Minerva Clark Goes to the Dogs

December 15, 2006
Summer vacation has arrived, and 13-year-old sleuth Minerva, last seen in " Minerva Clark Gets a Clue" (2005), has found another mystery to solve. A wealthy classmate, Chelsea, sold what she thought was an inexpensive ring, only to discover that its stone was a rare red diamond. Chelsea's father, a jeweler, is very annoyed, so the girls begin an investigation that involves sifting through the trash at an airport coffee shop, spying on some actors filming a movie, and uncovering the kidnapping of a young woman by a Humane Society employee. Minerva, reminiscent of Wendelin VanDraanen's Sammy Keyes, makes an appealing heroine--independent, resourceful, and funny, yet still clearly barely a teen. A subplot involving Minerva's three older brothers, who are raising her in the absence their parents, is also well handled. Karbo's ear for the dialogue and perceptive treatment of the concerns of younger teens will make this a popular pick with middle-schoolers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)