How Can I Be a Detective If I Have to Baby-Sit? (Stevie Diamond Mysteries)
Grade 4-6?Twelve-year old detective Stevie Diamond and her partner Jesse Kulniki take off for a wilderness vacation at Stevie's father's tree-planting camp in the mountains of British Columbia. Little do they know they will be wrangled into taking care of Alexander, the five-year- old son of the camp's head cook. Baby-sitting is Stevie's least favorite occupation, but she becomes more interested in the job when she learns about Rubberface Ragnall, a smuggler who has ransacked the trailer in which Alexander lives. It seems that the child's mother unknowingly rented their Vancouver house to this unsavory character and has been regretting it ever since. Now, he's followed them to this remote spot, but no one knows what he's looking for. False leads and mistaken identities add to the fun of racing around the mountainous terrain; there's also some discussion of environmental concerns interspersed in the conversations. The character development of enterprising Stevie and precocious Alexander is predictable, and the supporting cast is definitely flat. However, the nimble plot development and integration of the unique setting into the story line make this Canadian import, the second "Stevie Diamond Mystery," a cut above most detective series for this age group.?Linda Wicher, Highland Park Public Library, ILCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.