The Cat Burglars

The Accidental Adventures, Episode 1 

Paperback 

September 3, 2016

by Max Elliot Anderson 

• Series: The Accidental Adventures of Kurt Benson, and His Friends, Riley and Jordan
• Paperback: 108 pages
• Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing, Inc
• ISBN-13: 978-1944430405

In The Cat Burglars, the first episode of the exciting new series “The Accidental Adventures of Kurt Benson and His Friends, Riley and Jordan,” readers follow Kurt, Riley, and Jordan as they try to solve the mystery of escalating burglaries in their neighborhood, all strangely tied in to Pletchers’ Bed and Biscuit where the boys work taking care of animals during their summer vacation. As the trio tries to balance spying on suspicious adults with doing their jobs and not worrying their parents, the boys find themselves in more danger than they ever could have imagined.

My thoughts: First, the disclaimer. "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own." That done, THE CAT BURGLARS is the first book in a new mystery series for tween boys by Max Elliot Anderson. Mr. Anderson is an author that writes engaging books for tween boys (ages 8 - 12) who are reluctant readers and as a mom of a reluctant reader, I will testify they work. My son grew up to be an avid reader and he reads big books now, fiction and nonfiction. Mr. Anderson was one of his favorite authors when he was a boy. He inhaled everything Mr. Anderson had written. 

For adult readers, the voice is rather simplistic, but this is geared toward tweens. The main characters, Kurt, Riley, and Jordan are eleven years old and they are pooper-scoopers and dog walkers at Jordan's dad's kennel. When robberies happen, the boys are frantic, because it might mean the closing of the kennel when police tie the robberies with the kennel.  Who knows when pet owners will be away from home?  

Thing is, the boys see things, but neither the dad  nor the police are willing to listen to them. It was an engaging read even for an adult.  I passed my copy on to a grateful parent of a reluctant reader tween boy with high recommendations. Hopefully Mr. Anderson will gain a new reader as a result. 

If you have a tween son or grandson who hate reading, then THE CAT BURGLARS is a good book to start with.