Review of Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula

Rita Nuncia · Post by **Rita Nuncia** » 17 Jul 2022, 23:58

[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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R.F. Kristi's Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula is a children's book. The book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Inca, a Siberian cat, is a smart yet snoopy cat. She regards herself as a wonderful cat detective. She runs Inca & Company, a detective agency, with her family and friends. The company comprises Inca, Cara, her sister, Fromage, her brother; they all belong to Missy; Terrance, a smart dog whose human companion, Solo, is a world-famous detective; Charlotte, an intelligent hamster; Monk, a cat also owned by Solo; and Polo, their neighbors' Pekinese pup.

The book is written in the form of a diary that belongs to Inca. In the diary, she tells us about her visit to the Korean Peninsula with her family. The story begins with Missy being selected as a judge for a cooking competition that will be held in the Demilitarized Zone at the border between South and North Korea. Solo decides to join her and her family while bringing Terrance with him. Together, they all go to the Korean peninsula for the competition. Their tour guide, Ye-Jun, invites them to stay at his home. Seeing that it would cut the cost for them, they accepted. There, they meet Baram, Ye-Jun's dog. They also discover that Ye-Jun has a sister, Ji, and a cat named Bo-Mi, who got apart when Ji went to visit her relatives up in the north. Since Ji is taking part in the competition, Ye-Jun sees an opportunity to meet his sister again. However, this proves difficult to achieve without breaking any laws. Inca & Company develops a plan to make it possible.

Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula is a children's book that I found interesting to read. It was an educative, engaging, and interesting reading experience. There is so much information within the story, like what the different cat breeds look like, what a demilitarized zone is, the political tension between North Korea and South Korea, and so many other things. The storyline was simple yet entertaining to read. I commend the illustrations added. I also like that the book teaches children the importance of family, friendship, helping others, and teamwork. The author's introduction of Inca’s family and also members of Inca & Company helped in understanding each character quickly. Written in short, simple, and easy-to-understand English, it makes it perfect for the intended audience without reducing the moral lessons and other information added to the story.

There was nothing I disliked about the book. However, I find the idea of a French cooking competition taking place on a Korean peninsula confusing. This does not reduce the quality of the book, nor does it make the storyline less interesting. The book is exceptionally well-edited as I did not notice any grammatical or typographical errors while reading the book, considering the format in which the story was told.

I gladly rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. This is because the author not only wrote a wonderful and interesting story, but she also made it educative. She added new big words and concepts and did well to explain them in simple terms. This, coupled with the previously mentioned attributes of the book, makes me give this book a perfect rating.

I recommend this book to children and young teenagers. I also recommend it to animal lovers. It can be read in school, as a bedtime story, or at leisure. It is both fun, interesting, and educating.

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Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula
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