I have not one, but several dachshund-obsessed friends. I have to admit, they’ve never appealed to me too much, UNTIL I read A Nose for Trouble by James D. Witmer.
Kevin Maximus, the little dachshund with a big imagination, absolutely stole my heart! This brave pup is determined to solve a crime and protect his family, and your kids will want to cheer him on all the way.
The Story
Max the dachshund knows what he saw. A large package was delivered. But then, when the family brought it in, the package had shrunk. What kind of criminal would do such a thing? The other pets don’t believe him at first, blaming his over-active imagination. But Max is determined to look for clues and solve the mystery before the Allen family’s Christmas packages all get “smallified.”
Kids will love Max’s spunk and determination, while identifying with not always understanding things fully and not being believed.
What I loved about A Nose for Trouble
- Perfect length for young readers–With short chapters and less than one hundred pages, this book invites newer readers to dive in. Books like this can help young or struggling readers to gain confidence and fluency.
- Engaging characters–Witmer’s animal characters are full of life and personality. Your kids will keep turning pages as they fall in love with this family of pets.
- Animal heroes–Animal characters are super engaging for many kids. But unlike some series that feature feral or badly behave creatures, these pets love their family and want to help. They are good role models, even without being human.
There are some Christmas themes in this book, but I think A Nose for Trouble is pretty perfect for any time of year.
Just make sure to tell your young readers that dachshund is pronounced “doxen” or they will be forever confused. (All the online pronunciation guides say “doxhund” or “daxhund”, but I’ve never heard anyone pronounce the “d”).
This book could certainly be read on it’s own, but if you’re looking for the first book in the Allen Family Mystery series, you can catch my review HERE.
