Module 3 Book 3 : A Latino Book

A. Bibliography:
Saldaña,Rene,Jr.2009. The case of the pen gone missing:a Mickey Rangel mystery. El Caso de la pluma perdida.Coleccion Mickey Rangel,Detective privado.translated by Carmen Villarroel. Houston,Tx: Piñata Press. ISBN: 9781558855557.

B.Plot Summary
Beautiful Toots Rodriguez, the prettiest girl in 5th grade has been accused of stealing a presidential pen after show-n-tell. Will ace private eye, Mickey be able to prove her innocence?

C.Critical Analysis (including cultural markers)

Told in a hilarious hard-boiled noir style, this grade-school private eye story is marvelously clever and entertaining. Although Mexican-Americans and other Latino kids will see their background reflected in the last names of the main characters,Mickey Rangel, Toots Garcia, and Miss Garza, the teacher, there are no cultural markers. Rather, the culture that is explored is that of 5th grade with its shifting loyalties, its cafeteria food of green jello and salisbury steak and the homework and class room cubby holes. The illustrations,however, do show a dark haired,pretty 5th grader and dark haired inquisitive boy. The cover also shows a bright-eyed boy with large brown eyes and a wide smile.

Readers will simply be entertained by the intriguing mystery and impressed by the smarts of the clever boy detective.

There is a Spanish version of the book included with the English version.El caso de la pluma perida is translated into Spanish by Chilean Carolina Villarroel.However, characters do not use any Spanish in the English version. Neither students or teachers switch from English to Spanish or use any Spanish language exclamations.

D. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal:
"Lively and entertaining narrative coupled with attractive illustrations will make this book a favorite among young mystery readers."

Kirkus Reviews:
"It will engage intermediate readers in both languages, English and Spanish, and offers multiple possibilities for school projects, group discussions and read-aloud sessions."



E. Connections.
Readers might enjoy other mysteries about intrepid boy detectives:
Villareal,Ray. Who's Buried in the Garden. ISBN:9781558855465

Mr. Villareal is the only other author that I could find writing books featuring Mexican-American boy detectives.

Readers who want to see other boy detectives in action might try the Kid Caramel series by Dwayne J. Ferguson.

Ferguson, Dwayne J. The Case of the missing Ankh( Kid Caramel #1 )
ISBN13: 9780940975712

Ferguson, Dwayne J. The Werewolf of P.S. 40. (Kid Caramel #2 )
ISBN 13: 9780940975828