by Kelly Oliver

Kassy O’Roarke (Cub Reporter) by Kelly Oliver

Artisan Book Reviews Awards First Place to
“Kassy O’Roarke (Cub Reporter) by Kelly Oliver”
for best
Middle Grade Mystery!

Twelve-year-old Kassy O’Roarke wants to win the Thompson Award at her school newspaper. Her pesky little brother Percy and his key-stealing ferret try to help . . . and that’s when the trouble begins.

Apollo the cougar cub goes missing from their family’s petting zoo. Kassy must put her detective skills to the test to find him before Animal Control does. Can Kassy outsmart the dogcatcher and rescue Apollo before being grounded for life?

Join Kassy’s fun-filled adventure cracking riddles, detecting clues, and solving a whole zoo of animal trouble in the first book in the Pet Detective Mysteries.

Review:

Delightful from beginning to the end, Kassy O’Roarke (Cub Reporter) by Kelly Oliver is a fabulous, middle-grade mystery adventure you won’t want to miss. 

Kassy, our budding Miss Marple, is on a mission to write a top-notch article and impress everyone with her detective skills and reporting abilities.  Not sure how to go about looking for a story that’s sure to grab everyone’s interest, she’s surprised when a mystery suddenly appears in her own back yard.  Apollo, the cougar cub, has gone missing from their petting zoo and rescue center.  At first, everyone thinks he’s escaped, but when someone leaves clues as to where he might be they realize they’re dealing with a cougar-napping!  Time is of the essence as mum, Kassy and Crispy (her little ever-hungry, ferret loving brother) start searching for the lost cub, they need to find him before the scary dog-catcher, who wants to shut down ‘Lemontree Petting Zoo’ once and for all, finds him.

Kelly Oliver has done a marvelous job in writing a story that is appealing to young children and adults alike.  I found the ending especially touching and was surprised to find a tear or two in my eyes.  This engaging story touches on the subject of divorce and feelings of abandonment in a gentle and light-handed way, mixing it in-between the lines and not in your face, and showing us that not everything is as it first appears.  I especially liked how the spoiled new step-sister turns out to be pretty cool.  Filled with fabulous and engaging characters, (my favorite being Spittoon, the allergic, sneezing camel) this really is a wonderful children’s book that kids will treasure.  I also appreciated the lovely drawings throughout the book that bring the tale to life.

My favorite line from the book: “It’s not what we have, but what we share that matters.”  Kassy O’Roarke (Cub Reporter) by Kelly Oliver comes highly recommended by Artisan Book Reviews. Book reviewed by Beatrix Bloom for ABR.

Purchase Kassy O’Roarke (Cub Reporter) by Kelly Oliver today!
Kassy O’Roarke (Cub Reporter) by Artisan Book Reviews Awards First Place to
“Kassy O’Roarke (Cub Reporter) by Kelly Oliver” for best
Middle Grade Fiction

2021 ABR Book Excellence Awards Contest