The Powder Puff Puzzle

By Patricia Reilly Giff and Blanche Sims

Powder Puff the cat might be gone forever, unless Dawn can piece together the puzzle

One hot summer day, Dawn Bosco’s cat, Powder Puff, jumps into an open car window. Before Dawn can catch up, the driver speeds off!

Dawn is sad, but she knows she’s a great detective. It’s up to the Polka Dot Private Eye to track down the car, the driver, and Powder Puff.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Patricia Reilly Giff including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Release date: Jun 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9781453220429

Patricia Reilly Giff

Patricia Reilly Giff is the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books and the Polka Dot Private Eye books. Several of her novels for older readers have been chosen as ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Books and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. She won the Newbery Honor for Lily's Crossing (a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book) and Pictures of Hollis Woods. She lives in Connecticut.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

DAWN BOSCO WAS HOT.

There was no shade in the yard. Not one bit.

Then she remembered.

Emily Arrow had a pool. A nice cool one.

She looked around. Come on, Powder Puff, she yelled. We’re going to Emily’s house.

She looked up at the fence.

Powder Puff?

Where was he? She dived under the bushes. Where are you?

The cat jumped at her.

Whew, Dawn said. I thought you were lost.

She scooped him up.

Powder Puff was the greatest cat in the world.

He was all black. Almost all black.

He had one white ear.

He had a white tip on his tail.

Noni, Dawn’s grandmother, looked up. She was weeding the yard.

We have more weeds than tomatoes, she said. She rubbed her back.

Dawn put Powder Puff over her shoulders.

He curled his tail around her neck. This cat’s perfect, she said.

She gave the white tip of his tail a tug.

The cat began to purr. He sounded like the refrigerator.

This cat’s a pest, said Noni. Last night he jumped on my bed. I woke up. I saw those yellow eyes.

Noni shivered. Whoosh. I thought he was a tiger.

You should have called me, Dawn said. I’m not afraid of anything.

Really? said Noni.

It’s because I’m a detective, Dawn said.

Noni stood up. Ouch, my knees. The ground is hard.

I’ll rub them, Dawn said. She smiled. Noni’s knees were ticklish.

No, thanks, said Noni.

We’re going to Emily Arrow’s, Dawn said. Me and Powder Puff.

Noni shook her head. Better not take the cat. He’ll get lost.

Dawn stuck out her lip. He wants to come.

Noni slapped at a fly.

Smack.

The cat jumped at the noise.

He jumped off Dawn’s shoulder.

Hey, Dawn said.

The cat raced out of the yard.

Dawn ran after him.

See what I mean? Noni called.

Powder Puff, Dawn yelled.

The