the Tales of Sasha, Wyatt, Kimani, and Sasha are in a race against time. They must make it to the island of royal flying horses where Sasha can meet the King and Queen. As they travel, they must figure out how to find the mysterious island. Then a powerful storm forces them to take shelter on a small island. They have lost their map and are not sure where they are. Will Sasha and her friends be able to find the island and meet the King and Queen?

Younger readers will want to read The Royal Island because the main characters are flying horses. The story’s vocabulary makes The Royal Island easy to read. However, the plot and characters are not well developed. When Sasha finally meets her biological parents, they have a short, unemotional conversation, and then her parents prepare to leave to perform their royal duties. If you are looking for a book with an engaging plot and educational value, you may want to leave The Royal Island on the shelf.

Sexual Content
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Drugs and Alcohol
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Language
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Supernatural
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Spiritual Content
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Wallace and Grace and the Lost Puppy

Wallace and Grace, best friends and partners in the Night Owl Detective Agency, stumble upon a lost puppy. In an effort to get the puppy home, Wallace and Grace must follow the clues to find out where the puppy lives. With the help of his new friends, the puppy learns about forest animals.

Younger readers will love reading the story of Wallace and Grace. Cute, charming pictures bring the forest alive. The story is engaging and teaches new vocabulary because Grace uses “very big words” and then explains what they mean. The story teaches problem-solving skills and has a lesson at the end: some things are more important than winning.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Inspector Flytrap

A Venus flytrap makes an unlikely detective in the first book of the Inspector Flytrap series. Inspector Flytrap solves big deal mysteries, with his assistant Nina the Goat. On his first case, Inspector Flytrap is called in to figure out what the strange blob is on Da Vinci’s flower painting.

Over the course of the story, Inspector Flytrap is called upon to discover “The Big Deal Mystery of the Stinky Cookies” and “The Big Deal Mystery of the Missing Rose.” As he investigates the clues, he has to keep Nina from eating them.

Inspector Flytrap is full of illustrations that bring the animal characters to life. The silly storyline and funny antics of Inspector Flytrap and his assistant will engage readers.

Sexual Content

When Nina the Goat meets another goat, she said, “William, you are the goat I have dreamed of all my life. Let me kiss you! Kissy-kissy smooch-smooch!”

Violence

Inspector Flytrap and Nina the Goat flee from an angry mob. They escape the mob when they crash into a restaurant. “We crashed into his kitchen. Pots and pans and goats and skateboards and linguini went everywhere.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Inspector Flytrap in The President’s Mane Is Missing

Welcome to Inspector Flytrap’s Detective Agency, home to the world-renowned solver of BIG DEAL mysteries. Inspector Flytrap, a Venus flytrap, works tirelessly with his assistant Nina the Goat, on unsolved cases. Inspector Flytrap is looking for a thrilling mystery to solve. When the President of the United States calls, Inspector Flytrap thinks he has found his mystery.

When the president of the United States Horse G. Horse unveils a huge statue of himself, a huge fly from outer space attacks the city. Detective Flytrap tries to solve the mystery as he assistant Nina eats everything in sight. This story is random and wacky with turkey reporters, talking plants, and a huge space alien fly. This story combines illustrations with humor to create a book for early-chapter readers.

Inspector Flytrap in The President’s Mane Is Missing contains bathroom humor. In the beginning of the book, people keep asking Inspector Flytrap about his bathroom habits. His assistant Nina gets to the top of Horse G. Horse’s statue through an elevator in the horse’s butt. In addition, Inspector Flytrap solves the mystery when he realizes the giant fly has been attracted to Earth because the fly expects the giant horse statue to create “giant poopee.”

Sexual Content

Inspector Flytrap makes plans to have a date and his girlfriend says, “I want to do a lot of kissing tonight.”

Violence

A giant fly is destroying the city’s monuments and causing havoc. “Two of its massive legs—each as big as a telephone pole—reached down and grabbed the two taxicabs.”
A goat eats part of a statue and causes it to crash to the ground. “First it crushed the Capitol Building, then the art museum . . . and lastly, the White House. My statue was no more . . . and the nation’s capital was in ruin.”
A goat partly eats the statue of President Horse. “The enormous rear end of the giant horse fell backwards and crashed on top of the presidential limousine. It landed so hard that the ground shook like we were having an earthquake.”
A furious mob chases after Detective Flytrap. He races off on his skateboard and finds a place to hide.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Happy Go Lucky

Happy Go Lucky lives with his mom at Shoemaker Stables. When Happy is sent to live at Big Apple Barn, his life changes. He must get used to new people, new horses, and a new job as a school pony. With the help of Roscoe, a mouse who repeats the advice of a cat, Happy learns that new things can lead to a happy ending.

Because Happy must learn how to act in a new situation, and how to make new friends, younger readers will be able to relate to the events in Happy Go Lucky. Happy struggles with how to act in his new home. He also learns that he cannot always trust the advice of others, because even when someone isn’t trying to give “bad advice” ponies often want different things.

The book has captivating illustrations and ends with facts about horse terminology. Happy Go Lucky would be a great book for early readers.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Happy’s Big Plan

Happy’s story continues in the second book of the Big Apple Barn Series. Happy is learning what it means to be a school pony. As different people begin riding Happy, he learns that he is going to have to pay close attention to what his rider wants. Learning to listen is hard, but with the help of the other horses and Roscoe, the barn mouse, Lucky is figuring out how to fit into his new home.

Diane’s daughter Ivy wants to ride Happy, but Diane isn’t sure if Ivy is ready to ride such an inexperienced pony. With the help of Roscos, Happy devises a plan to show Diane that he has a special bond with Ivy. Prudence the barn cat makes her appearance in the story and is a fun addition.

With a simple plot, Happy’s Big Plan is easy to read and will capture the attention of horse fans. Black and white illustrations help break up the text and keep readers engaged. The text is easy to read, with short sentences and dialogue that give the horses personality. Happy’s Big Plan will be enjoyed by beginning readers who are fans of animals.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Eva’s Treetop Festival

Eva Wingdale loves her new dairy. By writing in her diary, she tells of her desire to start the first Owelmentary Bloomtastic Festival. Eva wants to organize everything in the spring festival including a fashion show, a talent show, an art show, and a bake-off. However, she soon discovers that she does not have enough time to do everything and must ask for help. With the help of her classmates, the Owelmentary Bloomtastic Festival turns into a hoot of a good time.

Eva’s Treetop Festival is the first book in the Owl Dairies series and is specifically aimed at newly independent readers. Bright and colorful pictures illustrate every page and bring Eva’s world to life. The text is easy to read and has a simple plot.

Younger readers will be able to empathize with Eva as she struggles with her fear of speaking in front of the class, her inability to do everything herself, and her dislike of a “mean” classmate. Eve’s dislike of Sue is clear when she writes that Sue is “always sticking her bat into my business. And she is SO mean. Her name should be Meany MeMearnerson.” In the end, Sue ends up helping make the festival a success.

Sexual Content