Review by Michelle Menezes -- Serendipity Mystery: Diary...

[Michelle Menezes]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat" by R.F. Kristi.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R. F. Kristi is a delightful children's book about Inca the Siberian cat and her gang of friends who go on adventures and solve mysteries. She is the head of the Inca & Company detective agency, and this time a new case comes to light when the team is in Sri Lanka on vacation.

Someone has stolen an antique sword from the museum in Colombo along with some gold coins. It is impossible for Inca to not be involved in the investigation. With the help of her team and the new friends she has made on her vacation, Inca begins looking for clues to find the missing valuables.

The book took me back to my childhood days when I used to enjoy reading mystery comics. The characters are great, and I liked their friendship and interactions with each other. The plot is simple and clear, something the kids will find easy to follow. Even though it is the seventh book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

There's a family tree given in the beginning along with other characters, so even though I have not read the previous books, I had no problem understanding how each character fit in. The book has a few colorful illustrations that add to the story. There is a good balance between the number of pictures and the written part of the story.

Apart from being a good source of entertainment for kids, the book is also very informative. It introduces a variety of animals like turtles, elephants, monkeys, etc., and talks about their habitats and physical descriptions. It also talks about the history and culture of Sri Lanka and mentions things like the island having 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

There are also some big words used, like diminutive, serendipity, sophisticated, etc., that can be very helpful in improving the vocabulary of kids, especially in countries where English is not their first language. The author has done a good job adding the knowledgeable parts throughout the book without making it seem like I was reading a textbook.

The only thing I didn't like was the lack of the actual mystery in it. The characters spent most of their time relaxing on the beach and eating, while very little focus is on the case. The action was limited in terms of investigation given how the book is supposed to be about solving crimes. I was also disappointed regarding the fates of the actual master-minds.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars for a good storyline, and for being a great source of information. It had a few punctuation errors, but they didn't affect the story in any way. Even though this is a children's book, adults can find it equally enjoyable. I recommend this to kids below the age of 12 who enjoy mysteries, and also adults who have kids in their families.

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Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat
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[Dzejn_Crvena]

I really want to read this book right now.
Sounds like a cute and light mystery story I might enjoy.
Thanks for the review.

[Michelle Menezes]

I really want to read this book right now.
Sounds like a cute and light mystery story I might enjoy.
Thanks for the review.

If you like children's books then you should definitely give it a try. You can also read them to any kids you have in your family. I'm sure they'll enjoy it. Thank you for your comment.