From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-In this follow up to Kidnap at the Catfish Caf? by Patricia Giff (Viking, 1998), Minnie is back with her cat Max and her friend Cash. The three are bored and looking for a mystery to solve. Soon one literally falls at their feet when a carrier pigeon interrupts their lazy day at the beach by dropping a capsule into the nearby water. Upon inspecting the capsule, they discover a note inside: "Help! Desperate! Mary Moon is missing. Prize pigeon." So Minnie and company jump into action to find this missing pigeon just days before their community's big pigeon race. Narrator Dana Lubotsky provides a childlike and energetic voice as she tells this tale through Minnie's first person perspective. The audio is clear, and the reading is well-paced. The story in general is entertaining, despite a few lapses in believability, and Minnie makes a likeable and spunky heroine. Intended for fourth through sixth graders, this light-hearted whodunit is also appropriate for younger listeners. As an added treat, Minnie's recipe for fingerprint cookies is shared at the end of the tapes.
Lori Craft, Downers Grove Public Library, IL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Lori Craft, Downers Grove Public Library, IL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
