The Curious Cat Spy Club

This is a fun mystery about pets, secrets and friendship. I think it would be best suited for this or fourth grade level readers. The main characters are 12 years old and there are some suggestions of innocent romance but nothing inappropriate for young readers. Pet lovers and mystery fans should enjoy this book.

A tween spy club for kids trying to help animals. What child doesn't love animals? Sure to he a hit with tween girls!

So I really wanted to read this book because the cover interested me and the plot sounded really unique unfortunately I only made it to about chapter 4 because it was a little young for me but it is a very well written children's book and I really liked what I was able to read. I would definitely recommend it for someone who loves animals and who is between 2-6th grade.

I'm not a cat lover, but I do like mysteries, so it sort of balanced out in this case. The CCSC (Curious Cat Spy Club), is founded when three schoolmates rescue some kittens that have been tossed in a dumpster. Finding the kittens brings the kids together, even though they are very different. Leo is an only child and doesn't seem to have many social skills, but he is very smart and likes to build gadgets like drones and robots. Becca lives at the Wild Oaks Animal Sanctuary with her mother and is part of the most popular group of girls at school. Kelsey shares an apartment with her 3 siblings and her parents; she likes to observe people and wishes she could be a spy. Together they decide to take care of the kittens and find out how they wound up in the dumpster.

I like the way the story not only includes the mystery of the kittens, but also shows the everyday lives of the characters. They have their club, but there is still school, chores, and family life, too. And the differences in the home-life of each kid are very typical in the real world. Becca's parents are divorced. Kelsey's father lost his job and is searching for another one. Leo's parents work long hours and are never around. Details of how much care the kittens need and what a commitment it is to care for them also add realism to the story. It sounds fun and adventurous to rescue animals, but then you have to feed them and empty the litter box and pay for the cat food and litter - there's a lot of responsibility involved.

Fun realistic fiction with a bit of sleuthing and danger mixed in. A good read for middle grade animal lovers, especially those who enjoy a series where they can encounter the same characters in each book.

The Curious Cat Spy Cat was a fun and engaging read, perfect for a younger middle grade audience. The story centers around three kids who might not normally be friends with each other who form a club with a common goal: to take care of three abandoned kittens and track down who is responsible for tossing them into a dumpster. Kids are sure to love the main themes of this book: friendship, animals, and mystery.

This was a really cute and fast read. I enjoyed the mystery, it wasn't too simple or too difficult to figure out, so good for the age range of middle readers.

I felt the MCs were all rather realistic. Kelsey was a lonely girl and wanted a best friend more than anything. Leo most likely has Aspergers and Becca is the down-to-earth popular girl who liked the "bad boy". Who really is a jerk btw. The ending not-withstanding, he's a grade A jerk and a rap sheet waiting to happen.

The kids acted liked kids. It was believable to me. This was a good read, with a few moments of suspense here and there to keep the heart pounding. I liked the story of friendship and believing in oneself, though the thoughts behind keeping secrets kind of smells like lying to me.

I would recommend this for middle readers and above who like animals and mysteries. 4.5 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Albert Whitman & Company for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

Such a cool childrens book. It was so cool and amazing.