Sunday, July 26, 2009

The Case of the Pen Gone Missing -- René Saldaña, Jr.




















Here's a neat idea, a book for young readers in the style of an old Ace Double, with the English version on one side and the Spanish version on the other. Mickey Rangel is a fifth grader who's taken detective courses on the 'net, which makes him the only hardboiled p.i. in his class. When his pretty classmate, Toots Rodríguez, is accused of stealing a fountain pen used by the president to sign an important bill, she hires Mickey to find out who did it. Well, you know how it is with a p.i. and an attractive client. Mickey is on the case, and he cracks it with the assistance of a mysterious "Angel" who leaves him notes.

The book's only about 30 pages long, with illustrations, so reluctant readers should find it attractive. The story will hold them, and other youngsters, too. My Spanish is rusty, but I had fun taking a stab at that version. I could read quite a bit of it, so I'd guess it would work fine for kids whose first language is Spanish. A neat little book.

5 comments:

René Saldaña, Jr. said...

Bill, egotistical like I am, and easy how the internet has made to be moreso, I search my titles every so often (more often than every) and here is the very first entry on my google search today. Thanks for the very kind words about my first shot at a detective story, and a first go at the chapter book format. I really had fun writing it, and am enjoying reading and watching the old stories to get a feel for how to go about the next title in the series. The opening sentence involves a blood-curdling shreik. I'm linking my blog to yours; we're doing similar work with reviews and the like, and I've begun a video book talk blog as well: renesaldanajr.blogspot.com and chatandchewbooktalks.blogspot.com.

mybillcrider said...

Thanks for the links, Rene. I'll be looking in from time to time, and I'm sure the next book will be fun, too.

reading said...

To just under stand to use the double version:Thanks..
learn spanish madrid

reading said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
reading said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.