Bud Barkin, Private Eye

August 1, 2003
Gr 3-5-Howie, the irrepressible dachshund, tries his hand-er, paw-at writing detective fiction. He imagines himself as Barkin, a hardboiled shamus with a nose for crime and an eye for the dames. The detective is working late when a beautiful blonde tumbles through the door of his office-"trouble with a capital T." Delilah claims she's being followed, and Barkin suspects Crusty Carmady, an old enemy who's just been sprung from Sing Sing. But, is Delilah on the run from Carmady-or in cahoots with him? The whodunit action alternates with selections from Howie's writing journal in which he ponders the craft of writing and the editorial suggestions of Uncle Harold (the sheepdog "author" of the "Bunnicula" stories). The narration is an affectionate parody of the gumshoe genre, filled with the kind of mock tough-guy similes that would make Mickey Spillane proud. ("She looked me over like I was a used car she was thinking of buying if the price was right.") Howie's journal observations provide an amusing demonstration of the creative process and the challenges of authorship. The last chapter is a bit frantic as Howie attempts to tie up all the plot threads at once-explaining any remaining inconsistencies as "red herrings." While this title has little relationship to the original "Bunnicula" stories, it should appeal to mystery fans who like their crime spiced with chuckles.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2003
Gr. 2-4. Although Dachshund and aspiring writer Howie Monroe still hasn't won a Newbony Award, that doesn't stop him from trying to write a mystery. Unfortunately, the confident pooch finds the task harder than he expected. Creating doggie PI Bud Barkin, tough, handsome, and smart, is easy; after all, as Howie says, Bud's based on himself. The tricky part is writing a plot that makes sense. With input and encouragement from Uncle Harold, a professional writer, Howie manages to create something he likes--and, hardly pausing to bark, starts planning his next book. As with the previous Howie book, the dog's lively, first-person, handwritten journal, which details his writing dilemmas, alternates with his version of the classic, hardboiled detective story he creates. The story-within-a-story is both easy to read and funny, and its canine twist offers plenty of goofy plot developments, puns, and silly similes for an entertaining spoof. Kids will also come away with a simple, witty introduction to the elements of mystery writing. Illustrations not seen.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)