The Cool Ghoul Mystery (Fletcher Mystery, 5)

Elizabeth Levy says:

Fletcher Rules!

There are three things I love -- dogs, mysteries, and salami. I also am fascinated and moved by the ways we love our pets and they love us. I first wrote about Fletcher, a salami-eating basset hound, in the Something Queer Mysteries more than thirty years ago. But those books were Gwen and Jill's mysteries. I always wondered what Fletcher thought about things. I love hearing from kids and visiting schools. Children from all over the world sent me wonderful drawings of Fletcher. I decided it was time for Fletcher to tell his own stories and star in his own series. But writing is mysterious. I never knew that a friendly flea named Jasper would join Fletcher. As I began these books, Jasper just started popping up and chatting. Now, Gwen, Jill, Fletcher, Mordicai, and I have a new friend. He's rather tiny, but he's a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to more mysteries with Fletcher and Jasper and their humans, Gwen and Jill. Visit Elizabeth Levy's Web site at www.elizabethlevy.com.

Grade 2-4--Fletcher, a basset hound who hosts a flea named Jasper in a friendly, symbiotic relationship, narrates this lighthearted story. Although he does not communicate verbally with humans, the dog uses his amazing powers of persuasion to convince Jill's mom to include him on a snowboarding vacation, so that he and Jasper might avoid a flea bath at the kennel. After they arrive at the resort, unidentified scratching and thumping sounds, along with raccoon prints in the snow that spell the words "Cool Ghoul," lead the guests and the media to believe the place is haunted. However, it's not long before Fletcher, Jasper, and their new friend Rocky Raccoon unearth the truth. Jasper's sarcastic comments and impatience reflect his character, in counterpoint to Fletcher's patience, loyalty, and ingenuity. References to snowboarding reflect aspects of contemporary life, and readers will enjoy the loving relationships shared by the human and animal characters alike. As in the earlier books, Gerstein's cartoons extend the story with their humor and charm. Beginning chapter-book readers will feel right at home with Fletcher and his friends.--Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.