Pete the cat can't actually talk to his owner, Alex, but he's a crime-solving cat, and he knows when things aren't right. And now, Pete knows something is wrong. Someone's been breaking into houses in the neighborhood, and they're not just stealing people's property&150they're kidnapping pets! When the burglars come to Alex's house, they nab Pete! Lucky for Pete, Alex's brother, Benjie, comes to the rescue, but gets himself kidnapped by the thieves. Can Pete and Alex uncover the clues and rescue Benjie?
I've published 45 books; all but two are for children. I wrote magazine articles, short stories, and plays for many years before I discovered that what I like best is to write books for kids.
When I was twelve, I was paralyzed with polio. I made almost a full recovery but I remember that time of my life so clearly that it's easy for me to write from the viewpoint of a twelve or thirteen-year-old.
I'm always thrilled when one of my books wins a state young reader award, because I know those awards are voted on by children.
I am a widow who was married for 48 years. I have two grown children and four grandchildren. I live on a small wildlife sanctuary near Mt. Rainier National Park and I often have deer and elk in my yard.





