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[Following is a volunteer review of "Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula" by R.F. Kristi.]

R.F. Kristi's book Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula, written in diary format, has a snoopy cat named Inca as the narrator. This is number eight in the Inca Cat series, but reading the earlier books is not a prerequisite for enjoying this one. The underlying theme of bringing peace to a divided country is a bold move for a children's book.

The plot follows a band of seven animal characters, members of the Inca Detective Agency. In this book they actually work on two cases. The first involves a rival chef who is trying to sabotage a new cheese product offered by Inca's owner, Missy. The climax for that storyline appears early in the book. Crossing over the border from South Korea to North Korea is the adventure in the second case and leads to the second climax. Inca and her friends travel by plane, train, and trolley as they explore Korea and learn about the cultural and historical attributes of the area. The dogs and cats are well-developed characters with unique personalities; children should relate well to the conflicts and resolutions. In one scene a dog pulls a thorn out of a cat's paw with his teeth and then carries the cat to safety on his back. The Korean setting is descriptive and informative. The trip takes place in the springtime, and the blooming cherry blossoms are often mentioned. One home is described as "a wonderful chocolate cake on a flat-green grassy meadow."

In addition to the descriptive language, the pictures contribute to the beauty of the book's setting and the characterization of the animals. Illustrator Jorge Valle gives human subtleties to the cats and showcases their emotions through eye and mouth variations. Valle provides 45 illustrations including the ones of Inca at the beginning of each diary page. The anticipation to see how Inca will be portrayed is part of the enjoyment of the book. She appears on every date page either reading her diary or writing in it. At one point, she was even writing with a feather pen.

Clever formatting of the text makes this perfect for younger readers as each passage is double spaced. One sentence per passage is standard, but sometimes there will be two or three short sentences. The number of sections per page varies, but the average is about seven. The number of pages with illustrations is random, but the longest without one is also seven. This arrangement increases attention span length through frequent turning of pages.

Because of the simplicity of the formatting and the vocabulary used, this book would be perfect for children who are beginning to read chapter books (around 3rd grade). My favorite part of this book is the delicate way that the author portrays cultural diversity and the acceptance of others. My least favorite part was the message that breaking rules is acceptable if it is for a good cause. There were some grammatical errors, but not enough to lower my rating of four out of four.

Kristi's book can be enjoyed by younger children as an independent reading book, but the teaching-moment opportunities make it a great choice for a co-reading activity. Adults can discuss geography, politics, ethics, and even different cat breeds with their children while they admire both the story and Valle's illustrations.

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Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula
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Like diana lowery's review? Post a comment saying so!

Fantastic review! I love your focus on the formatting of the story and how it may make the read easier for little ones. The book also sounds quite lovely, I love the inclusion of cultural diversity in books, especially in children's book, so this does sound like a great pick-up for parents!

Lovely review! I read this book and didn't exactly agree with your opinion, but it's great we all can think differently

If you don't mind, I'd appreciate you checking my latest review as well! Thank you in advance.

Excellent review! Your review makes me excited to read this book, too.

Insightful review! Though I am not the target audience of this book, I find your review quite informative. I think the colourful drawings and the storyline would really draw kids in!

I have never read a book written in diary form before. R.F. Kristi's book Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula will be my first to try out because it sounds interesting. Nice review.

Sounds like a lovely book that kids will enjoy. I very much enjoyed reading your excellent review of it, so thanks for that!

I think that acceptance of others is a perfect message for children- and for any age reader. Your review was very enjoyable and informative!

Bluebird03 wrote: ↑06 Jun 2019, 20:09 I think that acceptance of others is a perfect message for children- and for any age reader. Your review was very enjoyable and informative!

Thank you for your comments.

Brendan Donaghy wrote: ↑06 Jun 2019, 03:52 Sounds like a lovely book that kids will enjoy. I very much enjoyed reading your excellent review of it, so thanks for that!

I appreciate your input.

Kister Bless wrote: ↑06 Jun 2019, 02:19 I have never read a book written in diary form before. R.F. Kristi's book Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula will be my first to try out because it sounds interesting. Nice review.

Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy it.

aolayide wrote: ↑05 Jun 2019, 12:52 Insightful review! Though I am not the target audience of this book, I find your review quite informative. I think the colourful drawings and the storyline would really draw kids in!

The illustrations were remarkable.

The few books I have read by this author have made me rest assured that she will always deliver, always.