Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation (Ike LaRue series)
CRITICS HAVE SAID
- Teague’s visual characterizations of animals and people are also a treat. Ike displays a variety of emotions and attitudes, often subtly conveyed by posture, facial expression, or even just the tilt of an eyebrow. The cat-bashing references in the dog’s letters add another touch of humor to this satisfying epistolary tale.
–Steven Engelfried, School Library Journal - The noir-inspired premise drifts farther from doggy reality than the first book’s, but children will get a thrill out of piecing together the mystery alongside the wily, self-serving, yet eminently lovable Ike.
–Jennifer Mattson, Booklist - Lively acrylics paired with comical correspondence result in a picture book that will have Ike fans howling.
–Publishers Weekly - Teague’s innovative approach to storytelling is fun, but educational as well, skillfully imparting some valuable lessons in point of view and reading between the lines.
–Kirkus Reviews
IF YOU LOVE THIS BOOK, THEN TRY:
Allard, Harry. Miss Nelson Is Missing. Houghton Mifflin, 1985. ISBN-13: 978-0395664988
Cronin, Doreen. Duck for President. Simon & Schuster, 2004. ISBN-13: 978-1416958000
Cushman, Doug. The Mystery of King Karfu. HarperCollins, 1996. ISBN-13: 978-0064435031
Falconer, Ian. Olivia… and the Missing Toy. Atheneum, 2003. ISBN-13: 978-0689852916
Geras, Adele. The Cats of Cuckoo Square: Two Stories. Delacorte, 2001. ISBN-10: 038572926X
Howe, James. Bud Barkin, Private Eye. Atheneum, 2003. (And others in the Tales from the House of Bunnicula series.) ISBN-13: 978-0689869891
Kirk, Daniel. Dogs Rule!Hyperion, 2003. ISBN-13: 978-0786819492
Laden, Nina. The Night I Followed the Dog. Chronicle, 1994. ISBN-13: 978-0811806473
Meddaugh, Susan. Martha Walks the Dog. Houghton Mifflin, 1998. ISBN-13: 978-0618380053
Meddaugh, Susan. Perfectly Martha. Houghton Mifflin, 2004. ISBN-13: 978-0618378579
Miller, Sara Swan. Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog. Houghton Mifflin, 1995. ISBN-13: 978-0395861356
Palatini, Margie. The Web Files. Hyperion, 2001. ISBN-10: 078680419
Teague, Mark. Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School. Scholastic, 2002. ISBN-13: 978-0439206631
Teague, Mark. LaRue for Mayor: Letters from the Campaign Trail. Scholastic, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0439206631