A to Z Mysteries: The Canary Caper

By Ron Roy

Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z!
 
Kids love collecting the entire alphabet and super editions! With over 8 million copies in print, the A to Z Mysteries® have been hooking chapter book readers on mysteries and reading for years. Now this classic kid favorite is back with a bright new look!
 
C is for Canary . . . Green Lawn has a pet problem! Dink’s neighbor can’t find her canary. Ruth Rose’s cat, Tiger, has also disappeared. Then the kids hear about two more missing critters. Is there a pet-napper in town? Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are on the case!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Children's Books
• Release date: Sep 9, 2009
• ISBN: 9780307516428

Book preview

Dink Duncan opened his front door. His best friend, Josh Pinto, was standing on the steps. Hi, Josh. C’mon in, said Dink. I just finished lunch.

Josh hurried past Dink, wiping his forehead. We sure picked the hottest day of the summer to go to the circus, he said. I just took a shower, and I’m still hot.

Dink grinned. You took a shower? Let’s see, that’s two showers this month, right?

Haw haw, very funny, Josh said. He opened the refrigerator door and pulled up his shirt. Ahh, that feels good!

It won’t feel so good if my mom catches you, Dink said.

Josh grabbed the apple juice and flopped into a chair. You’re funny, but it’s too hot to laugh, he said, pouring himself a glass. Where’s Ruth Rose? It’s almost time to leave.

She’s waiting next door. Dink put his plate in the sink. I have to run up and brush my teeth.

Forget your teeth—the circus is waiting!

Dink grinned and pointed to a clown-faced cookie jar on the counter. Grab a cookie. I’ll be right down.

Josh made a beeline for the cookie jar. Take your time brushing, he said.

Don’t eat all of them! Dink said, leaping up the stairs.

Dink, his mother called, are you running?

Sorry, Mom, he called back. We’re in a hurry. Thursday is half-price admission if we get to the circus by one o’clock.

Dink brushed his teeth, yanked a comb through his blond hair, then charged back down the stairs.

Donald David Duncan! his mother yelled. No running in the house!

The phone rang in the kitchen.

Got it, Mom! Dink grabbed the phone, watching Josh stuff a whole cookie into his mouth. Hello, Duncan residence.

Dink listened, then said, We’ll be over in five minutes. He hung up.

We’ll be over where in five minutes? Josh asked.

Mrs. Davis’s house. You know her canary, Mozart? He’s escaped.

What about the circus? asked Josh. Half-price, remember?

Dink shrugged. So we pay full price. Mrs. Davis needs our help.

They walked next door to Ruth Rose’s house and rang the bell. Four-year-old Nate Hathaway opened the door. He stared up at Dink with huge blue eyes.

Hi, Natie, said Dink. Is Ruth Rose ready?

Nate’s lips, cheeks, and T-shirt were smeared with chocolate. He was holding a raggedy stuffed dinosaur.

Sheef ungt fruz, Nate said with a full mouth.

Dink laughed. "She’s what?"

Ruth Rose showed up behind Nate. MOM, WE’RE LEAVING NOW! she screamed into the house.

Josh clapped both hands over his ears. "Ruth Rose, you should get a job as a car salesman. Then you could yell all

Reviews for A to Z Mysteries

[angelalam-300700 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The circus is in town, pets are missing, and burglaries are taking place in sleepy Green Lawn.

Who's to blame?

Another good mystery that Josh, Ruth Rose, and Dink have to solve.

My daughter always enjoys these mysteries. I didn't care for this one as much as I did some of the others. There weren't as many twists and turns.

[ebarclift13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a realistic fiction novel/short chapter book about three friends, Dink, Josh and Ruth who become very suspicious when Ruth's cat and Mrs. Davis' (their neighbor) bird go missing around the town's circus season. As they work with a police detective the kids begin to discover that two other neighborhood animals went missing. Overtime the kids connect the returning of the pets to robberies that occur right after, all to discover that they are connected. In the end the police catch the circus clown who was responsible for the missing pets and robberies.

[yona-414000 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Two ratings for early chapter books, I think. Around a three for me; and these, I think, are a definite four for what they are and who their audience is. I really did some smiling through these and I was pretty impressed with several things (read the first three and will copy this to the others). They seemed to me like they would be really challenging and I liked the addition of the map of the neighborhood in the front.

[nmhale_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In this, the third book, I'm really digging into the series, and I can say that I still enjoy these mysteries for beginning chapter books. In The Canary Caper, the three friends are on the trail of kidnappers - or petnappers, to be exact. Four pets disappear in one day in Green Lawn, their quiet little town, and Ruth Rose is convinced this is no coincidence. Part of her determination stems from the fact that her own pet, her cat Tiger, is also missing. Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose visit each of the other three owners and hear their stories, and try to infer from the clues why someone would want to steal four animals. Their theories are dashed, though, when a slight young man returns Mrs. Davis's canary to her, and refuses to take the reward. The children soon discover that the other two pet owners also had their beloved animals returned, and also had their rewards refused. In fact, every one except Ruth Rose is reunited with their furry or feathered friends. What can it all mean? The three sleuths know that something fishy is going on, even after the animals are returned, and they are determined to find the solution.

As with previous books, the mystery is original, interesting, and moves at a brisk pace; and while older readers will be able to solve it rather early on in the story, the young target audience should find it just challenging enough. Actually, I had to read several chapters before I was able to put the pieces together, which is a little longer than in the previous books (first chapter). Also, the subject matter is dear to a child's heart, involving pets and the circus. The illustrations continue to be a fun support to the story, and the world of Green Lawn is expanding and developing with more layers. I am quite fond of the characters, and enjoy these reads as quick breaks; I think my girls will like them when they are older. I hope that the stories continue to be fun and fresh, because I know that with mysteries it is hard to always have new clever puzzles. If the books continue in the same vein as this story, I will enjoy reading through the rest of this alphabet series.

[kleddy09 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Age: Intermediate
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Media: Pencil & Black Ink
Review: This book is realistic fiction because it contains events and people that could be real, but are not. The children in the story are normal children who live in a small town. This town is not a real place, but it is contemporary. The events that occur in this book, people's pets getting stolen, going to the circus, people's houses getting broken into and so on, are events that could happen in real life.
Character: The protagonist, Dink, is a round character. We know about his personality, his family and his friends. We know that he is a curious boy and likes to solve mysteries. He is a static character because although he learns about the mystery he, as a character, does not change. Interacts with support characters to show more about himself.
Use: Read to enjoy, introducing early chapter books, learning about genres (mystery)

[mchristman_6 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a good example of realistic fiction because it is a story that could be true. Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose go to the circus and help gather information so that the police could solve a crime.