Danger at the Zoo: A Kit Mystery

When the American Girl company released the first American Girl Mysteries, nobody knew quite what to make of them. I must admit I'm glad this one is here! The story begins when Mr. Gibson, the Cincinnati Register editor, gives Kit a corner of the Ladies' Page to write a children's column. Kit begins on this operation to write an article about the Zoo Guides boy scout program. As usual, she gets sidetracked when trouble arises at the zoo. The doors of the monkey house are unlocked night after night, a baby rhesus monkey is in danger of being stolen, and a strange tramp is lurking around the gates of the zoo. Kit and Stirling put the pieces together and discover that the monkey house is the target of a devious inner conspiracy that will endanger the lives of the monkeys and the well-being of the zoo. Kit bursts onto the page with a slightly revised character (she is much more natural) and burns through the mystery while managing to stay sharp. The storyline is somewhat cheesy and unbelievable, but it is a good story nonetheless, and well written too.

The year is 1934, and ten-year-old Kit Kittredge is ecstatic when she lands a summer job with the local newspaper working on a Kids Column, for she'll finally be fulfilling her dream of being a real life newspaper reporter. The best part? She'll even be getting paid one dollar for every story that the paper publishes by her, which will really help her family during this time of the Great Depression. But when Kit begins snooping around the Cincinnati Zoo, gathering facts for her story about the Zoo Guides, she stumbles upon some very strange monkey business, that happens to be taking place right in the middle of the monkey house. Kit's nose for news tells her that she's onto something big. And she knows, with a bit more investigating, she'll definitely be able to get the scoop! I have been reading the AMERICAN GIRL books since I was six-years-old, and I suppose I never grew out of them, for I adore delving into any new additions to the series, which is why I was ecstatic to discover the AMERICAN GIRLS MYSTERIES series. Kit has become my new favorite character in the AMERICAN GIRLS COLLECTION. Her nose for news, and her snoopy personality bring the short mystery to life, while her companions - her pal, Stirling, and Will, a local hobo - bring a wonderful spice to the story. The chapter of information about the Cincinnati Zoo is wonderful, and will teach young readers some unique information about the historical site. Overall, DANGER AT THE ZOO is a wonderful mystery story for middle readers who love historical fiction. And if you enjoy DANGER AT THE ZOO, I recommend checking out ANNA'S FIGHT FOR HOPE, a book about the Great Depression from the SISTERS IN TIME Series. Erika Sorocco Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

The best of the three American Girl mysteries I have read. If you can look past the "Mary Sue" convention that a newspaper editor like Mr. Gibson would even give a kid like Kit the time of day, this is a great story about Kit and Stirling investigating mysterious goings-on at the Cincinnati Zoo that threaten the employment of their friend Will, a hobo who knows he is not trusted by the local adults. Filled with great tidbits about the zoo's past and also how the Kittredges and their boarders have to live, this is quite an interesting read. There's even a few lessons herein, but the author doesn't beat you over the head with them. I hope the fact that the Pleasant Company people are now publishing mysteries featuring the American Girls doesn't mean they will abandon their History Mystery series where other girls from other eras get involved in mysteries. They are well-written and it's interesting to see what eras and what girls they pick.