Arf

February 15, 2016
Dynamic duo Birdie and Bowser, an 11-year-old sleuth and her fearless canine companion, set out to solve the case closest to Birdie's heart in this sequel to Woof (2015). Birdie's father, Detective Capt. Robert Gaux, was killed while working a case with the New Orleans police department when Birdie was just a baby. When two homes (including Birdie's) in St. Roch are ransacked, a young woman appears in town with suspicious motives and a familiar name, and a gentleman from New Orleans develops a keen interest in Birdie's Mama and the Gaux family home, all signs start to point back to the slain detective. Birdie's been told she thinks a lot like her father, but does she think enough like him to solve his final case and his own murder as well? Birdie won't stop until she finds out, and readers will be right with her, cheering her on. The suspense builds nicely, and the Louisiana bayou setting and lively cast of characters (mostly white and Cajun) give the story home and heart. As in the first installment, Bowser's narration is largely playful and funny, but the undercurrent is darker here, as evidenced by Birdie's discovery of a body in the swamp and Bowser's rescue of Birdie from a potentially life-threatening attack. Birdie and Bowser fans will enjoy the brouhaha in the bayou and hope more mysteries are on the way for their favorite sleuths. (Mystery.10-14)

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July 1, 2016
In this sequel to Woof, Bowser, Birdie's large, loyal dog, has a second mystery to solve in the Louisiana bayous: someone broke into Birdie's house but didn't take anything. If only Bowser could communicate what his nose tells him! The dog's narration is again hilarious, but it doesnt detract from the serious issues of murder, grief, and job loss explored in the book.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)