Review by Ekta Kumari -- Cat Detectives in the Korean Pe...

Ekta Kumari · Post by **Ekta Kumari** » 12 Apr 2019, 11:37

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

4 out of 4 stars

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Witness cute detective animals as they take you through their daring adventures in the Korean Peninsula. Inca is a snoopy Siberian cat and the head of a detective agency. Accompanying her in her detective assignments are Fromage, Inca's brother and a cheese expert; Cara, the blue-eyed sister of Inca; Terrance, a faithful dog; and Charlotte, the cute hamster. Their human mom, Missy, plans to visit Seoul, where she is supposed to judge an international culinary competition. Participants from both North Korea and South Korea are scheduled to take part in this competition. Moreover, she also gets the opportunity to present a new variety of cheese in Seoul. But her competitor, Enzo, does not seem to have noble plans. Inca and her team have to keep an eye on him. Would they be able to protect their human mom from the troubles she may encounter because of this rival? While in South Korea, they also come to know that their tour guide is separated from his sister, who is in North Korea. This news gets Inca hyped up, and she decides that this could be her new case. She hatches a plan to get them reunited. But can a cat and her team of detective animals achieve this challenging feat without getting in trouble?

Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula is the eighth installment in The Inca Cat Detective Series but can be read as a standalone book. What amazed me was how well crafted the story is, in spite of its short length. From the crazy adventures to the educational bits of information, everything is presented in a digestible format. This is the book I would recommend to parents when they want their kids to be educated and entertained by the same read. I especially liked the interesting titbits on Korea's geography. This feels like a deliberate effort by the author to apprise children about these topics and can be a fun way for kids to learn about Korean culture and geography.

The author, R.F. Kristi, has managed to create a coherent story that accounts for all the characters in it. Though the book is narrated by Inca, equal importance has been given to all the characters. Most notable is that all of these characters embody kindness and are committed to support and help each other. This conveys the value of teamwork and companionship to kids. Furthermore, the beginning of each chapter is marked with a different day. This creates regularity in the events taking place. I also like that the sentences are arranged in very short paragraphs, making it an easy read for kids. As for the editing, I didn't find any significant errors in the text. The book is fairly well edited for a children's book.

The author wrote this book for animal lovers, and she achieves the target readership through exhibiting exemplary companionship between humans and animals in this book. I was laughing for the most part while reading about the cute animals' attempts at protecting their human owner from any perceived danger. At the same time, it was really heartwarming. Also, the intimate partnership shared by all the animals in this story is inspiring.

Illustrations are sparse in comparison to other books that are meant for a very young population. Still, this book can be a perfect read for kids aged between 8 and 12 years, so I do not see the lack of illustration on every page as a shortcoming. The illustrations that do adorn the pages are very descriptive; some are even hilarious, especially those of Inca. I must applaud Jorge Valle for a great job at illustrating this short book.

I have not read such a wholesome children's book in a long time. In fact, I didn't find anything distasteful about the book. For me, the highlight is the author's wit at incorporating wisdom in a fun-to-read storyline. The subtle clues carrying the themes of teamwork, companionship, love, kindness, and peace are quite apparent for an adult to discern. As this is primarily a children's book, parents should help their children to understand these themes.

I wholeheartedly rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for its excellent content and engaging characters. Every parent of a middle grader should get this book. Parents who are specifically looking for a picture book should look somewhere else. However, adults who love reading hilarious children's book will definitely enjoy it. Lastly, animal lovers should not think twice before considering Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula.

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Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula
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Mbrooks2518 · Post by **Mbrooks2518** » 18 Apr 2019, 11:24

This sounds like a fun and educational book for older kids. Great review!

Ekta Kumari · Post by **Ekta Kumari** » 19 Apr 2019, 02:44

Mbrooks2518 wrote: ↑18 Apr 2019, 11:24 This sounds like a fun and educational book for older kids. Great review!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback

Post by **Kibet Hillary** » 22 Apr 2019, 02:33

This is great. From the review itself, it is very evident that you enjoyed reading the book. I also read this and I had to give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The author handled wonderful themes in this book and I'm sure that the kids will learn much.

sarahmarlowe randomeducator · 23 Apr 2019, 16:46

I read the sample of this book a while back, and I enjoyed it. I am so glad to see that the whole book is a winner! I enjoyed your thorough review!

Nerea · Post by **Nerea** » 23 Apr 2019, 23:17

This feels like a deliberate effort by the author to apprise children about these topics and can be a fun way for kids to learn about Korean culture and geography.

Totally true.
I also enjoyed the drama and the adventure portrayed in the book. Incredible review. Kudos.

Ekta Kumari · Post by **Ekta Kumari** » 24 Apr 2019, 04:14

Kibetious wrote: ↑22 Apr 2019, 02:33 This is great. From the review itself, it is very evident that you enjoyed reading the book. I also read this and I had to give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The author handled wonderful themes in this book and I'm sure that the kids will learn much.

Totally agree. This book can be learning as well as fun for kids. Thanks for commenting

Ekta Kumari · Post by **Ekta Kumari** » 24 Apr 2019, 04:21

sarahmarlowe wrote: ↑23 Apr 2019, 16:46 I read the sample of this book a while back, and I enjoyed it. I am so glad to see that the whole book is a winner! I enjoyed your thorough review!

You must read the full book if you enjoy a cozy story

Thanks for leaving your feedback.

Ekta Kumari · Post by **Ekta Kumari** » 24 Apr 2019, 04:23

Nerea wrote: ↑23 Apr 2019, 23:17
This feels like a deliberate effort by the author to apprise children about these topics and can be a fun way for kids to learn about Korean culture and geography.

Totally true.
I also enjoyed the drama and the adventure portrayed in the book. Incredible review. Kudos.

Thanks for the positive feedback

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 01 May 2019, 11:26

This sounds like a funny and entertaining book for children. I think some adults (me) would enjoy it also. Thanks for a wonderful review!

Ekta Kumari · Post by **Ekta Kumari** » 01 Jun 2019, 13:35

Prisallen wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 11:26 This sounds like a funny and entertaining book for children. I think some adults (me) would enjoy it also. Thanks for a wonderful review!

Thank you for your lovely comment and the feedback, Prisallen.