Review by Tamorie21 -- Serendipity Mystery by R.F. Kristi

[Tamorie Hargro]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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A children's book honoring the values of family, friendship, responsibility, and integrity, Serendipity Mystery by R.F. Kristi follows the story of a brave and intelligent kitty named Inca. Having established her own pet detective company, Inca, the Siberian Detective Cat, dives head-first into an enthralling mystery in Sri Lanka along with her family and friends—different and similar, old and new.

I can genuinely say that I liked the story very much. One of the first things I liked about the book was the global perspective it immediately took. As a child, I very rarely read books set in a geographical location outside of the U.S. or England, so I found it exciting that the book took place on a beach in Sri Lanka. It immediately made me want to read about Inca and her family’s adventures while there.

Perhaps my favorite thing about the book was R.F. Kristi’s character development. I noticed first that the kittens seemed so human! It was extremely entertaining and I found myself chuckling at how the cats ate and held ice-cream and wrote in a diary. I also think the brief character introductions at the start of the book was great and necessary, as I personally believe it to be a good touch for young readers who struggle imaginatively. Rather than being forced to imagine their own characters/scenes, the short descriptions and images give readers something to hold onto and makes reading that much more entertaining and less tasking.

I especially enjoyed Kristi’s characters’ personalities. The book was comprised of characters that were responsible, reliable, fun, witty, very self-loving/confident, adventurous, and brave. These characters were willing to admit to their fears as well as realize their need for companionship and cooperation. Inca, especially, was very susceptible to making friends and was an inclusive character who thought of others. She was a good (kitty) role model!

The small amounts of information about Sri Lanka were nice, as well. I do wish there had been a bit more of it, but as Serendipity Mystery is primarily an animal-mystery book, I couldn’t complain too much. Kristi handled the central mystery nicely, as well as the subordinate mysteries in the story. To me, the mystery was alive. I was never bored reading about their detective work, as Inca and her companions were engaged in many other thrilling situations.

Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I found only one formatting error throughout the entire book, in which the author broke her consistency. Otherwise, the book was well-crafted and can be easily recommended. I think parents and children who value family and friendship, and who love animals, adventure, and mysteries would enjoy this book in its entirety.

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Serendipity Mystery
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