Review by Drianie -- Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula
Posted: 14 Oct 2020, 12:04
[Following is a volunteer review of "Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula" by R.F. Kristi.]
Inca and her enchanting four-legged friends return for another adventure in Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula by R.F. Kristi. Shortly after returning from their holiday in Sri Lanka, we head out to South Korea. Their human mom was selected to judge an international cooking competition for the renowned French cookery school ‘Le Cordon Bleu’. It is the eighth volume in this popular series following Inca, the Siberian kitty, as the head of her own detective agency. Luckily, you won't get lost in this story if you haven't read the previous installments since it reads perfectly well as a standalone book.
If you are an avid fan of Inca and her detective adventures, you know that there is always more to the story than meets the eye. Upon arriving in South Korea, they meet Ye-Jun, their tour guide, who graciously invites them all to stay at his house as his guests. His sister, Ji, will be competing in the very competition that their mom will be judging. So, where do we find our problem that Inca’s impressive detective skills will need to solve? Well, Ji just so happens to live in North Korea with her kitty, Bo-Mi. The cooking competition serves as a peacebuilding initiative between these two countries. Despite this opportunity, the prospect of Ye-Jun reuniting with his beloved sister seems close to impossible. We also meet Baram, Ye-Jun’s doggy, who longs to see her friend, Bo-Mi, again. May this problem prove too daunting for our famous cat detective to solve? Will the gang succeed in reuniting this family once again?
Right off the bat, I have to express my appreciation to the author for choosing to incorporate such a sensitive topic into her book. She effectively introduces the harsh realities that families from these two countries face in such a simple way that children will be able to understand it easily while still enjoying the story. Using this book, parents can help their children become more aware of the world around them without making it too difficult to grasp. The scene depicting the messages that loved ones attach on opposite sides of the bridge really tugged at my heartstrings. Once again, as in her previous books, Kristi highlights the importance of family, loyalty, bravery, and friendship. I love that we experience some of the gems of this country, such as the Dora Observatory, the infiltration tunnel, and the freedom bridge.
This brings me to the second thing that I really appreciated in this book. I noticed that in the previous installment, the illustrations, although beautiful, did not depict a lot of Sri Lanka itself. This book, however, treats us with illustrations showcasing the map of South Korea, their flag, and a traditional Korean house, among others. It added so much depth to the whole experience, allowing kids to not only read about the country but actually seeing a bit of it, too. Kudos to Jorge Valle for the beautiful illustrations. On top of this, the writing is on point too. Kristi is a talented writer with the ability to describe her characters and their surroundings with impeccable detail.
I did pick up on a few errors in this book, along with some inconsistencies. For instance, Baram, a female dog, is sometimes referred to as he. Likewise, her kitty friend Bo-Mi is sometimes called Bo-Ming. These mistakes did not, however, deter my reading experience in any way.
Despite the errors, I think this book is excellent, with the writing and illustrations promoting a heart-warming adventure that children will enjoy. Since there was nothing I disliked about the book, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend this to all parents, guardians, and teachers as an excellent new addition to their bookshelves.
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Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Inca and her enchanting four-legged friends return for another adventure in Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula by R.F. Kristi. Shortly after returning from their holiday in Sri Lanka, we head out to South Korea. Their human mom was selected to judge an international cooking competition for the renowned French cookery school ‘Le Cordon Bleu’. It is the eighth volume in this popular series following Inca, the Siberian kitty, as the head of her own detective agency. Luckily, you won't get lost in this story if you haven't read the previous installments since it reads perfectly well as a standalone book.
If you are an avid fan of Inca and her detective adventures, you know that there is always more to the story than meets the eye. Upon arriving in South Korea, they meet Ye-Jun, their tour guide, who graciously invites them all to stay at his house as his guests. His sister, Ji, will be competing in the very competition that their mom will be judging. So, where do we find our problem that Inca’s impressive detective skills will need to solve? Well, Ji just so happens to live in North Korea with her kitty, Bo-Mi. The cooking competition serves as a peacebuilding initiative between these two countries. Despite this opportunity, the prospect of Ye-Jun reuniting with his beloved sister seems close to impossible. We also meet Baram, Ye-Jun’s doggy, who longs to see her friend, Bo-Mi, again. May this problem prove too daunting for our famous cat detective to solve? Will the gang succeed in reuniting this family once again?
Right off the bat, I have to express my appreciation to the author for choosing to incorporate such a sensitive topic into her book. She effectively introduces the harsh realities that families from these two countries face in such a simple way that children will be able to understand it easily while still enjoying the story. Using this book, parents can help their children become more aware of the world around them without making it too difficult to grasp. The scene depicting the messages that loved ones attach on opposite sides of the bridge really tugged at my heartstrings. Once again, as in her previous books, Kristi highlights the importance of family, loyalty, bravery, and friendship. I love that we experience some of the gems of this country, such as the Dora Observatory, the infiltration tunnel, and the freedom bridge.
This brings me to the second thing that I really appreciated in this book. I noticed that in the previous installment, the illustrations, although beautiful, did not depict a lot of Sri Lanka itself. This book, however, treats us with illustrations showcasing the map of South Korea, their flag, and a traditional Korean house, among others. It added so much depth to the whole experience, allowing kids to not only read about the country but actually seeing a bit of it, too. Kudos to Jorge Valle for the beautiful illustrations. On top of this, the writing is on point too. Kristi is a talented writer with the ability to describe her characters and their surroundings with impeccable detail.
I did pick up on a few errors in this book, along with some inconsistencies. For instance, Baram, a female dog, is sometimes referred to as he. Likewise, her kitty friend Bo-Mi is sometimes called Bo-Ming. These mistakes did not, however, deter my reading experience in any way.
Despite the errors, I think this book is excellent, with the writing and illustrations promoting a heart-warming adventure that children will enjoy. Since there was nothing I disliked about the book, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend this to all parents, guardians, and teachers as an excellent new addition to their bookshelves.
******
Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
We have one like that at home. I've been considering introducing this book to my kids. 
Thank you so much for reading my review!