Gr. 3-5. When Keri discovers that she can communicate with cats, she wastes no time putting her talent to good use finding lost cats for the neighbors, rescuing cats that are trapped, and translating for the local vet. Setting human and feline troublemakers straight in a firm, impartial manner, she earns the respect and love of people and cats in her community. A rescue mission in France wins Keri accolades on both continents and an unusual measure of trust from her parents. This short, fast-paced adventure uses a few fantastic elements to make the real world as exciting as children would like it to be. The story's firm grounding in the here and now makes even the more outrageous situations seem believable. With an imaginative concept and a lighthearted approach that is evident in the writing as well as the nine illustrations, this chapter book will appeal to many young readers.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
About the Author
Wendy Lement is an Associate Professor and Chair the Theatre Department at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. She also serves as Artistic Director of Theatre Espresso, a Theatre-in-Education company that tours to schools, courthouses and museums with five of her historical plays. Her theatrical version of Keri Tarr: Cat Detective was produced in theatres on Cape Cod and in North Carolina; the play won the 2002 American Alliance for Theatre and Education's Unpublished Playreading Project and received a reading at the Minneapolis Children's Theatre. Wendy holds a Ph.D. in Theatre from New York University. Jeffrey Scott Burrows is an illustrator and freelance costume designer living in Boston, Massachusetts. He is currently on staff at the Huntington Theatre Company in residence at Boston University and teaches at Emerson College. Jeffrey has worked with Wendy Lement on many theatrical projects in the Boston area. This is their first collaboration as writer and illustrator.
