The Great Cat Conspiracy

Gr 4–6—Anna and Tom return to find out what has happened to their new cat, aptly named New Cat. Convinced that the neighborhood recluse, the Cat Lady, has taken their pet, the siblings, with the help of Anna's friend, launch an investigation. The text is accented with illustrations of animals, maps, and dictionary definitions and the inside spine is drawn to resemble a notebook. This story lags in the midst of the mystery, and the children's parents are either yelling or uninvolved. Trying to discover who has been taking the neighborhood cats, Anna, Tom, and Suzanne befriend the eccentric Cat Lady instead of going to Sunday School as they tell their parents. With discouraging behaviors, clueless adults, and conniving characters, this mystery falls flat.—Lia Carruthers, Roxbury Public Library, Succasunna, NJ