Lu and Clancy's Secret Codes - Softcover

Pat Cupples is a children's illustrator whose many books include The Math Book for Girls and Other Beings Who Count and The Technology Book for Girls and Other Advanced Beings. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Adrienne Mason is an educator and author whose books include Owls, Snakes, Move It! and Touch It! She lives in Tofino, British Columbia.

Grade 2-4-Two activity storybooks about a Scotch terrier and a basset hound. Crime Science centers around Dottie Dalmatian's missing pups. Readers' observational skills are tested, and they learn how to take finger and lip prints. Lu and Clancy also teach children about analyzing footprints and teeth prints, as well as ink prints from different pens. Secret Codes offers several messages involving familiar backward writing and numerical codes, as well as some new ideas such as a musical message, pinprick codes, and crossword-puzzle codes. One of the more complicated ones is based on an ancient alphabet called "ogham," which is illustrated with broken-up dried spaghetti. Each code includes a message for practice. Answers and forensic-science puzzles appear on the final pages. Cupples's colorful cartoonlike illustrations portray appealing, curious expressions on the canine faces with details in the background that readers will enjoy pondering. Both stories are excellent for building vocabulary and observational skills, while appealing to the natural curiosity of this age group.
Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
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