Jennie Levinsky can hear what her neighbors' sheepdog, Sam, is thinking -- and the junk-food-loving dog detective is thinking up more misadventures in this fast-paced, funny mystery. Sam: Dog Detective thinks there's a mystery brewing right next door! Three very odd women have moved in with a house full of caged animals. What's more, a scary-looking man comes and goes at odd hours. Sam is convinced the new neighbors are witches. After all, those animals look so wretched they must be under a spell. Curiously, Sam isn't feeling well, either. Have the witches put a hex on her, too? Can Sam, together with Jennie and her best friend, Beth, discover the truth before it's too late?
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-Sam the sheep dog and her human buddies, 10-year-old Jennie and her friend Beth, are back to solve another mystery. The trouble begins when Sam witnesses strange events as new neighbors move in. First, toads escape from a crate and hop in a long line down the street. Sam communicates events to Jennie through her thoughts, and, as in the past, Jennie can hear what the canine thinks. Later, the three odd-looking newcomers arouse suspicion with their weird behavior. Sam and the girls are convinced that they are witches who are up to no good. The story is fast paced and easy to read. Simple misunderstandings provide the perfect amount of intrigue, allowing the suspense to build naturally. All in all, an enjoyable read.
Mary M. Hopf, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Mary M. Hopf, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The third book in the Sam, Dog Detective series features the talking sheepdog who can be understood only by Jennie, the neighbor girl who cares for her when her owners are away. When three odd women move into the neighborhood, Sam is convinced they're witches. They've arrived with all sorts of caged animals, even frogs, all of which look sickly and miserable. Sam is sure the critters are under a spell, and suddenly she feels sick, too. Jennie has the opportunity to observe the neighbors up close when she stays with them while her mother works late. They do make large pots of a mysterious soup and have an array of herbs and vitamins. Sam, who's sure she's turning into a frog, convinces Jennie she must find the witches' book of spells before it's too late. The thin plot is secondary to Sam's active imagination, and Sam's complaints about a dog's life become tiresome fairly quickly, but children who love detective fiction will relish the absurd premise and the surprise ending. Shelley Townsend-Hudson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Good for younger kids,
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This review is from: Strange Neighbors (Sam: Dog Detective) (Hardcover)
My five year old son loves this series. We have read most of them. I agree that the writing wouldn't especially interest me, as an adult, but the speaking dog and the little bit of mystery interest my son. I do not care for the unpleasant degree of barbs between the protagonist and her teenage brother. It is difficult to find children's book without this for some reason. I just omit this part when I am reading out loud. They are not too scary and usually the "bad guy" turns out to be someone innocent and mis-understood which I think is a nice touch. They are not very scary and not at all violent which is good for a young or sensitive child (or parent) of any gender.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
SAM Dog Detective,
By Z X Turbo "Z X Turbo" (Daytona Beach) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Strange Neighbors (Sam: Dog Detective) (Hardcover)
This book was really not interesting and so fake . . . a talking dog, that is a female called Sam, and becomes a detective. After 26 pages of this book I shut it for good! It is also a very "girlish" book and as a boy not of any interest to me.
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