Cat Michaels, Writer
  • Welcome!
  • Cat's Books
    • Sweet T and the Turtle Team >
      • Just Between Sam and Me
    • Finding Fuzzy: A You-Decide Tale of a Lost Friend
    • Sweet T and the North Wind
    • The Magical Aquarium
  • Cat's Corner: Blogging About Books, Writing, and More
  • Author 101: Tips & Tricks for a Writer's Journey
  • Meet Cat
  • Author Visits
  • FREE STUFF in the Kids' Zone
  • Book Review Guidelines
  • KidLit Book Reviews
  • Contact Cat

Kid Lit Book Reviews

Find your next best children's book

"Dani and the mall caper"...Young Readers Fall for Girl Detective Who Nails Baddies

10/11/2014

2 Comments

 
Book Review
Dani and the Mall Caper
Book 2: Dani P Detective Series
by K. Lamb
99 pages


Author K. Lamb’s Dani and the Mall Caper, the second of her Dani P. Detective Series, is a magnetic early chapter book, especially appealing to primary-grade girls.  It follows the escapades of two young junior detectives who take down the baddies at the local shopping center, despite mishap, mayhem, and misunderstanding.
Book Review by Cat Michaels: Dani and the Mall Caper, by K. Lamb
Dani and the Mall Caper, by K. Lamb
Character and Plot:
Almost-eight-years-old junior detective Dani P. Spinelli has an uncanny knack for solving mysteries.  This overall-wearing, baseball-cap-sporting tomboy is sworn in by Uncle Joe, sheriff of Shady Hollow, as the town’s first junior detective.  She’s also a also tech-savvy, 21st-century kid, who carries a smart phone and texts adults when she’s in trouble.


Dani’s friend and polar opposite, fashionista Chloe Marshall, follows Dani on undercover assignment to the Shady Hollow Mall for security surveillance.  Despite their differences, the characters have an affectionate rapport and Lamb writes energetic, kid-centric dialogue, as in this exchange between the two girls at the mall:
    “Let’s go check out that dress I saw when we got here,” Chloe suggested.
     “I agreed to go shopping with you--not be your dress up doll!” warned Dani, lifting her head and raising one eyebrow.
      Chloe couldn’t help but laugh. Getting up from her seat, she reached down and pulled Dani out of her chair.
       "It won’t be that bad! It’ll be so cute on you!” exclaimed Chloe happily.
       Dani groaned. She had news for Chloe--it was that bad!
Throughout the story, Lamb adds colorful secondary characters: sneaky Pretzel Guy at Twisters Pretzel Shop; helpful Mr. Gibbons, who manages Gizmo and Gadget store.  Such characters bring dimension to the plot as they help or hinder the girls in their quest to keep the mall safe.

The author knows how to appeal to her young audience and keeps the action (and chuckles) moving with bursts of child-pleasing ploys that involve shoelaces, remote-control toys, and electric scooters.

Format and Illustrations:
PictureDani and the Mall Caper
True to the nature of early chapter books, Lamb keeps her chapters short, about six to seven pages each, to hold children’s attention without taxing their developing reading skills.  

Each chapter contains a simple graphic header and a single, full-page black-and-white image to reinforce  understanding of the chapter’s main idea.  There is plenty of white space between lines and paragraphs, so children won’t feel overwhelmed by too much text.

Unique Features:
Lamb prefaces her book with a note to parents about identifying and unraveling “challenge words” that the author sprinkles throughout the book.  She ends with ten comprehension questions and one challenge question to tickle recall; answers are provided on the following page.  There is also a puzzle maze. 

I am most impressed with Lamb’s savvy in reaching her target audience of young readers through dialogue, brisk pacing, and age-appealing plot shifts.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend Dani P and the Mall Caper for children in grades 1-4. Girls, especially, will fall in love with Dani P. and wish they had a friend like Chloe.

Disclosure:
I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Connect with K. Lamb

Website | Twitter | Facebook
Find this book on Amazon

Click on the ... below to deliver Book Reviews 
to your RSS feed or inbox.
Subscribe

Subscribe to Cat's Connections
Be first to know about new books and updates.  New subscribers receive a free download of Cat's tale for the young at heart: Driving Down to Dillon: a Very-Short Story of Love and New Beginnings.

Cat's connections
2 Comments
Geena Bean link
10/13/2014 09:17:47 am

I've read Kristen's Dani P Mystery series and would HIGHLY recommend this book to all children and schools. It is such a fantastic read and her heroine, Dani is one to admire. I wish Kristen the best of luck with this series! Thanks for sharing, Cat=)
Sorry I've been MIA with the blogging world for our kids lit. I'm going to try to keep up. Posted my first post in months on my Geena Bean website. It's very time consuming to be juggling to brands!

Reply
Cat Michaels link
10/22/2014 05:46:39 pm

Geena, I'm glad you also enjoyed the book. Dani P is a great read and her character is fine role model for children. Thanks for stopping by.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Cat michaels


    CAT'S CORNER ~
    KID LIT BOOK REVIEWS:

    Honest reviews of picture books & chapter books for young readers

    I love to read and review books.  Please look over my book review protocol before sending a query.  Thanks!

    review protocol
    Picture
    Professional Reader

    Archives

    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    Book Review
    Coming Of Age
    Early Chapter Books
    Family Issues
    Fantasy
    Historical Fiction For Children
    Illustration
    KidLit
    Learning Gratitude
    Middle Grade Books
    Picture Book Reviews
    Reading
    WWII


    Click below to deliver Cat's  Book Reviews by RSS feed or email.
    Subscribe

    Subscribe to updates about my books and receive a free downloadable tale that's very special to me -- penned just for the young at heart: 
    Driving Down to Dillon: a Very Short Story of Love and New Beginnings.

    Picture
    readers' update
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Welcome!
  • Cat's Books
    • Sweet T and the Turtle Team >
      • Just Between Sam and Me
    • Finding Fuzzy: A You-Decide Tale of a Lost Friend
    • Sweet T and the North Wind
    • The Magical Aquarium
  • Cat's Corner: Blogging About Books, Writing, and More
  • Author 101: Tips & Tricks for a Writer's Journey
  • Meet Cat
  • Author Visits
  • FREE STUFF in the Kids' Zone
  • Book Review Guidelines
  • KidLit Book Reviews
  • Contact Cat