When I learned to read in the early 1980s, I picked up any book I could get my hands on. And when those books had animals on the covers, it was all the better. One of the first books I ever remember owning, I selected from a Reading Is Fundamental event at my local library. It was Mystery Cat and the Monkey Business (Susan Saunders, 1986), and I chose it because clearly, from the title, it was a mystery—plus there was a cat on the cover. Fast forward twenty-five years, and I still love pet mysteries, from Dog On It to The Dogs of Babel. Something about an animal that can identify the unknown delights me. Seeing The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy, transported me back to my childhood, and I knew I had to read it. This book was a true detective novel, complete with a red herring, a distracting new case that sidetracked the detective from his original intent, and all the while, told from a dog’s perspective in a believable way. And this dog is definitely smart, logical, and funny. The Buddy Files series will appeal to readers ages 7 to 11, even reluctant ones, due to its fun approach, its cast of characters, and its ability to leave you wondering what will happen in his next case. This summer, I noticed many students’ summer reading lists included this book as an option. I definitely recommend it above most others.
