Kazu Jones and the Denver Dognappers Review

[Featured Image designed by Spawn]

Blurb:

Packed with high stakes mystery and tons of heart, this first installment in a new series introduces Kazu Jones-a spunky, scrappy detective who’s this generation’s Harriet the Spy.

When a string of dognappings grips her Denver neighborhood, Kazu Jones vows to track down the culprits. She can’t stand to see more dogs go missing-especially once her neighbors’ beloved pet is taken because of her gigantic mistake.

With the help of her gang-including her best friend and expert hacker, March; and her ginormous, socially anxious pup, Genki-Kazu uncovers evidence that suggests the dognapping ring is bigger than she ever imagined. But the more she digs, the more dangerous her investigation becomes. The dognappers are getting bolder, and Genki could be next.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “In this spirited debut, Holyoak introduces an indefatigable heroine whose distinct voice and loyal canine companion contribute to her considerable appeal. The diverse allies, plot twists, and delightful dogs make this a memorable beginning for Kazu and her friends.”

KIRKUS:“Holyoak creates a well-paced mystery with approachable characters and issues. The dognapping case and the go-get-’em attitude of Kazu provide just enough suspense and action without being too scary. Holyoak sprinkles in topics of growing up, including friendship, relationships with parents, mean people, and telling the truth.  A not-too-scary, diverse mystery for those who love action, dogs, and spunky heroines.”

Title: KAZU JONES AND THE DENVER DOGNAPPERS
Author: Shauna Holyoak
Pub. Date: April 23, 2019
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 320

Where Can You Find It?

Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Kobo, iBooks, TBD

My Review:

This was definitely a five star read, I read about half of it out loud with my daughter, and we’ll continue to read it but I had to steam on ahead to finish for the review. She’s patiently waiting to find out just exactly was the Denver Dognapper! Truthfully Shauna gave us a great diverse cast of characters, not just in a beautiful blend of different backgrounds but each character stood on their own. Kazu Jones is our spunky fifth-grade detective with her dog Genki and her best friend March who is a meticulous academic and lover of technology to Madeleine Brown who Kazu has never gotten along with and CindeeRae who along with her love of musicals, loves her dog Lobster just as much. The kids have taken over, in a thread of The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew comes Kazuko Jones, written with an ease and a way that will entice children to pick it up and not put it down. Now there are actions that the children take, and much like Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys, it’s not an action a parent would like their kids to make in real life, but this is written for a child’s enjoyment and even I loved it Kazu makes some decisions and they may not be good ones but the author has Kazu grow during the book and her actions have consequences but you can’t keep a natural detective down for long. There is something just really promising about Kazuko Jones and the adventures that could lay in store for her past the case of the Denver Dognappers. I would say that this is a series to keep an eye out for because I feel this and a couple of others I have spotted lately are really going to be at the forefront of pushing the mystery genre into the modern day for children.

Honestly, I could gush on and on about this but at the end of the day this was a new favorite for my daughter and I and we hope to read more about Kazuko, her group of friends, and her Sleuth Chronicle adventures.

5/5 Cups of Coffee from the mini and I

About the Author:

Shauna has been telling stories long before she could ride a bike, and some of them are even true! She writes for kids and teens and thinks it’s kinda the best job ever. Kazu Jones and the Denver Dognappers is her debut novel, and it will be released on April 23, 2019! She lives in Idaho Falls, ID with her husband, six of their seven children, and two naughty dogs.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway!

3 winners will receive finished signed or unsigned copies of KAZU JONES AND THE DENVER DOGNAPPERS, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

4/22/2019- BookHounds YA– Interview

4/23/2019- Eli to the nth– Review

4/24/2019- two points of interest– Interview

4/25/2019- The Caffeinated Reader– Review

4/26/2019- That Bookish Princess– Review