Nate receives a phone call from a girl he knows, Annie. He hoped it would be someone calling about missing diamonds or a million dollars, but it's just Annie. She has lost a picture of her dog, Fang. Nate tells Annie that he'll be over in five minutes. Nate would like Annie
—if he liked girls.
Sharmat uses short sentences, which not only move the reader easily along, but help to maintain Nate's charming aura of cool and humor. "Tell me. Does this house have any trapdoors or secret passages?" "No," Annie said. "No trapdoors or secret passages?" I said. "This will be A very dull case." "I have a door that squeaks," Annie said. "Have it fixed," I said.
There are twenty-five page-turning books in this humorous detective series, each involving the reader in a different case. While Nate's cases may not involve million dollar international jewelry heists, he approaches each of his small-town mysteries with heart, charm, and a master sleuth's dedication
—never resting till he's found a happy ending for his client.
Reviewed by CH.
Themes: MYSTERY & DETECTIVE STORIES.
Nate the Great is a detective. He works alone. One morning, while eating pancakes, Nate receives a phone call from a girl he knows, Annie. He hoped it would be someone calling about missing diamonds or a million dollars, but it's just Annie. She has lost a picture of her dog, Fang. Nate tells Annie that he'll be over in five minutes. Nate would like Annie
—if he liked girls.
Sharmat uses short sentences, which not only move the reader easily along, but help to maintain Nate's charming aura of cool and humor. "Tell me. Does this house have any trapdoors or secret passages?" "No," Annie said. "No trapdoors or secret passages?" I said. "This will be A very dull case." "I have a door that squeaks," Annie said. "Have it fixed," I said.
There are twenty-five page-turning books in this humorous detective series, each involving the reader in a different case. While Nate's cases may not involve million dollar international jewelry heists, he approaches each of his small-town mysteries with heart, charm, and a master sleuth's dedication
—never resting till he's found a happy ending for his client. The Yearling paperback edition provides activities for kids to do after reading, including Nate's own recipe for pancakes.
Reviewed by CH.
Themes: MYSTERY & DETECTIVE STORIES.
A READKIDDOREAD CLASSIC
If you love this book, then try:
Allard, Harry. Miss Nelson Is Missing. Houghton Mifflin, 1985.
Blume, Judy. Freckle Juice. Yearling, c1971.
Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the Spy. Harper, c1964.
Gannett, Ruth Stiles. My Father's Dragon. Random House, c1948.
Konigsburg, E.L. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Atheneum, c1967.
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge. Atheneum, 1996. (And other titles in the Henry and Mudge series.)
Teague, Mark. Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School. Scholastic, 2002. (And other titles in the Ike LaRue series.)
