The Curious Cat Spy Club

Kelsey has always wanted to be a spy, and opportunity arrives when she stops an escaped zorse (half zebra, half horse) from running into traffic. The zorse—which lives in the animal sanctuary run by Kelsey’s popular, kindhearted classmate Becca and her family—leads the girls and a fellow middle schooler, nerdy Leo, to discover a bag of kittens stuffed in a Dumpster. The three save the kittens and vow to find out who committed the crime, forming the Curious Cat Spy Club, complete with their own secret clubhouse. They also decide to earn money to feed the kittens by tracking down lost pets, which leads to another mystery: why are so many pets disappearing in their town? There’s plenty of action in this series opener, but Singleton (Snow Dog, Sand Dog) also handles the story’s emotional layers well, including Kelsey’s father’s loss of his job and the developing friendships among the three members of the club (who are from different social strata in their school-day lives). Pet lovers will enjoy the animal-centric focus, and the mystery will keep them guessing. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)