A Dog-Friendly Town

Gr 3-7--Cameron takes readers into the world of dogs, their owners, Hollywood drama, and a group of amateur sleuths on summer vacation. Epic, Rondo, and Elvis live in the Perro del Mar, their parents' popular dog-friendly bed-and-breakfast in Carmelito, CA--also known as "America's #1 Dog-Friendly Town." Everyone is abuzz when a few famous dogs descend upon their little town for the 10th Annual Dog Elegance Award Ceremony and Carmelito's Annual Puppy Picnic. However, when one of the dogs' diamond collars goes missing, the siblings find themselves in the middle of a whodunit. With Hollywood dog gossip bloggers lurking at every turn, a rival dog bed-and-breakfast, and a few curious characters, the siblings must act fast before the culprit gets away with it. This book has it all: a captivating plot, an exciting mystery, and likeable characters. There's a lot of players and moving parts, but readers will stay engaged and have no trouble following along. Cameron mixes things up by inserting gossip blog posts between chapters, which expands perspective beyond the narrator, Epic. There are character illustrations in the opening pages, and readers will enjoy putting faces to names. VERDICT A highly enjoyable mystery for upper elementary. A recommended purchase.--Elizabeth Portillo, Finkelstein Memorial Library, Spring Valley, NY

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A Parents Magazine Storytime Pick!

Cameron orchestrates the two storylines expertly, positively packing the first with suggestive clues and multiple red herrings as well as winningly diverse arrays of dogs and people while bringing Epic along in believable stages and leaving him good to go as the investigation uncovers all sorts of hidden identities and agendas on the way to a wild scramble of a denouement. Mystery fans will enjoy the multiple twists here; dog lovers will wolf it down. -Booklist, starred review

Overflowing with eccentric characters, adorable dogs, and canine-centered wordplay, this middle-grade mystery offers a smart, playful romp reminiscent of Raskin's classic The Westing Game. -Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, starred review

Short chapters and a breathless pace make this a clever, engrossing plot-driven tale with plenty of unusual, well-developed characters—even the dogs . . . Thoroughly entertaining—mystery fans and dog lovers will lap this one up. -Kirkus Reviews, starred review

This book has it all: a captivating plot, an exciting mystery, and likeable characters. There are a lot of players and moving parts, but readers will stay engaged and have no trouble following along . . . There are character illustrations in the opening pages, and readers will enjoy putting faces to names. VERDICT A highly enjoyable mystery for upper elementary. A recommended purchase. -School Library Journal