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When Toots Rodríguez approaches Mickey on the playground, he knows something is up. Toots, the prettiest girl in the fifth grade, never talks to Mickey, not even when they’re assigned to work together on a class project. But Toots has come to Mickey because she’s in trouble, and he’s a detective. The real deal. He has a badge and a certificate after completing an online course two years ago.
“You have to believe me, Mickey. I didn’t take that pen. I didn’t.” When Toots shines her big green eyes on him and insists repeatedly that she’s innocent, Mickey’s intuition tells him to run fast—in the opposite direction. But he’s a sucker for a pretty girl, so he takes on the case of the missing pen.
Rumor has it that Toots stole Eddy’s pen. It’s not just any old pen; it’s his dad’s pen. It has the White House logo on it. Eddy’s father, a senator from South Texas, got the pen from the President of the United States when he visited the White House last year. As Mickey begins his investigation, though, all the clues point to Toots and her newly ex-boyfriend as the primary suspects.
The first book in The Mickey Rangel Mystery series for intermediate readers, author and educator René Saldaña, Jr. has crafted another appealing book for kids, and his wise-cracking, smart protagonist will appeal to even the most reluctant readers.
Praise for The Case of the Pen Gone Missing / El caso de la pluma perdida:
“This bilingual chapter-book edition… will engage intermediate readers in both languages, English and Spanish, and offers multiple possibilities for school projects, group discussions and read-aloud sessions. Villarreal’s well-crafted translation into Spanish maintains the suspense and humor of the original English version, narrated by Mickey in fine, hard-boiled style.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A Spanish translation of the story is bound in with the English, making this a good choice for bilingual school and public library collections.”
“Lively and entertaining narrative coupled with attractive illustrations will make this book a favorite among young mystery readers.”
—Criticas
René Saldaña, Jr. was selected as an Arte Público
Press "Author of the Month" on KUHF Houston Public Radio's Web site.
His interview with radio host Eric Ladau can be found here.
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